Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check (NCCHC)
Commonly known as a Police Checks
Complete your police check without handing over copies of your identity documents
Apply online, have your original identity documents sighted at a participating pharmacy and receive your results securely by email.
PharmacyID provides Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Checks (NCCHC) – commonly known as police checks – for individuals, employers and other Australian organisations and government agencies.
Individual police checks: $66, including GST
A safer way to complete a NCCHC
Identity documents contain some of your most sensitive personal information. With PharmacyID, you do not need to upload, email or post copies of your passport, driver licence or other identity documents.
Instead, you enter the required document details online and receive a barcode. You then take your original documents, along with the barcode, to a participating pharmacy. An authorised pharmacy staff member will sight and verify the original documents in person as part of a face-to-face verification process, confirming that the documents match the information provided in your application.
Your documents stay with you throughout the process.
Why choose PharmacyID?
- No copies of your identity documents
Your original documents are sighted in person and remain in your possession. - Convenient pharmacy verification
Access face-to-face identity verification through more than 3,500 participating pharmacies across Australia. - Secure online application
Begin your application online, then complete the identity verification step at a pharmacy. - Fast digital submission
Once your documents have been sighted, your application is submitted electronically for processing. - Options for organisations
Employers and other organisations can access discounted corporate rates, volunteer checks and API integration.
How it works
- Complete your application online
Enter your personal information, the purpose of your check, and the details of the identity documents you are required to provide.
See which identity documents you will need - Find a participating pharmacy
At Step 4 of the application, select the PharmacyID option. A map will appear, allowing you to enter your postcode and locate a convenient PharmacyID member pharmacy. - Take your receipt and original documents
You will receive your PharmacyID barcode via email. You can save the barcode to your phone for easy access.
When you visit the pharmacy, the pharmacist will scan your barcode to securely access your application. - Have your identity confirmed
An authorised pharmacy staff member will sight your original documents and confirm that they match the details provided in your application. Once your documents have been verified, your application will be processed.
You do not leave copies of your documents with the pharmacy. - Receive your result
Your application is submitted electronically for processing. PharmacyID will email you when the result is available.
You do not leave copies of your documents with the pharmacy.
Please note: Applications must be started online. Participating pharmacies can sight your documents and submit your application, but they cannot begin the application for you.
NCCHC pricing
Individual applications
Standard Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check: $66, including GST
Corporate and volunteer checks
Discounted rates are available for corporate clients.
Volunteer checks cost $19.80, including GST, and are available through corporate accounts only. They are not offered directly to individuals.
Talk to us about corporate pricing
NCCHC for organisations
PharmacyID helps employers and other organisations create a secure, consistent process for police checks and identity verification.
Corporate clients can access:
- discounted police check rates
- eligible volunteer checks
- online application management
- identity verification through participating pharmacies
- integration with existing systems through our RESTful API
- additional identity verification and screening services, including DVS checks within the NCCHC.
Enquire about corporate police checks
Integrate NCCHC into your workflow
PharmacyID’s RESTful API allows organisations to incorporate police checks into existing recruitment, workforce management and onboarding systems.
This can reduce manual administration and create a more consistent experience for applicants and internal teams.
Talk to us about API integration
How long does a NCCHC take?
Around 70% of Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Checks are completed in real time, with results returned to PharmacyID within minutes.
Checks requiring further police review may take up to 10 business days or, in some cases, longer. PharmacyID cannot influence the processing time once a check has been referred to a police agency.
Questions about NCCHC?
Find answers about identity documents, processing times, why the purpose of your check matters, transferring checks, Working with Children Checks, pharmacy verification and corporate applications in our frequently asked questions below.
Ready to begin?
Complete your application online, take your original documents to a participating pharmacy and receive your result securely by email.
Here are some alternative methods you may use to complete your Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check. Please be aware that there are risks in sending information including copies of your identification via unsecured methods.
Slower
Email your documentation including certified photocopies of your ID to :[email protected]
Applications will be evaluated by our consultants before they are approved for processing.Slowest
Mail this document and certified photocopies of your ID by registered mail to:
P.O. Box 611 Moonee Ponds, Vic 3039.
Documentation may take up to 2 days to reach us by post.
Certification of true copies can be carried out by:
- Justice of the peace
- A currently Registered Nurse
- Accountants - member of a recognised professional accounting body or a Registered Tax Agent
- Manager of a bank or credit union, other than managers of Bank Travel Centres
- Barrister, Solicitor or Patent Attorney
- Police Officer at a local police station
- Postal Manager or at Selected Australia Post Outlets
- Principal of an Australian Secondary College, High School or Primary School
- Registered Pharmacist
- Medical Practitioner
- Dentist
- Chiropractor
- Physiotherapist
- Veterinary Surgeon
- Optometrist
- Member of Engineers Australia - Other than at the grade of student
For a complete list of individuals who can certify your documentation please visit Australasian Legal Information Institute
The Certifying Person must:
- Write on the copy "This is a true copy of the original documents sighted by me"
- Sign and print their name
- State their profession or occupation group
- Write on the copy the date certified
- List the appropriate registration number; and
- Affix the official stamp or seal of the certifier's organisation on the copy (if available).
Photocopies of previously certified documents will not be accepted. The PharmacyID takes no responsibility for the failure to supply certified ID.
FAQ's
PharmacyID has been designed to eliminate the risk of someone stealing your identity and reduce the risk and inconvenience of copying your ID documents and then hunting around for someone to certify. Sending through the postal service can take a great deal of time and risks inteception by criminals. Your local trusted PharmacyID member can verify your identity quickly and securely by checking your original ID documents. No more copies and no waiting for the mail.
The Short Answer
ACIC aims to process 95% of Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Checks within 10 business days. Around 70% are completed in real time, with results returned to the requesting organisation within minutes. Around 30% are referred to one or more police agencies because a potential match is found; on limited occasions, checks can take longer than 10 business days due to the complexity of police matching and vetting.
The Long Answer
The Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) works with Australian police agencies and accredited bodies to deliver the National Police Checking Service (NPCS), which allows people to apply for a Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check. ACIC is governed by an ACIC Board that includes Commonwealth law enforcement leaders and the police commissioners/chief police officers from each state and territory.
When a check is lodged, the applicant’s details are submitted into the NPCS Support System (NSS), and the applicant’s personal details are checked against a national database using a name matching algorithm. If the system generates a “potential match”, it is referred to the relevant police agency (or agencies) for further assessment. If the match is confirmed, police then conduct “vetting” and determine what (if anything) can be released in accordance with the purpose/category of the check and the applicable spent convictions legislation and/or information release policies.
Individual standard NCCHC applications: $66.00 (incl. GST), Volunteer checks: $19.80 (incl. GST)
Volunteer checks are available to corporate clients only and are not offered to individuals.
Discounted rates apply for corporate clients.
Your employer may use our Lookup Tool to verify your existing NCCHC's. They may only be checked within 3 months of the certificate creation.
The NCCHC results are dependent upon entering correct details of the Occupation and Purpose for the check. For example, more criminal history details are released by police if the purpose is working unsupervised in an Aged Care facility, than if you are working as an assistant in a grocery store. Full details of the occupation and purpose are critical in ensuring that you have the correct NCCHC. Failure to properly disclose these details will render the NCCHC invalid.
ACIC recommends that NCCHC are not transferable as they are only a “point in time” check. Changing employers therefore requires that a new NCCHC be completed.
PharmacyID is an online service and do not provide an ‘over the counter’ service. The PharmacyID member pharmacy will check your required identity documents and submit your check but cannot begin your application.
The Working with Children Check and the Aged /Vulnerable/Children NCCHC are the same NCCHC's, however the WWC check includes additional background screening. Therefore a WWC must be applied for separately.
Yes. Our consultants are available Monday to Friday 8.00am to 6.00pm and 9.00am to 5.00pm on weekends on 03 9379 3383.
RESTful API
If you are interested in integrating your existing workflow with our NCCHC API please call us on 03 9379 3383.