Police Now
Eligibility Checker
Answer 13 to 16 short questions and see each Police Now eligibility rule marked Meets, Check with Police Now or Does not meet, with the reason and the Police Now page it comes from. Free, no sign-up, nothing stored.
Independent information, not advice · Sources checked 19 October 2026 · England and Wales unless stated
This checker is PolicePay's reading of Police Now's published eligibility rules, read on 19 October 2026. It is not Police Now's tool and cannot decide your eligibility: Police Now does, and forces add their own rules. The best result it gives is that nothing in your answers rules you out.
How the checker works
- One question per screen. Pick an answer and press Next. Back takes you to the previous question, and changing an earlier answer removes questions that no longer apply.
- Specialism first. If you pick Counter Terrorism, it also asks which force, because Police Now gives different residence rules for the Met and West Midlands Police.
- Tick-all questions for your record and finances, with a "None of these" option. Only the most serious item you tick decides that rule.
- Each rule is marked Meets, Check with Police Now or Does not meet, with a one-line reason and a link to the Police Now page it comes from.
- Alternatives: if a rule looks like a bar, the result suggests a route that may suit you, such as DHEP, the PCDA or rejoining.
- Nothing is stored or sent. Your answers exist only on this page while it is open.
The rules the checker uses
Every rule comes from Police Now's own pages, read on 19 October 2026. A blank cell means that outcome cannot happen for that rule.
| Rule | Meets | Does not meet | Check with Police Now | Police Now source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Degree | First, 2:1 or 2:2, held or expected by the start date | Third, ordinary, no degree, or not finished by the start | Non-UK degree; expected class unsure | Eligibility page; academic FAQ |
| Degree subject | Any subject other than policing | Professional Policing in Practice | Pre-join BSc Professional Policing (not named by Police Now) | Eligibility page |
| Level 3 | Two A levels or equivalent | Never on its own | No or not sure | Eligibility page; academic FAQ |
| GCSE English and maths | Both held | Never on its own | Missing or not sure (only some forces ask) | Academic FAQ |
| Age | 17 or over | Under 17 | Eligibility page | |
| UK residence | Three years or more, no long time abroad | Under three years | Time abroad under a year, or with the UK armed forces or government | Eligibility page; convictions guide |
| Nationality | British, Irish, indefinite leave or settled status | Time-limited visa | Pre-settled status; not sure | Eligibility page; pre-settled FAQ |
| Driving licence | Full manual licence, or applying to the Met | Never on its own | Automatic only, test booked, or no licence | Licence FAQ |
| Welsh | Any force in Wales | Welsh FAQ | ||
| Previous service | None, special, PCSO, staff or cadet | Former or serving regular officer | Left during initial training | Eligibility page |
| Record | Nothing, or minor motoring fixed penalties | Prison sentence of any kind, sex offender registration, police barred list | Cautions, other convictions, serious motoring, pending charges | Vetting page; convictions guide |
| Finances | Manageable debt; paid-off judgments; completed IVA; older bankruptcy | Never on its own | Unpaid judgment, bankruptcy in three years, current IVA, unmanageable debt | Eligibility page; vetting page |
| Counter Terrorism nationality | British | Not British (job description) | Dual British national | CT job description |
| Counter Terrorism residence | Ten years or more | Under five years; five to ten for the Met | Five to ten for West Midlands or force unsure | CT page; CT job description |
For the reasoning behind each rule, the exceptions and where Police Now's pages disagree, read the full Police Now eligibility guide.
What the results mean
| Outcome | When you see it | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Nothing here rules you out | Every rule is marked Meets | Register interest or apply when the window opens; prepare for the checks after an offer |
| Nothing here clearly rules you out, but some answers need checking | At least one rule is marked Check with Police Now, none Does not meet | Ask Police Now about each flagged rule before you apply, ideally in writing |
| Some rules look like they rule you out at the moment | At least one rule is marked Does not meet | Read the suggested alternative routes; if you think we have misread your case, ask Police Now |
Police Now decides eligibility, often on details a short questionnaire cannot capture: your exact degree, the force's current job description, the facts of a caution or a period abroad. A checker that promised eligibility would be claiming more than anyone outside Police Now can know.
Worked examples
These are invented answer sets, not real applicants, run through the same rules the checker uses (this table is generated from them, so it always matches). Everything not mentioned is answered the straightforward way: British, ten years in the UK, two A levels, a full manual licence, no record and no money problems.
| Example | Key rules | Overall |
|---|---|---|
| Final-year student expecting a 2:1, no licence, applying to the Met | Degree class: Meets; Driving licence: Meets | Nothing here rules you out |
| Graduate with a third, serving special constable | Degree class: Does not meet; Previous police service: Meets | Looks ruled out for now |
| EU national with pre-settled status and a 2:2 | UK residence (three years): Meets; Nationality and right to work: Check | Check with Police Now |
| Former regular officer with a 2:1 | Previous police service: Does not meet | Looks ruled out for now |
| Counter Terrorism, West Midlands, British, seven years in the UK | Counter Terrorism: nationality: Meets; Counter Terrorism: residence: Check | Check with Police Now |
| Counter Terrorism, Met, British, seven years in the UK | Counter Terrorism: residence: Does not meet | Looks ruled out for now |
| Graduate with a caution at 16 and a paid-off county court judgment | Convictions and cautions: Check; Finances: Meets | Check with Police Now |
Note the Counter Terrorism pair: the same seven years' residence is a check for West Midlands Police but a bar for the Met, because Police Now's Counter Terrorism page gives five years for one and ten for the other, while its job description says ten.
Every question the checker asks
So you can see what you will be asked before you start (or gather the answers first). Questions marked "if relevant" appear only when an earlier answer makes them apply.
- Which Police Now specialism interests you most?
- Which force's counter terrorism role would you apply for? (if relevant)
- Do you have an undergraduate degree?
- What class is your degree (or the class you expect)? (if relevant)
- What subject is it in? (if relevant)
- Do you have level 3 qualifications equal to at least two A levels?
- Do you have GCSE English and maths at grade C or 4 or above (or an equivalent)?
- How old are you?
- How long have you lived in the UK continuously, up to now?
- In that time, did you spend any long period abroad?
- What is your nationality or immigration status?
- Where do you want to work?
- What driving licence do you have?
- Have you served in policing before?
- Do any of these apply to you? Tick all that do. (tick all that apply)
- Do any of these apply to your finances? Tick all that do. (tick all that apply)
What the checker does not check
These are assessed after a conditional offer, so the checker lists them in your result rather than scoring them:
- Fitness: the 15m bleep test to level 5.4, with a retake after six weeks and up to three attempts (Police Now fitness guide, 2023).
- Medical and BMI: Home Office standards; BMI 18 to 30 (Police Now help hub).
- Eyesight: distance 6/12 in either eye and 6/6 with both, near 6/9, with glasses or contact lenses allowed.
- Drugs test and biometrics: current illegal drug use is an automatic bar.
- Vetting of family and associates: relatives' records are weighed case by case.
- Tattoos, politics and business interests: declared at application and judged by Police Now.
- Selection itself: meeting the rules gets you to the immersive assessment and assessment centre; it does not get you through them.
For the selection stages, see the immersive assessment and assessment centre guides.
After your result
- All clear: register interest on Police Now's site so you hear when the March 2028 window opens, and start bleep test training now.
- Some checks: write down the flagged rules and ask Police Now about each one. The questions to ask list in our guide is a starting point.
- A rule rules you out: compare Police Now, DHEP and the PCDA, or every route in our entry routes comparison.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this checker tell me if I am eligible for Police Now?
No. It compares your answers with Police Now's published rules, read on 19 October 2026, and shows which you appear to meet, which to check and which look like a bar. Police Now makes every eligibility decision, forces add their own rules, and the pre-employment checks after an offer still apply. The best result the checker gives is that nothing in your answers rules you out.
Is anything I enter stored or sent?
No. Your answers stay in your browser while the page is open and are cleared when you leave or press Start again. We record only anonymous events: that the checker was started, that it was completed with an overall outcome (clear, check or blocked), and which alternative route link was clicked. None of your answers are recorded.
Why do so many answers say Check with Police Now?
Because Police Now's own rules say "depending on your force" or "may" for many of them: the driving licence, GCSEs, Welsh, pre-settled status, debts and most criminal records. The checker marks something as Does not meet only where Police Now states a firm bar.
Why does it ask about A levels when I have a degree?
Police Now's eligibility page, its academic qualifications FAQ and its March 2027 job descriptions all ask for level 3 qualifications equal to at least two A levels as well as the degree. Most graduates meet it, but people who entered university through a foundation year or on experience should check.
What if the checker says a rule rules me out?
It suggests a route that may suit you instead, such as a force's DHEP if your degree is below a 2:2, the PCDA or PCEP if you have no degree, or rejoining if you were a regular officer. If you think we have misread your situation, ask Police Now: the checker is our reading of its published rules, not a decision.
Why is Counter Terrorism treated differently?
Police Now's Counter Terrorism specialism has stricter nationality and residence rules and needs Developed Vetting. Its pages disagree on the detail: the job description asks for UK nationality and ten years' residence, while the Counter Terrorism page gives five years for West Midlands Police and ten for the Met. The checker flags the West Midlands case as one to check.
Does it check fitness, eyesight or BMI?
No, because those are tested after a conditional offer rather than answered in advance. The result lists them with Police Now's published standards: the bleep test to level 5.4, BMI 18 to 30, and the eyesight standards, so you can prepare.
When can I apply to Police Now?
As at 19 October 2026, The March 2027 entry has closed. Police Now says applications for the March 2028 start open early next year and you can register interest by region.
Sources and how we checked them
Every factual claim on this page was written from the sources below, read on 19 October 2026. Rules and figures change, so check the source for the date you are reading this. Where we could not confirm something from an official or independent source, the page says so rather than guessing. Spotted something out of date? See our corrections policy.
- Police Now: Eligibility : degree, policing degree exclusion, level 3, level 2, age, residency, nationality, licence, previous service, finances, records, drugs, politics (accessed 19 October 2026)
- Police Now FAQ: What academic qualifications do I need? : degree class, non-UK equivalence, expected degrees, two A levels, GCSE forces (accessed 19 October 2026)
- Police Now FAQ: Can I apply with pre-settled or settled status? : the three forces that accept pre-settled status (accessed 19 October 2026)
- Police Now FAQ: Do I need a driving licence? : licence requirements by force; test booked at application (accessed 19 October 2026)
- Police Now FAQ: Are there any Welsh language requirements? : Dyfed-Powys and North Wales levels (accessed 19 October 2026)
- Police Now: Vetting process : automatic rejections; finances advice; vetting levels (accessed 19 October 2026)
- Police Now: Cautions, convictions and vetting (PDF, September 2023) : factors considered; motoring; outstanding charges; residency exceptions (accessed 19 October 2026)
- Police Now: Counter Terrorism : residence by force; nationality wording; vetting (accessed 19 October 2026)
- Police Now: Counter Terrorism job description (March 2027 roles) : UK nationality; ten years' residence; Developed Vetting (accessed 19 October 2026)
- Police Now: Medical and fitness information, eyesight standards and fitness test guides (PDFs, September 2023) : standards listed in the result under checks after an offer (accessed 19 October 2026)
- Police Now: Help hub : BMI 18 to 30; applying to forces at the same time; career changers welcome (accessed 19 October 2026)
On this topic elsewhere
More in this guide series
More for graduate applicants
Disclaimer
PolicePay.co.uk is an independent guide. It is not affiliated with Police Now, the College of Policing or any police force. It does not recruit or assess applicants. Police Now sets its own eligibility, selection and programme content and changes them between cohorts: check Police Now's own pages and your invitation before relying on anything here. Practice material on this page is original PolicePay material, not Police Now's. Details are as checked on 19 October 2026.