Joining the Police
With a Criminal Record
On 13 July 2026 the law changed for people applying to be police officers. Some convictions and cautions now automatically disqualify you, and every other conviction or caution is presumed to make you unsuitable unless particular circumstances justify clearance. This guide sets out the rules, what you must declare and how forces weigh everything else.
Independent information, not advice · Sources checked 1 October 2026 · England and Wales unless stated
It depends on the record. Since 13 July 2026 you are automatically disqualified from becoming a police officer if you have had a custodial sentence, been on the sex offenders register, or been convicted or cautioned for a listed offence (such as sexual offences or stalking) or an offence involving domestic abuse. Any other conviction or caution makes you unsuitable unless particular circumstances justify clearance. Declare everything.
What changed on 13 July 2026
Before July 2026 the rules on criminal records came from guidance: the College of Policing's vetting APP and its pre-employment guidance. Those already said applications are rejected in all cases involving a prison sentence or sex offender registration, and that there is a "rebuttable presumption" against everyone else with a conviction or caution.
The Police (Conduct and Vetting etc.) (Amendment) Regulations 2026 (SI 2026/653) put a stricter version into law for people seeking appointment to a police force. They did two things:
- Automatic disqualification. A candidate must not have engaged in conduct that attracts automatic disqualification under a new regulation 10(2A) of the Police Regulations 2003 (reg 10(1)(ha)).
- Statutory unsuitability for vetting. A candidate is not suitable to hold vetting clearance if they are automatically disqualified, or if they have been convicted of or cautioned for any other offence, "unless there are particular circumstances relevant to the candidate's case which justify the candidate being regarded as suitable" (Police (Vetting) Regulations 2025, reg 4D).
The Home Office explanatory memorandum links the change to the government's commitment that "anyone with a history of violence against women and girls will be barred from the service". It also accepts the change "may disqualify more potential policing candidates" (paras 5.1 and 9.8). The rule does not apply to officers transferring between forces, who are judged under the equivalent rule for serving officers (reg 5D).
Automatic disqualification: the five categories
| Automatic disqualification applies if you have | Notes |
|---|---|
| Been convicted of an offence for which the court imposed a custodial sentence | Reg 10(2A)(a). The College's guidance already rejected applications in all cases involving a prison sentence, which it says includes custodial, suspended or deferred sentences and sentences served at a young offenders' institution or community home, for offences as an adult or juvenile. |
| Been, or are, subject to sex offender notification requirements (Sexual Offences Act 2003, Part 2) | Reg 10(2A)(b). Applies whether the requirement is current or past. |
| Been convicted of, or cautioned for, a listed offence | Reg 10(2A)(c). The list is in Schedule 3A to the Police Regulations 2003 (see the next section). A caution is enough. |
| Been convicted of an attempt or conspiracy to commit a listed offence | Reg 10(2A)(d). |
| Been convicted of, or cautioned for, an offence determined to involve behaviour amounting to domestic abuse (Domestic Abuse Act 2021, s.1) | Reg 10(2A)(e). This covers any offence, not just listed ones, where it is determined to have involved domestic abuse. |
"Automatic" means what it says for appointment: Thames Valley Police, for example, tells candidates it is "legally unable to appoint" anyone in these categories as a police officer or special constable, and that this applies independently of any vetting assessment. In the Vetting Regulations the same conduct makes a candidate unsuitable with no exception for particular circumstances (reg 4D(2)(a)).
For serving officers, the matching rule allows an exception: an officer with one of these records is unsuitable "unless there are exceptional circumstances" (reg 5D(2)). The candidate rule in reg 4D(2)(a) and reg 10(2A) contains no such exception. If you think a record has been wrongly recorded or wrongly classified, raise it with the force in writing.
The listed offences
The listed offences are in Schedule 3A to the Police Regulations 2003 (the same list appears in the Schedule to the Vetting Regulations and Schedule 3 to the Conduct Regulations). A conviction or a caution for any of them disqualifies a candidate, as does a conviction for attempting or conspiring to commit one.
| Listed offence (Schedule 3A) | Legislation |
|---|---|
| Possession of an indecent photograph of a child | Criminal Justice Act 1988, s.160 |
| Breaching a forced marriage protection order | Family Law Act 1996, s.63CA |
| Stalking, and stalking involving fear of violence or serious alarm or distress | Protection from Harassment Act 1997, ss.2A and 4A |
| Any offence under the Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003 | Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003 |
| Sexual offences in Part 1; breach of a sexual harm prevention order or sexual risk order (and interim orders); Schedule 3 offences | Sexual Offences Act 2003, Part 1, ss.103I and 122H, Sch. 3 |
| Forced marriage | Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, s.121 |
| Disclosing or threatening to disclose private sexual images (old offence); meeting a child after grooming; possessing pornographic images of rape or assault by penetration | Criminal Justice and Courts Act 2015, ss.33 (before repeal), 36, 37 |
| Offences under Part 5 (protection of children and others), which includes controlling or coercive behaviour | Serious Crime Act 2015, Part 5 |
| Breaching a stalking protection order | Stalking Protection Act 2019, s.8 |
| Breaching a domestic abuse protection order; threats to disclose private sexual images | Domestic Abuse Act 2021, ss.39 and 69 |
Separately, any offence that is determined to have involved behaviour amounting to domestic abuse, as defined in section 1 of the Domestic Abuse Act 2021, disqualifies a candidate, whether or not it is on the list. That could include, for example, a common assault or criminal damage within a relationship or family. The Regulations do not set out how that determination is made for candidates.
Every other conviction or caution
For anything outside the automatic categories, regulation 4D(2)(b) says the candidate is not suitable to hold vetting clearance unless particular circumstances relevant to their case justify regarding them as suitable. This is the statutory version of the College's long-standing "rebuttable presumption".
The College's guidance says the presumption applies "especially" where the offence relates to dishonesty or corruption, violence, contact or non-contact sexual offending, or targeting people because of vulnerability or protected characteristics, including hate crime and domestic abuse (Vetting APP, Appendix N, section 2). It also says forces should not keep a prescriptive list of offences that lead to refusal: each case is judged on its merits, against the role and the assets you would access.
In practice this covers a wide range of records the form asks about: convictions with fines, discharges or community orders, simple and conditional cautions, youth cautions, reprimands and warnings. Penalty notices, community resolutions and police warnings are not cautions or convictions, but they still have to be declared and are considered as part of your history (APP Appendix N 2.1).
Use our free vetting stage checker to see what each part of vetting involves, and the recruitment timeline planner to map out your application. If you want to organise the facts and paperwork about an old matter before you fill in the form, the free overview in our AI vetting assessment can help. None of these predict a decision.
How forces weigh an offence that is not an automatic bar
The College's guidance lists these considerations, in no particular order (pre-employment guidance; APP Appendix N 2.1):
- whether a criminal investigation is ongoing
- the nature and seriousness of the offence, including any violence, intimidation, harassment, discrimination, domestic abuse or sexual impropriety
- your age at the time, how long ago it was, and whether you have since shown commitment to helping individuals or communities
- your level of involvement and your motivation
- whether you were forthcoming and open about it
- evidence of repeat offending
- the impact on public confidence in the force or the police service
- the nature of the role, including work with vulnerable people and involvement in the evidence chain
- your behaviour since the conviction or caution
If the vetting unit is prepared to accept a candidate with a conviction or caution, the file goes to the head of professional standards or a nominated authority to decide whether the risk is acceptable, in liaison with the head of criminal justice (pre-employment guidance; APP Appendix N 2.4). The APP adds that the vetting process will not reinvestigate the original allegation or reassess whether the disposal was proportionate (6.5.19.b).
What you must declare on the vetting form
The national vetting form's "police history" section asks about any situation as an adult or juvenile, involving any UK or overseas police force or prosecuting authority, including military authorities. It says you must disclose being arrested or interviewed "even if no further action was taken".
| Form question (national vetting form) | What it covers |
|---|---|
| 8.7 Arrests, interviews and investigations | Any arrest, voluntary interview, criminal or civil investigation, regardless of outcome, in any country, as an adult or youth |
| 8.8 Charges | Any offence you have been charged with, and the outcome |
| 8.9 Civil orders | Civil injunctions or protection orders, for example non-molestation, restraining or stalking protection orders |
| 8.10 Out-of-court disposals | Community resolutions, restorative disposals, formal warnings (including cannabis warnings), penalty notices for disorder, youth cautions, reprimands and final warnings, simple and conditional cautions |
| 8.11 Convictions | Any conviction, including discharges, bind-overs and benefit fraud |
| 8.12 Traffic offences | Traffic offences including fixed penalties; not parking notices or completed speed or driver awareness courses |
The form also says that having convictions and cautions does not necessarily mean your vetting will be declined, but that failing to declare them may bring your honesty and integrity into question. The College's pre-employment guidance is blunter: where an offence, conviction or caution is identified but not declared, the vetting application "will be declined".
The form tells you not to carry out or ask anyone to carry out checks on police systems. Instead, make a subject access request: to ACRO for what is held on the Police National Computer (arrests, cautions and convictions), and to the relevant police force for anything else it holds. The form says both services are free.
Police staff and PCSOs: the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act still applies
The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 treats officer and staff roles differently (APP 8.6.2 and Appendix O):
- Police officers and special constables are exempt from the Act. You must disclose all convictions and cautions, spent or not, including protected ones, and all can be considered.
- Police staff (including PCSOs) and non-police personnel do not have to disclose protected convictions or cautions, and they cannot be considered. Spent matters that are not protected must still be declared.
| Protected conviction (staff and NPPV only) | Protected caution (staff and NPPV only) | |
|---|---|---|
| Not a listed offence under the ROA Exceptions Order | Required | Required |
| No custodial sentence | Required | Not applicable |
| Aged 18 or over at the time | 11 years or more since the conviction | 6 years or more since the caution |
| Aged under 18 at the time | 5 years 6 months or more since the conviction | Protected immediately |
Listed offences under the ROA Exceptions Order (serious, violent and sexual offences and offences relevant to safeguarding) are never protected. That list is different from the Schedule 3A list above. The July 2026 automatic disqualification does not apply to police staff recruitment. If you are unsure whether something is protected, the form says to contact the force vetting unit or include it. See our guide to vetting for PCSOs, specials and staff.
Arrests, bail, youth matters, civil orders and records abroad
- Arrest or investigation with no further action. Not a conviction, and outside the automatic rules, but declarable. The APP says the details of the investigation should be reviewed, not just the outcome, including cases finalised as "no further action" (6.5.19).
- Currently under investigation or on bail. Your vetting application will be discontinued; you can reapply once the matter is finalised (APP 3.10.4). An outstanding charge or summons puts the application on hold until the outcome (pre-employment guidance).
- Youth disposals. Considered, but the APP says their impact diminishes with time and that if a youth disposal is the sole or a significant reason for refusal, a clear rationale must be recorded (Appendix N 2.4). The automatic rules do not distinguish by age.
- Civil orders. Non-molestation, restraining, stalking protection, sexual harm prevention orders and similar are assessed case by case (pre-employment guidance; form question 8.9).
- Military convictions. Convictions by a military tribunal are normally recorded on the Police National Computer, and the form asks about court martial convictions.
- Records abroad. The form covers any country. Forces can request overseas conviction checks through ACRO, and overseas convictions are judged on the offence, its age and the jurisdiction (APP 5.3.2.1.g, 6.5.10).
If you are accepted: the effect on your career
A record that does not stop you joining can still matter later. Officers and others in the evidence chain have to reveal convictions, cautions and penalty notices for disorder to the Crown Prosecution Service when they give evidence, under Chapter 18 of the CPS Disclosure Manual, and that information can be disclosed to the defence (APP 8.6.3). The APP says the impact can affect deployment "on appointment, and in some cases throughout a career", lessening with time, and that you must be told about it. Some posts outside the evidence chain may be offered instead, but clearance may not transfer to evidence-chain roles.
Once appointed, the serving-officer rule applies: a new conviction or caution makes an officer unsuitable unless exceptional or particular circumstances apply (reg 5D). Under the transitional rules, a conviction or caution the force already knew about before 13 July 2026, even one it had accepted, is treated as coming to its attention immediately after that date, so it can be considered under the current withdrawal procedures (SI 2026/653, reg 28(5) and (6)).
What to do before you apply
- Get the facts right. Make subject access requests to ACRO and any force involved so you know exactly what is recorded, with dates and outcomes.
- Check the automatic categories. Was there a custodial sentence? Is the offence on the Schedule 3A list? Could it be treated as involving domestic abuse? If so, ask the force before investing time in an application.
- Know which role you are applying for. Officer and special applications follow the 2026 rules and the ROA exemption; staff and PCSO roles do not.
- Prepare a factual account. What happened, when, how old you were, the outcome, and what has changed since. No excuses and no minimising.
- Declare everything the form asks about, including arrests with no further action and out-of-court disposals.
- Tell the force about anything new while your application is open. It is a legal duty for candidates since 13 July 2026 (reg 4B(5)).
- If refused, ask for the written reasons and consider an appeal on the three grounds. See how to appeal a vetting decision.
Myths about criminal records and the police
What we could not verify
- How the domestic abuse determination is made for candidates. The Regulations say the offence must be "determined" to involve domestic abuse but do not set out the process. Ask your force.
- Whether a suspended sentence counts as a "custodial sentence" under reg 10(2A)(a). We did not find an official statement in the 2026 material. The College's guidance already rejects all cases with suspended or deferred prison sentences, so in practice such a record leads to rejection either way.
- Special constables. The Home Office memorandum says the instrument covers special constables, and Thames Valley applies the automatic rule to them. The amendment itself is to the regulation on appointment to a police force; check with your force.
- Candidates already in the pipeline on 13 July 2026. The transitional provision we read deals with clearance granted before that date without the full checks; we found no separate statement on records. Ask your force.
- Updated College guidance. The APP we read is dated May 2025 and predates the 2026 changes.
- Waiting periods for particular offences, such as drink driving. None found in national guidance; any figure you see quoted is a force's or a commentator's view.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I join the police with a criminal record?
Sometimes, but the rules tightened on 13 July 2026. Some records now automatically disqualify police officer candidates: a custodial sentence, sex offender notification requirements, or a conviction or caution for a listed offence or a domestic abuse offence. Any other conviction or caution makes you unsuitable unless particular circumstances justify clearance (Police (Vetting) Regulations 2025, reg 4D).
What offences automatically bar you from the police?
From 13 July 2026, regulation 10(2A) of the Police Regulations 2003 disqualifies candidates who have had a custodial sentence, have been subject to sex offender notification, or have been convicted or cautioned for a listed offence (sexual offences, stalking, forced marriage, FGM, controlling or coercive behaviour and related order breaches), an attempt or conspiracy to commit one, or an offence involving domestic abuse.
Can I join the police with a conviction?
Only if it is not one of the automatic disqualifications and the force accepts that particular circumstances justify clearance. The College's guidance has long said there is a rebuttable presumption against applicants with convictions or cautions, especially for dishonesty, violence, sexual offences or offences targeting vulnerable people. Each case is judged on its facts.
Do I have to declare spent convictions to join the police?
Yes, if you are applying to be a police officer or special constable. The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act exceptions mean officer and special applicants must disclose all convictions and cautions, spent or not, including protected ones. Police staff and PCSO applicants do not have to declare protected convictions or cautions (Vetting APP 8.6.2 and Appendix O).
Can I join the police if I was arrested but not charged?
An arrest with no further action is not a conviction, but you must declare it: the national vetting form asks about any arrest, voluntary interview or investigation, regardless of outcome. The APP says vetting looks at the circumstances of the investigation, not just the recorded outcome (6.5.19), and the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act does not apply to allegations that did not lead to a caution or conviction.
Can I join the police with a driving conviction?
A driving conviction is still a conviction, so for officer candidates it falls under the presumption that a conviction makes you unsuitable unless particular circumstances justify clearance, and it would be an automatic bar if it led to a custodial sentence. The form also asks about traffic offences and fixed penalties. We found no national rule giving a waiting period for drink or drug driving.
Can I join the police with a caution?
Possibly. A caution for a listed offence or one involving domestic abuse is now an automatic bar. Other cautions make you unsuitable unless particular circumstances justify clearance, weighed on the offence, your age, the time passed and your openness. Our separate guide covers cautions in detail.
Can I join the police if I'm on bail or under investigation?
Not at that point. The APP and the national form say that if you are currently under investigation for an offence, including being on police bail, your vetting application will be discontinued; you can submit a new one once the matter is finalised. The College's pre-employment guidance says an application with an outstanding charge or summons is put on hold until the outcome is known.
Do youth cautions and reprimands count for police vetting?
They must be declared by officer candidates and they are considered, but the APP says youth disposals were designed as early intervention, that the person was still forming their moral bearings, and that their impact diminishes with time. A youth caution for a listed or domestic abuse offence would still fall within the automatic disqualification rules, which do not distinguish by age.
Does a conviction abroad count?
Yes. The form's questions cover any police force or prosecuting authority in any country. Where you have lived abroad, forces can request overseas conviction checks through ACRO, and the APP says overseas convictions are considered case by case, looking at the offence, its age and the jurisdiction.
If I don't declare an old conviction, will they find it?
Assume so. Checks include the Police National Computer and Police National Database, and biometric vetting searches your fingerprints and DNA against police databases for officer and special applicants. The College's guidance says that where an offence, conviction or caution is found but was not declared, the vetting application will be declined.
Does the 2026 rule apply to special constables and PCSOs?
The Home Office says the 2026 instrument applies to police candidates and serving officers, together with special constables; Thames Valley Police applies the automatic disqualification to special constable candidates. It does not apply to police staff, including PCSOs, whose vetting follows the College's guidance and the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act rules for staff.
Sources and how we checked them
Every factual claim on this page was written from the sources below, read on 1 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 Regulations 2003, regulation 10 (qualifications for appointment), latest version, legislation.gov.uk — reg 10(1)(ha), (hb) and (2A): automatic disqualification and vetting clearance, inserted 13 July 2026; reg 10(1)(i): drug testing; Schedule 3A listed offences (accessed 1 October 2026)
- The Police (Vetting) Regulations 2025 (SI 2025/502), latest revised text — reg 4D (candidate suitability: convictions and cautions), reg 5D (serving officers), Schedule (listed offences) (accessed 1 October 2026)
- The Police (Conduct and Vetting etc.) (Amendment) Regulations 2026 (SI 2026/653), as made — regs 15, 24 and 25 and Schedules 2 and 3: the new rules and lists; reg 28 transitional provisions; in force 13 July 2026 (accessed 1 October 2026)
- Explanatory Memorandum to SI 2026/653 (Home Office) — policy aim (VAWG manifesto commitment); applies to candidates, officers and special constables; Code remains for police staff (accessed 1 October 2026)
- College of Policing: Vetting authorised professional practice (May 2025, PDF) — applicants under investigation (3.10.4), PNC/PND and biometric checks (6.5), crime allegations (6.5.19), ROA (8.6.2), CPS disclosure (8.6.3), Appendix I questions 8.7 to 8.12, Appendix N section 2, Appendix O (accessed 1 October 2026)
- College of Policing: Police constable pre-employment guidance (April 2024, PDF) — rejection in all cases with a prison sentence including suspended or deferred; rebuttable presumption; factors; outstanding charges; undeclared offences (accessed 1 October 2026)
- Thames Valley Police: Automatic Disqualification from Appointment (July 2026, PDF) — a force applying the rule to police officer and special constable candidates (accessed 1 October 2026)
- College of Policing: Vetting Code of Practice (July 2023; notes the amended Regulations from 13 July 2026) — statutory code; the Regulations take precedence where they differ (accessed 1 October 2026)
- Lancashire Constabulary: police vetting, what you need to know — a force stating that omitted information is treated as an integrity issue (accessed 1 October 2026)
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Disclaimer
PolicePay.co.uk is an independent guide. It is not affiliated with the College of Policing, the Home Office or any police force, and it does not recruit, vet or assess applicants. Recruitment standards, assessment formats and vetting decisions are set by the College of Policing and each force and change from time to time: check the force you are applying to before relying on anything here. Details apply to England and Wales unless stated. Details are as checked on 1 October 2026.