Minimum ID needed for a police check

This guide explains police check identity documents, 100 points ID concepts and background verification ID. If you are still comparing check types, read the Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check guide first.

Identity Document Requirements for a Police Check

When applying for a nationally coordinated criminal history check (NCCHC) through AuthNTick Identity Services, you must provide identity documents to confirm who you are. This helps protect your personal information, supports accurate identity verification, and ensures compliance with government verification standards.

To complete your police check application, you need to provide four identity documents: one commencement document, one primary document, and two secondary documents. These documents help verify your full name, date of birth, and photograph so your application can be processed securely and efficiently.

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Police Check Identity Document Requirements

You must provide four documents with your completed application:

  • One commencement document to confirm your birth in Australia or your arrival in Australia
  • One primary document
  • Two secondary documents to show the use of your identity in the community

AuthNTick Identity Services uses these documents to verify your identity against the personal information you provide online or through a downloadable form. By creating an account with DPI Consulting, you consent to the use of your personal information for the purpose of conducting a nationally coordinated criminal history check.

Your documents must include evidence of your full name, date of birth, and photograph.

Note: Your commencement and primary documents must include a photograph. If either document does not contain a photograph, you must also submit a passport-style photograph certified by a person listed in Schedule 2 of the Statutory Declarations Regulations 1993 (Cth).

Provide One Commencement of Identity Document

  • Australian Birth Certificate or authorised record of birth (not an extract or birth card)
  • Immigration record or document, including an Australian Citizenship Certificate
  • Australian visa supported by a foreign passport, current at the time of entry into Australia as a resident or tourist
    This may be verified through the Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO) system.
  • ImmiCard issued by the Department of Home Affairs
  • Current Australian Passport (not expired, or up to 2 years expired if verified using the Document Verification System)

Provide One Primary Use in Community Document

  • Australian passport (Ordinary, Frequent Traveller, Diplomatic, Official or Emergency)
  • Australian driver's licence, learner permit or provisional licence issued by a State or Territory
  • ImmiCard issued by the Department of Home Affairs
  • Foreign passport with a valid Australian visa or valid entry stamp
  • Proof of age card or photo identity card issued by an Australian government agency
  • For persons under 18, a student identity document issued by an Australian government agency or school

Provide Two Secondary Use in Community Documents

  • DFAT issued Certificate of Identity
  • DFAT issued Document of Identity
  • DFAT issued United Nations Convention Travel Document
  • Foreign government issued documents (non-English documents must include a NAATI-accredited translation)
  • Medicare card
  • Australian Electoral Commission enrolment
  • Security guard or crowd control photo licence
  • Evidence of entitlement to a government benefit such as Centrelink or DVA
  • Consular photo identity card issued by DFAT
  • Police Force Officer photo identity card
  • Australian Defence Force photo identity card
  • Commonwealth or State/Territory government photo identity card, including Working with Children or Vulnerable People cards
  • Aviation Security Identification Card
  • Maritime Security Identification Card
  • Firearms licence
  • Credit reference check
  • Australian secondary or tertiary student photo identity card
  • Certified academic transcript from an Australian university
  • Trusted referee report
  • Bank card
  • Credit card
  • Tax File Number

Need Help With Your Police Check Documents?

If you are unsure which identity documents to provide for your police check, contact our team before submitting your application. We can help you understand which documents are accepted and whether additional certification is required.

Helping you verify your TFN

We want to make verifying your identity as easy as possible. If you choose to provide your Tax File Number (TFN) as a secondary document, it should be supported by an official record that links the TFN to you personally.

What we can accept:
Any official correspondence from the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) that shows your name and residential address. Most customers find it easiest to provide:

  • A Notice of Assessment
  • A TFN confirmation letter

Update to Expired Australian Passports and DVS

Recent guidance indicates that some expired Australian passports may still be capable of being verified through the Document Verification Service (DVS) after expiry.

If you plan to use an expired Australian passport as part of your identity documents, please make sure it meets the current DVS acceptance requirements at the time of application. If you are unsure whether your expired passport can be accepted, contact our team before submitting your police check.

If you have any questions about TFN documents, expired passports, or any other identity requirements, please contact our support team before submitting your application.

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Digital Birth Certificates now available in NSW

NSW Digital Birth Certificates are now available to eligible people aged 16 to 21 who were born or adopted in NSW. The certificate can be accessed through the latest version of the Service NSW app. To apply, a person must have their birth registered with the NSW Registry of Births, Deaths & Marriages and must hold a NSW Photo Card or NSW Driver Licence.

The Digital Birth Certificate is optional and does not replace the paper version. It shows the same information as a paper birth certificate and is available at no additional cost during the first release.

For businesses and organisations, NSW Government guidance confirms that a Digital Birth Certificate has the same legal standing as a physical paper certificate under section 20 of the Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Regulation 2025. It can also be verified using document verification services in the same way as a physical birth certificate.

Where a birth certificate is accepted as a Commencement of Identity document under an Access Agreement, organisations should treat a NSW Digital Birth Certificate in line with their existing identity-proofing procedures, relevant agreement requirements, and internal policies.

Helpful NCCHC Guides

Use these related guides to understand the right National Police Check pathway for your situation, whether you are applying for employment, volunteering, identity support, processing time, probity or special background screening.

Ready to start or continue your National Police Check?

AuthNTick is a private ACIC-accredited provider and is not a government agency. Our secure online application is mobile-friendly, supported by an Australian team, and designed to help you provide the right details before submission.

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