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Hiring decisions can introduce legal, operational, and reputational risk. For many employers, a Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check (NCCHC) forms part of a structured pre-employment screening process designed to support safer, more consistent hiring decisions.
Employers often ask: what does an NCCHC show, when should it be used, and how does it fit within a broader screening process? This article explains what an NCCHC is, what it may include, what it does not include, and how employers commonly use it as part of pre-employment screening.
At a glance
A Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check (NCCHC) is a criminal history screening product delivered through the National Police Checking Service. Employers commonly use NCCHCs during pre-employment screening to identify disclosable court outcomes and certain pending matters, depending on applicable laws and release policies. An NCCHC is only one part of a broader screening process and should not be treated as a complete picture of an individual’s background.
Key takeaways
- A Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check (NCCHC) provides information about disclosable court outcomes and certain pending matters, based on records made available through Australian police and court systems at the time of the check.
- NCCHCs are commonly used in pre-employment screening for roles involving trust, access to systems, financial responsibility, or the safety of others, particularly in regulated and high-risk environments.
- The information disclosed in an NCCHC is limited and purpose-dependent, meaning it should not be treated as a complete view of an individual’s background.
- Many organisations use NCCHCs as one component of pre-employment screening to support more consistent and evidence-based decision-making.
- Effective screening requires combining NCCHCs with other checks such as identity verification, employment history, and references, to give employers a broader view of candidate suitability.
What is a Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check (NCCHC)?
A Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check (NCCHC) is a criminal history screening product available through the National Police Checking Service that provides information about an individual’s disclosable court outcomes and certain pending matters, subject to applicable laws and release policies.
It is commonly used by employers during pre-employment screening to assess whether a candidate is suitable for a role, particularly in regulated, safety-sensitive, or high-trust environments.
An NCCHC is delivered through the National Police Checking Service, which the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) delivers in collaboration with Australian police agencies and accredited bodies. It is typically requested via an ACIC-accredited body or directly through a police agency.
Applications submitted through accredited bodies and police agencies are processed through the National Police Checking Service, but the application channel, report format, and issuing process may differ. The results reflect information available at the time of the search and do not represent a permanent or continuously updated record.
An NCCHC is distinct from other police-issued certificates, including AFP National Police Certificates, and from international criminal record checks, which follow different processes and may rely on different data sources.
Learn more about how TalentScreen by MVSI’s conduct criminal history screening services.
What does an NCCHC include?
To understand how these results should be interpreted, it is important to look at what information is actually disclosed within an NCCHC report.
An NCCHC provides a record of an individual’s disclosable court outcomes and certain matters in progress at the time of the search, based on information held in police and court systems across all Australian jurisdictions.
The report includes:
- Identity details used to conduct the check, such as name and date of birth
- Disclosable court outcomes (DCOs), including convictions and findings of guilt
- Certain pending matters, where legislation permits disclosure
- The jurisdiction in which each outcome was recorded
Results are typically classified as either “No Disclosable Court Outcome (NDCO)” or “Disclosable Court Outcome (DCO)”, indicating whether any reportable records were identified.
Not all records are disclosed. The following are generally excluded:
- Spent convictions, unless an exemption applies based on the purpose of the check
- Certain juvenile offences, depending on applicable legislation and disclosure rules
- Offences that did not result in a conviction, including dismissed or withdrawn matters
- Outcomes not permitted under information release policies, including diversionary outcomes and non-court matters
NCCHCs are also limited to Australian records. Overseas convictions are not included, as the check is based on information held within Australian police and court systems.
The information disclosed will always depend on the purpose of the check and the applicable legal framework. As a result, an NCCHC should be understood as a targeted view of criminal history, not a complete picture of an individual’s background.
When should employers use an NCCHC?
An NCCHC is commonly used in roles where a hiring decision carries a higher level of risk or regulatory responsibility. This includes positions where individuals are trusted with sensitive information, access to systems, or the safety of others.
In these situations, employers may need a higher level of assurance. Depending on the role, poor hiring decisions can contribute to financial, regulatory, operational, or safeguarding risk. While higher-risk roles often require more robust screening, many employers use NCCHCs more broadly because employees may still have access to systems, data, customers, or internal processes.
This is why many employers now treat NCCHCs as a standard part of pre-employment screening. It is not just about compliance. It is about reducing uncertainty and making decisions based on verified information, not assumptions.
NCCHCs are most critical in roles where individuals:
- work with children, the elderly, or vulnerable people
- have access to financial systems or handle funds
- access sensitive data or critical systems
- operate in safety-sensitive or high-risk environments
These risk profiles are not isolated. They exist across a wide range of industries, where the consequences of a hiring decision can be immediate and difficult to reverse.
Industries and roles where NCCHCs are commonly required in Australia include:
- Childcare and education, where safeguarding obligations are strict and failures can have serious consequences
- Civil and infrastructure, where decisions and actions directly impact public safety and operational integrity
- Executive background checks, where decisions carry financial and regulatory accountability
- Financial services, where employees may access funds, transactions, and regulated financial systems
- High tech and telecommunications, where access to systems and sensitive data creates significant security exposure
- Legal, where confidentiality, trust, and fiduciary responsibility are fundamental
- Manufacturing, particularly in safety-sensitive environments where operational errors can lead to harm
- Membership organisations, especially where individuals engage with vulnerable groups or manage funds
- Mining and resources, where high-risk conditions demand strict compliance and safety oversight
- Retail, where employees interact with customers, payments, and inventory systems
- Sales and revenue, where individuals influence financial outcomes, client relationships, and commercial decisions
Screening requirements vary by sector, particularly in regulated industries such as financial services, childcare, and legal.
While NCCHCs play a critical role in managing hiring risk, they represent only one part of a broader screening framework.
On their own, they provide a limited view of an individual’s background. To understand risk more completely, they must be used alongside other checks that verify identity, experience, and credibility.
How does an NCCHC fit into pre-employment screening?
Relying on a single check gives employers a limited view. An individual may have no disclosable court outcomes, while other screening checks may still be needed to verify identity, experience, or role-specific suitability.
For organisations, the issue is incomplete information. A more structured screening process helps reduce avoidable gaps in hiring decisions.
This is where many hiring processes break down. Not because checks were not completed, but because they were not connected.
That is why many organisations are moving toward structured screening approaches that assess individuals across multiple dimensions, not just criminal history. The goal is simple: remove uncertainty, close gaps, and make decisions that can withstand scrutiny.
A structured screening process typically includes a combination of checks that provide different types of insight into a candidate. This is where broader pre-employment screening services can help employers apply the right checks more consistently:
- Identity verification, confirming the individual’s identity using government-issued documents and reducing the risk of false or mismatched records
- Employment history checks, validating previous roles and identifying inconsistencies that may not appear in criminal records
- Reference checks, providing insight into behaviour, reliability, and performance in previous roles
- Right to work checks, ensuring the individual is legally permitted to work in Australia
These checks do not operate in isolation. Each provides a different perspective on risk, and together they form a broader view of candidate suitability.
The specific combination of checks will vary depending on the industry, regulatory environment, and level of risk associated with the role. For example, a Senior AML Compliance Manager may require additional screening such as KYE and AML checks, as well as financial probity assessments, to ensure the individual’s integrity and suitability for overseeing compliance functions. In contrast, roles working with vulnerable individuals like children, may require additional safeguarding checks such as working with children clearances.
Screening, therefore, must be applied with intent. The goal is not to apply more checks, but to apply the right checks based on the level of risk.
Why an NCCHC should be part of a broader screening process
A Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check (NCCHC) is often an important component of pre-employment screening. It provides verified insight into disclosable court outcomes and supports more informed hiring decisions.
But on its own, it is not enough.
Effective pre-employment screening brings together multiple data points to form a complete view of candidate risk.
Hiring decisions require a balanced understanding of identity, experience, behaviour, and background. Without this, organisations are left making decisions on partial information.
This is why screening must be approached as a combined process. When NCCHCs are used alongside identity verification, employment history checks, qualification verification, and reference checks, employers gain a broader view of candidate suitability.
For organisations, the objective is to reduce uncertainty and support hiring decisions with verified, relevant information.
TalentScreen by MVSI supports organisations in applying consistent pre-employment screening across roles and industries. MVSI TalentScreen Pty Ltd is an Accredited Body of the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) and provides Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Checks through the National Police Checking Service, alongside identity, employment, and qualification verification. TalentScreen’s approach combines technology, structured workflows, and human expertise. Screening is not treated as a transactional process, but as a critical decision point supported by experienced professionals and clear communication. This helps organisations receive clear, structured screening outputs that support informed hiring decisions.
The value of screening lies in using the right checks for the role and interpreting them in the right context.
Summary
NCCHCs provide important insight into an individual’s criminal history, but they represent only one part of the screening process.
Effective pre-employment screening combines NCCHCs with other checks such as identity verification, employment history, qualifications, and references to provide a more complete view of candidate risk.
The specific checks required will vary depending on the role and level of risk, making it important for organisations to apply screening in a structured and consistent way.
A combined screening approach enables employers to make more informed hiring decisions.
