Domestic Abuse Cautions
And the 2026 Bar
From 13 July 2026 a caution or conviction for any offence that involved domestic abuse automatically disqualifies a police officer candidate. That reaches much further than most people expect: it can include a caution for a fight with a sibling. This guide explains what counts, what does not, the gaps in the rules and what to do before you apply.
Independent information, not advice · Sources checked 21 October 2026 · England and Wales unless stated
Yes, for police officer candidates (and, the Home Office says, special constables). Since 13 July 2026 a conviction or caution for an offence determined to involve domestic abuse is an automatic disqualification (Police Regulations 2003, reg 10(2A)(e)). Domestic abuse means abusive behaviour between people aged 16 or over who are personally connected, which includes partners, ex-partners and relatives. Arrests with no further action and civil orders are not caught by the bar, but you must declare them.
Does my record bar me?
Tap through your record. Nothing you choose is sent anywhere or saved. It tells you how the rules in force from 13 July 2026 read on what you enter. It does not predict a vetting decision: the force decides.
The new automatic bar
SI 2026/653 amended regulation 10 of the Police Regulations 2003, which sets the qualifications for appointment as a police officer. From 13 July 2026 a candidate must not have engaged in conduct which attracts automatic disqualification. One of the five kinds of conduct, in paragraph (2A)(e), is:
"the candidate has been convicted of, or given a caution for, an offence which is determined under this regulation to involve behaviour by the candidate amounting to domestic abuse within the meaning of the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 (see section 1 of that Act)."
Three features make this bar wide. It applies to any offence, not a list. A caution is enough. And there is no time limit and no age distinction in the regulation, other than the Domestic Abuse Act's own threshold that both people were 16 or over. The Home Office explains the policy as part of its commitment on violence against women and girls (explanatory memorandum, paras 5.10 and 5.14).
What "domestic abuse" means in the Act
Section 1 of the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 says behaviour by one person towards another is domestic abuse if:
- both are aged 16 or over and are personally connected to each other; and
- the behaviour is abusive.
Behaviour is abusive if it consists of any of:
| Type of abusive behaviour (s.1(3)) | Offences it often lies behind (examples) |
|---|---|
| Physical or sexual abuse | Common assault, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, sexual offences |
| Violent or threatening behaviour | Threatening behaviour, harassment, threats to kill |
| Controlling or coercive behaviour | Controlling or coercive behaviour (a listed offence in its own right) |
| Economic abuse | Behaviour with a substantial adverse effect on the other person's ability to get or keep money, property, goods or services |
| Psychological, emotional or other abuse | Malicious communications, harassment, criminal damage aimed at the other person |
The Act adds that it does not matter whether the behaviour was a single incident or a course of conduct. So a single caution for a single incident is enough.
Family, not just partners
Section 2 of the Act says two people are "personally connected" if any of these apply:
- they are, or have been, married or civil partners;
- they have agreed to marry or to form a civil partnership (even if that has ended);
- they are, or have been, in an intimate personal relationship;
- they each have, or have had, a parental relationship to the same child;
- they are relatives.
"Relatives" is the part applicants often miss. A caution for assaulting a brother or sister, a parent or a step-parent, when both of you were 16 or over, can fall within the definition. Many people accepted a caution for a family argument as teenagers to get it over with. Under the 2026 rules that caution may now be an automatic bar to becoming a police officer.
The definition only applies where both people were aged 16 or over. If you, or the other person, was under 16 at the time, the behaviour is not domestic abuse within section 1. The caution or conviction would still fall under the general presumption in reg 4D, but not the automatic bar in reg 10(2A)(e).
Domestic offences that are listed offences in their own right
Several offences linked to domestic abuse are in Schedule 3A, so a conviction or caution for them is an automatic bar under reg 10(2A)(c) whatever the relationship:
| Offence | Legislation |
|---|---|
| Controlling or coercive behaviour in an intimate or family relationship (and the other Part 5 offences) | Serious Crime Act 2015, Part 5 (s.76) |
| Stalking; stalking involving fear of violence or serious alarm or distress | Protection from Harassment Act 1997, ss.2A and 4A |
| Breaching a domestic abuse protection order | Domestic Abuse Act 2021, s.39 |
| Threatening to disclose private sexual photographs and films | Domestic Abuse Act 2021, s.69 |
| Disclosing private sexual images with intent to cause distress (before its repeal) | Criminal Justice and Courts Act 2015, s.33 |
| Breaching a stalking protection order | Stalking Protection Act 2019, s.8 |
| Forced marriage; breaching a forced marriage protection order | ASBCPA 2014 s.121; Family Law Act 1996 s.63CA |
For these, an attempt or conspiracy conviction is also an automatic bar (reg 10(2A)(d)). The wording of (d) covers convictions; a caution for an attempt still falls under the reg 4D presumption.
"Determined under this regulation": what we do not know
The domestic abuse bar applies to an offence "which is determined under this regulation" to involve domestic abuse. The regulation as amended does not say who makes that determination, on what evidence or by what process. We read the amended regulation 10 and the explanatory memorandum; neither sets out a procedure.
In practice this leaves three open questions for applicants:
- Whether the force relies on how the offence was recorded at the time, or looks again at the circumstances.
- What happens where the record does not make the relationship clear.
- How the age of each person at the time is established.
Until forces or the College publish their approach, ask the force's vetting unit how it will treat your record, in writing, before you apply. Bring the facts: the date, both ages, the relationship and the outcome. Your ACRO subject access disclosure gives the offence and outcome as the Police National Computer holds them.
What the bar does not catch
| Situation | Automatic bar? | But |
|---|---|---|
| Arrested or interviewed, no further action | No: not a conviction or caution | Declare it (form question 8.7). The circumstances can be weighed. |
| Community resolution for a domestic incident | No: not a caution | Declare it (question 8.10). |
| A civil order made against you (non-molestation, occupation order) | No: not a conviction | Declare it (question 8.9). |
| Domestic abuse protection notice or order | No, unless you were convicted or cautioned for breaching an order | Declare it. |
| Incident when either person was under 16 | No: outside the Act's definition | A conviction or caution still falls under the reg 4D presumption. |
| A partner or relative has a domestic abuse record | No: not your conduct | Weighed as an associate. Declare them. |
Do not read "not caught" as "safe". The College's guidance lets vetting consider the circumstances of an investigation, not just the recorded outcome (APP 6.5.19) and in January 2026 the Court of Appeal confirmed that unproven allegations can be taken into account in vetting where there is an objective basis (Di Maria [2026] EWCA Civ 28).
Non-molestation orders, restraining orders and breaches
Civil orders are made by a court to protect someone; they are not a finding that you committed a crime. The national vetting form has a separate question for them (8.9: civil injunctions or protection orders, for example non-molestation, restraining or stalking protection orders). Declare any that has been made against you.
Breaching an order is different. Breaching a domestic abuse protection order (DAA 2021 s.39) or a stalking protection order (SPA 2019 s.8) is a listed offence. Breaching other orders is an offence too and if the breach was against a partner, ex-partner or relative, a conviction or caution for it could be determined to involve domestic abuse.
If you were the victim
Being the victim of domestic abuse is not a bar and is not your conduct. You may still need to declare a former partner as an associate where the form asks about partners and you may want to tell the vetting unit about any safety concerns. The APP allows forces to discuss sensitive matters and says interviews should be handled sensitively and without judgement (Appendix L).
Cross-allegations are common in domestic incidents. If you were arrested as well, the arrest must be declared even if there was no further action. Explain the circumstances factually.
A partner's or relative's domestic abuse record
The automatic bar is about your own conduct. A partner's or relative's record is assessed under the College's associates guidance: the relationship, whether you live together, how recent the matter was, any financial links and whether it could put pressure on you or create a conflict of interest. See associates checks explained.
Special constables, PCSOs and police staff
The Home Office says the 2026 rules cover special constables as well as police officers. Check with your force. Thames Valley Police applies the automatic disqualification to special constable candidates.
PCSOs and police staff are not covered by the automatic bar: the explanatory memorandum says the Code remains applicable to police staff (para 5.8). A domestic abuse caution or conviction is still likely to weigh heavily under the College's guidance and some forces publish strict rules. Nottinghamshire Police's vetting page lists among its automatic declines "any offence either as an adult or juvenile that resulted in a prison sentence where a vulnerable person was targeted, if the offence was motivated by hate or discrimination, or is domestic abuse related".
Ten scenarios
Illustrative officer candidates, not real cases. Each row applies regulation 10(2A) and the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 definition; whether a record is "determined" to involve domestic abuse is for the force.
| Situation | Personally connected? Both 16 or over? | How the rules read |
|---|---|---|
| Caution for common assault on a girlfriend at 19 | Yes (intimate relationship); yes | Likely automatic bar under (2A)(e) |
| Caution for assaulting a brother at 17, brother 15 | Relatives, but the brother was under 16 | Outside the Act's definition; reg 4D presumption applies instead |
| Conviction for harassing an ex-partner | Yes; yes | Likely automatic bar under (2A)(e); if stalking, a listed offence |
| Caution for controlling or coercive behaviour | Yes (the offence requires it) | Automatic bar under (2A)(c): a listed offence |
| Caution for a fight with a flatmate | No | Not domestic abuse; reg 4D presumption applies |
| Caution for criminal damage at a parent's house, aged 18 | Relatives; yes | Can be determined to involve domestic abuse; ask the force |
| Arrested after a row with a partner, no further action | Yes; yes | Not a conviction or caution: not an automatic bar. Declare the arrest |
| Non-molestation order made against you, never breached | Civil order | Not a conviction: not an automatic bar. Declare it |
| Convicted of breaching a domestic abuse protection order | Yes | Automatic bar under (2A)(c): a listed offence |
| Partner has a domestic abuse conviction against someone else | Not your conduct | Not an automatic bar for you; weighed as an associate |
What to ask the force before you apply
Because the regulation does not set out how the "determination" is made, a short written question to the force's recruitment or vetting team before you apply can save months. Keep it factual:
- the outcome (caution or conviction), the offence as shown on your ACRO record and the date;
- your age and the other person's age at the time;
- the relationship (for example "my brother", "a flatmate", "an ex-partner");
- the question: "Would the force treat this as an offence involving domestic abuse under regulation 10(2A)(e) of the Police Regulations 2003?"
Ask for the answer in writing. If it is no, the record still falls under the reg 4D presumption, so prepare the circumstances: the Vetting Prep Report (£19.99) organises them by what the guidance weighs.
Myths and facts
| You may hear | The position |
|---|---|
| 'Only violence counts as domestic abuse.' | No. The Act includes threatening, controlling or coercive, economic and psychological or emotional abuse. |
| 'It has to be a partner.' | No. Relatives are personally connected too, as are ex-partners and people who share a parental relationship to a child. |
| 'A youth caution does not count.' | The bar has no age distinction other than the Act's own threshold that both were 16 or over. |
| 'If it was years ago it will not matter.' | There is no time limit in reg 10(2A). |
| 'A non-molestation order is a criminal record.' | No, it is a civil order. Breaching it is an offence. |
| 'The bar applies to every police job.' | No. It applies to officer candidates and, the Home Office says, special constables; not police staff or PCSOs. |
What to do
- Get your ACRO record so you know the exact offence, date and outcome.
- Work out both people's ages at the time and the relationship.
- Run the disqualification checker above.
- If it may be an automatic bar, write to the force's vetting unit before applying and ask how it will treat the record.
- If you are refused and the record is wrong (for example the other person was not personally connected to you, or was under 16), appeal on that basis with evidence. Our appeal letter template shows how.
- If a police staff role is realistic for you, read PCSO and staff vetting.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I join the police with a domestic abuse caution?
Not as a police officer, if the caution was for an offence determined to involve domestic abuse. Since 13 July 2026, regulation 10(2A)(e) of the Police Regulations 2003 makes a conviction or caution for such an offence an automatic disqualification. It covers any offence, such as common assault or criminal damage, not just specific domestic abuse offences.
Does a caution for fighting with my brother count as domestic abuse?
It can. The Domestic Abuse Act 2021 covers abusive behaviour between people aged 16 or over who are personally connected and relatives are personally connected. A caution for assaulting a sibling when you were both 16 or over could be determined to involve domestic abuse. If either of you was under 16, it falls outside the Act's definition.
Is a non-molestation order a criminal record?
No. A non-molestation order is a civil order, not a conviction or caution, so on its own it is not caught by the automatic bar. You must still declare it: the national vetting form asks about civil orders such as non-molestation and restraining orders. Breaching one is a criminal offence and a conviction or caution for breaching it in a domestic setting could fall within the bar.
What if I was arrested for domestic abuse but not charged?
An arrest with no further action is not a conviction or caution, so it is not an automatic bar. You must declare it and the College's guidance lets the vetting unit consider the circumstances, not only the outcome. The Court of Appeal confirmed in 2026 that unproven allegations can be taken into account in vetting, as long as there is an objective basis.
Is controlling or coercive behaviour an automatic bar?
Yes. Controlling or coercive behaviour is an offence under Part 5 of the Serious Crime Act 2015 (section 76), which is a listed offence in Schedule 3A. A conviction or caution for it is an automatic bar under reg 10(2A)(c).
Who decides whether my offence involved domestic abuse?
The regulation refers to an offence "determined under this regulation" to involve domestic abuse, but it does not set out who makes the determination or how. Ask the force's vetting unit how it will treat your record before you apply.
Does the domestic abuse bar apply to PCSOs?
No. The 2026 automatic bars apply to police officer candidates and, the Home Office says, special constables. PCSOs and police staff are vetted under the College's guidance and force policy, where a domestic abuse matter is still likely to weigh heavily.
My partner has a domestic abuse conviction. Can I still join?
Their record is not an automatic bar for you. It is assessed under the College's guidance on associates: the nature of the relationship, how recent the matter is, whether you live together and the risks it could create. Declare them fully.
Can I appeal a refusal for a domestic abuse caution?
You can appeal, but the appeal cannot change the rule. Realistically it can only challenge whether the record is accurate, or whether the offence was correctly treated as involving domestic abuse (for example, if the other person was not personally connected to you or either of you was under 16).
Is a caution for harassment of an ex-partner an automatic bar?
Likely. Harassment of an ex-partner (both 16 or over) is abusive behaviour between personally connected people, so it can be determined to involve domestic abuse under reg 10(2A)(e). If it was stalking, it is also a listed offence in its own right.
Does a domestic incident between flatmates count?
Flatmates are not personally connected under section 2 of the Domestic Abuse Act unless they are also partners, ex-partners or relatives, so the domestic abuse bar would not apply. A caution or conviction would still fall under the reg 4D presumption.
Does criminal damage to a partner's phone count as domestic abuse?
It can. The Act's definition includes economic abuse and psychological or emotional abuse and it covers a single incident. Whether a particular record is determined to involve domestic abuse is not set out in the regulation, so ask the force.
How long ago does a domestic abuse caution have to be?
There is no time limit in reg 10(2A). A caution for an offence determined to involve domestic abuse is an automatic bar however long ago it was.
Is a domestic violence protection order a criminal record?
It is a civil order, not a conviction or caution. Declare it under the civil orders question. Breaching an order is an offence and a breach of a domestic abuse protection order is a listed offence.
Sources and how we checked them
Every factual claim on this page was written from the sources below, read on 21 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 : reg 10(2A)(c) listed offences, (d) attempts and conspiracies, (e) offences determined to involve domestic abuse; Schedule 3A (accessed 21 October 2026)
- The Police (Conduct and Vetting etc.) (Amendment) Regulations 2026 (SI 2026/653), as made : regs 24 and 25 and Schedule 3 insert the bar and the list, in force 13 July 2026 (accessed 21 October 2026)
- Domestic Abuse Act 2021, section 1 (definition of domestic abuse) : s.1: both aged 16 or over, personally connected, abusive behaviour (physical or sexual, violent or threatening, controlling or coercive, economic, psychological or emotional); a single incident or a course of conduct (accessed 21 October 2026)
- Domestic Abuse Act 2021, section 2 (personally connected) : married or civil partners (now or before), engaged, intimate personal relationship, parental relationship to the same child, relatives (accessed 21 October 2026)
- The Police (Vetting) Regulations 2025 (SI 2025/502), latest revised text : reg 4D(2)(a): conduct attracting automatic disqualification makes a candidate unsuitable for clearance (accessed 21 October 2026)
- Explanatory Memorandum to SI 2026/653 (Home Office) : paras 5.10 and 5.14: offences deemed to involve domestic abuse; para 5.8: applies with special constables, not staff (accessed 21 October 2026)
- College of Policing: Vetting authorised professional practice (May 2025, PDF) : national form question 8.9 (civil orders, including non-molestation and restraining orders), 8.7 (arrests), 6.5.19 (crime allegations), associates (Appendix N 6) (accessed 21 October 2026)
- Court of Appeal: Di Maria v Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis [2026] EWCA Civ 28, press summary (27 January 2026) : unproven allegations can be considered in vetting where there is an objective basis (accessed 21 October 2026)
- Thames Valley Police: Automatic Disqualification from Appointment (July 2026, PDF) : a force applying the automatic disqualification to officer and special constable candidates (accessed 21 October 2026)
- Nottinghamshire Police: Vetting (careers FAQ) : list of automatic declines, quoted (accessed 21 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 21 October 2026.