Police Vetting
Levels Explained
RV, MV, NPPV 1 to 3, CTC, SC and DV: what each level is for, who needs it, what it checks, how long it lasts and how the two regimes fit together. Written from the College of Policing's vetting guidance, the Police (Vetting) Regulations 2025 as amended in July 2026, and the government's national security vetting pages.
Independent information, not advice · Sources checked 1 October 2026 · England and Wales unless stated
Police officers, specials and police staff need recruitment vetting (RV), or management vetting (MV) for sensitive posts. Contractors and other non-police personnel get NPPV level 1, 2 abbreviated, 2 full or 3. Counter terrorist check, security check and developed vetting are national security vetting, run by UK Security Vetting and added on top for some posts, never in place of police vetting.
Two vetting regimes, not one ladder
People often picture vetting as one ladder running from "basic" to "DV". The College of Policing's vetting guidance does not work that way. It describes two regimes that police force vetting units run (Vetting APP, May 2025, section 4):
- Police vetting, designed to protect the public, police assets and police information. It has its own levels: RV and MV for police personnel, and NPPV 1 to 3 for everyone else.
- National security vetting (NSV), designed to protect government assets. Its levels (counter terrorist check, security check, developed vetting) are set and run by United Kingdom Security Vetting (UKSV).
The two overlap but look at different things. The APP says police vetting considers "wider and more comprehensive threats to policing" than NSV, and that NSV offers very limited assurance about risks to police information or public safety (5.2.3, 11.2). So the rule is simple: no other clearance replaces police vetting (5.1.2). Someone who already holds SC from a government job still needs RV or MV to work in a police force.
The levels themselves are set in the College's vetting APP and the statutory Vetting Code of Practice. Since 14 May 2025 the Police (Vetting) Regulations 2025 also apply, and since 13 July 2026 they require police candidates and officers to hold "the level of police vetting clearance" their role needs (reg 2(1), definition of "vetting clearance"). The Regulations do not list the levels; the APP does.
Every police vetting level at a glance
This table brings the APP's level descriptions together. Classification terms (OFFICIAL-SENSITIVE, SECRET, TOP SECRET) are the government security classifications the APP uses.
| Level | Who it is for | Access it allows (APP wording) | Valid for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recruitment vetting (RV) | The minimum for police officers, special constables and police staff to be recruited and stay in post | Regular access up to OFFICIAL-SENSITIVE, occasional access to SECRET (APP 5.4.1) | 10 years, kept under review (APP 5.4.1.d, 7.10.1) |
| Management vetting (MV) | Police personnel in posts with high-risk access: covert intelligence, informant handling, counter-corruption, counter-terrorism, contracts and budgets, vetting staff, firearms officers and commanders | Long-term, frequent and uncontrolled access to SECRET, occasional TOP SECRET (APP 5.4.2.d) | 7 years, kept under review (APP 5.4.2.g, 7.10.1) |
| NPPV level 1 | Non-police personnel such as plumbers, vehicle recovery and removal staff, and some volunteers | Unescorted access to non-sensitive premises; no access to classified information (APP 5.6.9) | 3 years (APP 5.6.9.c) |
| NPPV level 2 abbreviated | Non-police personnel needing regular unescorted access and information, but not systems | Non-sensitive premises; information up to OFFICIAL-SENSITIVE; not enough for systems access (APP 5.6.10) | 3 years (APP 5.6.10.c) |
| NPPV level 2 full | Non-police personnel who need police systems; agency staff filling posts that would need RV | Unsupervised systems access; up to OFFICIAL-SENSITIVE, occasional SECRET (APP 5.6.11) | 3 years (APP 5.6.11.d) |
| NPPV level 3 | Non-police personnel with access to sensitive premises; agency staff filling posts that would need MV | Up to SECRET, occasional TOP SECRET (APP 5.6.12) | 7 years, with a signed annual vetting notice (APP 5.6.12.c) |
| CTC, SC, DV (national security vetting) | Added on top for posts that need access to government assets; never a substitute for police vetting | Set by United Kingdom Security Vetting (UKSV), not by the police APP (APP 4.1, 5.1.2, 11) | See the NSV table below |
Two points that trip people up. First, the level depends on the post, not on rank or seniority alone: forces keep records of which posts need MV (APP 3.4.7 and 3.4.8). Second, chief officer posts have fixed requirements. Chief constables and deputy chief constables must hold MV and DV; other chief officers must hold at least MV and SC (APP 5.5.1 and 5.5.2).
Recruitment vetting (RV): the level every new officer needs
RV is the level a police candidate goes through. The APP calls it "the minimum level of police vetting required for police officers, police staff and special constables to be recruited and maintain employment or service" (5.4.1.a). It assesses whether you pose any "unacceptable, identifiable threat to the trust and confidence of the public in, and reputation of, policing".
What RV involves, in practice:
- The national vetting form: your details, current and former partners, children, parents, siblings, co-residents, security questions (convictions, associations, online activity) and finances (APP Appendix H).
- Checks on you on the Police National Computer and Police National Database, local intelligence, the electoral register, Counter Terrorism Unit records, a credit reference check and open source research including social media (APP 6.5).
- Checks on your partner, former partners, family, co-residents and notifiable associations, including children aged 10 and over (APP 6.5 table).
- Biometric vetting (fingerprints and DNA searched speculatively) for officers, specials and some staff roles such as PCSOs (APP 6.5.20).
For a constable candidate, the Regulations now fix when this happens: you can only apply for vetting clearance after completing the national application form, national sift, online assessment and in-person interview stages (reg 4B(2)(a), referring to reg 10(1)(eb) of the Police Regulations 2003), and the force must do the assessment as close as reasonably practicable to your appointment and within the six months before it (reg 4C).
Not sure which part of vetting you are in? Our free vetting stage checker explains what each area involves and what to have ready. To plan the whole route from application to start date, use the recruitment timeline planner.
Management vetting (MV): sensitive posts
MV gives "additional assurances" about integrity, reliability and potential financial vulnerability for posts where the risk of compromise is high or the risk of serious damage to the force is substantial (APP 5.4.2.a). Serious damage includes frustrating the prevention or prosecution of serious and organised crime, significant financial loss, and unlawful awarding of contracts (5.4.2.b).
The APP's examples of posts needing MV (5.4.2.f):
- people who award contracts or handle sensitive financial assets
- staff with access to sensitive intelligence, for example in serious and organised or major crime units
- informant handlers, counter-corruption and counter-terrorism staff
- police vetting staff
- authorised firearms officers, and firearms, public order and public safety commanders and advisers
MV adds full financial checks: an extra financial section covering assets, liabilities, whether commitments are proportionate to income and any unexplained affluence, including about people who share financial responsibilities with you (APP 6.5.13). The APP's sample financial scoring sheet is meant for MV and NPPV 3 assessments, as a guide only (Appendix P). The decision-maker applies a higher threshold: they must have "no reason to doubt the integrity" of the applicant or their susceptibility to improper influence (9.9.2). MV also needs five years' UK residency rather than three, and it is the prerequisite for police-sponsored SC or DV (5.4.2.e).
If an officer's MV is withdrawn but they remain suitable for RV, the force must make every reasonable effort to find an alternative role at RV level (APP 8.6.4.a, 9.13.4). Applying for MV and being turned down does not on its own end your RV clearance, though the APP says your continued suitability for RV should be assessed (9.13.4.b).
NPPV levels 1 to 3: contractors, agency staff and partners
Non-police personnel vetting applies to "anyone other than police officers, police staff and members of the Special Constabulary who require a level of police vetting clearance" (APP 5.6.1). The APP lists agency personnel, statutory and criminal justice partners, government staff, contractors, consultants, auditors and researchers among them.
- NPPV 1: unescorted access to non-sensitive premises, no classified information. Examples: plumbers, vehicle recovery, removals, some volunteers.
- NPPV 2 abbreviated: regular unescorted access to non-sensitive premises and information up to OFFICIAL-SENSITIVE, but not systems access.
- NPPV 2 full: adds unsupervised systems access. It is the comparable level for agency staff filling a post that would otherwise need RV.
- NPPV 3: sensitive premises and information up to SECRET; comparable to MV for agency staff in MV-level posts; needs a signed annual vetting notice to stay valid.
Some practical points from the APP: a force can charge a contractor for vetting its staff under the NPCC national charging guidelines (5.6.3); Warwickshire Police runs the Police National Vetting Service, whose clearances for national contractors are accepted by all forces (5.7); and if you refuse to be vetted you can only enter police premises as an escorted visitor (5.6.8). Cadet leaders need NPPV even if they hold RV or MV, unless the cadet role is under the chief constable's direction and control (5.8.4).
For NPPV applicants the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act still protects protected cautions and convictions (APP 8.6.2.d). That is a key difference from officer vetting.
CTC, SC and developed vetting: national security vetting in policing
National security vetting is provided by United Kingdom Security Vetting. In a police force it is applied to posts that need access to government assets, always on top of the matching police level (APP 5.2.2, 11.4). The government's clearance levels page describes what each involves:
- Counter terrorist check (CTC): a security questionnaire, records checks, spent and unspent criminal records, Security Service records, and an interview only if concerns arise.
- Security check (SC): adds credit and financial history, an interview if concerns exist, and a financial questionnaire if needed.
- Enhanced security check (eSC): adds financial and internet questionnaires and a detailed interview by a trained investigating officer.
- Developed vetting (DV): a DV security questionnaire, full personal finance review, a detailed interview with a trained investigating officer and interviews with your referees.
| NSV level | Police vetting it sits on | Renewal (police personnel) | Renewal (non-police personnel) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accreditation check | RV (police) or NPPV 2 full (non-police) | 1 to 5 years | 1 to 5 years |
| Counter terrorist check (CTC) or level 1B | RV (police) or NPPV 2 full (non-police) | 10 years | 5 years |
| Security check (SC) | MV (police) or NPPV 3 (non-police) | 10 years | 7 years |
| Developed vetting (DV) | MV (police) or NPPV 3 (non-police) | 7 years, with a UKSV annual security appraisal | 7 years |
Because NSV is expensive for forces, the APP says forces should be confident police vetting will be granted before sponsoring it, and police vetting decisions must be completed before police-sponsored NSV is finalised (11.5, 11.6). If you leave the police or lose the police vetting it rests on, a police-sponsored NSV clearance becomes invalid unless transferred to another organisation (11.4).
An internal police appeal is available where police-sponsored NSV is declined or withdrawn for existing personnel and contractors, and after that a written appeal to the independent Security Vetting Appeals Panel within 28 days of the internal outcome. External applicants refused NSV with no job offer have no NSV appeal; any appeal they make relates to the police vetting decision only (APP 11.11).
What each level actually checks
The APP's standard checks table (section 6.5) shows which checks apply at each level. Some checks marked "where relevant" depend on your history, for example Ministry of Defence checks for armed forces service or ACRO checks for time abroad.
| Check (APP 6.5 table) | RV | MV | NPPV 1 | NPPV 2 abbrev. | NPPV 2 full | NPPV 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Police National Computer and Police National Database | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Local intelligence and other non-conviction records | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Electoral register and co-residents | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Counter Terrorism Unit check | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Credit reference check | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Open source (including social media) | Yes | Yes | No | No | Where relevant | Where relevant |
| Full financial checks | No | Yes | No | No | No | Yes |
| Biometric vetting (fingerprints and DNA), where relevant | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| Third parties checked: partners, all family, co-residents, notifiable associations (including children aged 10 and over) | Yes | Yes | No | Partners, co-residents and associations only | Yes | Yes |
Every level also includes an assessment of risk to vulnerable people, and every police vetting decision applies the same two-stage test: are there reasonable grounds to suspect that you, a family member or associate are or have been involved in crime, have financial vulnerabilities (you only), or are subject to other adverse information; and if so, is it appropriate in all the circumstances to decline clearance (APP 9.2)?
For what these checks look at in detail, see our guides to family and associates, debt and finances and social media checks.
Residency: why the level changes how long you must have lived in the UK
UK police cannot routinely make vetting enquiries overseas to the same standard as at home, so each level carries a minimum period of UK residency immediately before you apply (APP 5.3.2). It is not any other three or five years of your life.
| Level | Minimum UK residency immediately before applying | Source |
|---|---|---|
| NPPV (all levels) | 3 years | APP 5.3.2.c |
| Recruitment vetting (RV) | 3 years | APP 5.3.2.c; College pre-employment guidance |
| Management vetting (MV) | 5 years | APP 5.3.2.c |
| CTC (NSV) | 3 years (departments exercise discretion below this) | APP 5.3.2.d, citing HMG guidance |
| SC (NSV) | 5 years | APP 5.3.2.d |
| DV (NSV) | 10 years | APP 5.3.2.d |
Exceptions keep many people inside the rule: service overseas with the armed forces or government counts as UK residence, and around 12 months abroad on a gap year or travelling, with the intention of returning, is treated as an extended holiday (APP 5.3.2.1 and 5.3.2.2). The College's pre-employment guidance adds that if a candidate has lived abroad for more than three months within the last three years, it is unlikely a force can obtain enough information to grant clearance. Our overseas residency guide covers the detail.
How long each level lasts, and what happens in between
The APP's renewal table (7.10.1) sets these periods: RV 10 years, MV 7 years, NPPV 1 and 2 (both types) 3 years, NPPV 3 7 years. Renewal means a new vetting form and all the checks for that level (7.10.2).
But clearance is not "set and forget":
- Serving personnel complete an annual integrity and vetting review with their supervisor (APP 6.5.15).
- You must report changes of circumstances, such as a new partner or co-resident, a new financial problem, or contact with the police. For officers this is a legal duty (reg 5(1)(b)); for candidates too since 13 July 2026 (reg 4B(5)).
- Since 13 July 2026, a force may check an officer's suitability at any time, must run a criminal history check where a reported change leaves risk that needs further assessment, and must reassess clearance after misconduct proceedings that do not end in dismissal (reg 5A).
- Renewal is now defined in law as a further grant of clearance, not an extension, and the force may require a fresh application at any time (regs 2(1), 5B(5)).
- Clearance ends when you stop being a police officer (reg 6). A transferring officer needs new clearance from the receiving force's own vetting authority, granted no more than six months before appointment (reg 5C).
What happens if a serving officer's clearance is withdrawn is a separate, statutory process ending in dismissal without notice (reg 24(3)). Our misconduct guide on failing vetting as a serving officer explains it.
What changed in 2025 and 2026
For most of its history police vetting rested on guidance: the College's APP and the statutory Vetting Code of Practice, which chief officers must have regard to. Two instruments have since put parts of it into law:
- 14 May 2025: the Police (Vetting) Regulations 2025 (SI 2025/502) made vetting clearance a legal requirement for serving officers and created the statutory withdrawal and appeal process.
- 13 July 2026: SI 2026/653 added a Part 1A for police candidates (clearance from the appointing force within six months of appointment, statutory unsuitability for some convictions and cautions, detailed written reasons and a right of appeal), plus review, renewal and transfer rules for officers.
The Home Office's explanatory memorandum says the 2026 instrument applies to police candidates and serving officers, together with special constables, and that the Code of Practice remains applicable to police staff (para 5.8). The College's Code of Practice page notes the amended Regulations and that they take precedence over the Code where they differ. The APP we read is dated May 2025, so it predates the July 2026 amendments; where the two differ, the Regulations apply.
Which level will I need? Quick guide
- Applying to be a constable, special or detective constable: RV. Specialist posts later (firearms, covert intelligence, counter-corruption) will need MV and sometimes NSV.
- Applying for police staff or PCSO roles: at least RV, possibly MV depending on the post. See our guide to vetting for PCSOs, specials and staff.
- Contractor, agency worker or partner agency: an NPPV level matched to your access. Your employer or the sponsoring force should tell you which.
- Moving into a sensitive post as a serving officer: an MV application, with a supervisor appraisal (APP 6.5.18).
- A role needing government assets: the matching NSV level on top, sponsored by the force through UKSV.
If a job advert just says "must be able to obtain vetting", ask the recruitment team which level it means. The answer changes the residency period and the depth of the financial checks.
Step by step: how an RV application runs for a police candidate
Forces organise the detail differently, but the national guidance and the 2026 Regulations give this order for a constable candidate:
- Recruitment stages first. National application form, national sift, online assessment and in-person interview (Police Regulations 2003, reg 10(1)(eb)). Vetting should not start before the recruitment and assessment stages are complete (APP 6.1.1).
- Authentication. HR confirms your identity, nationality, right to work and residency before vetting forms go to the vetting unit (APP 6.4).
- The vetting form. You complete the sections for your level, answering every question in full. If you are unsure whether something counts, the form's own guidance says to include it.
- Checks. The vetting unit runs the checks in the table above on you and the people you name, and compares the results with your answers.
- Clarification. Where something does not match or needs context, you may be asked for documents or an exploratory vetting interview, which the APP describes as not adversarial (8.5.6).
- Decision. Clearance granted, granted with conditions, or declined. If declined or conditional, you are entitled to detailed written reasons, subject to the harm test, and can appeal (regs 4F and 4G).
- Before your start date. Report any change in circumstances. If your appointment slips so that more than six months pass after clearance, you must reapply (reg 4C(2)).
What to ask, and who to ask
- Recruitment team: which vetting level does this post need, and will it need national security vetting as well?
- Recruitment team: when will the vetting form be sent, and who is my contact while it is processed?
- Force vetting unit: I am not sure whether something counts for a question on the form. Can I check before I submit?
- Force vetting unit: my circumstances have changed since I submitted. How do I report it?
- Sponsor or employer (contractors): which NPPV level does my access need, and is clearance through the Police National Vetting Service or a single force?
- Serving officers: your Federation or staff association rep, before an MV application or if a review raises concerns.
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Common myths about vetting levels
What we could not verify
- An updated APP. The APP we read is dated May 2025. The College's Code of Practice page says the amended Regulations came into force on 13 July 2026, but we did not find a revised APP reflecting them. Where they differ, the Regulations apply.
- Which posts need MV in your force. Each force keeps its own list of designated posts. Ask your force.
- What eSC and DV questionnaires ask. GOV.UK lists the checks but not the questions. Ask UKSV or your sponsor.
- Timescales by level. Neither the APP nor UKSV's page gives processing times we could rely on, so we give none.
- Pass or refusal rates by level. We found no published national figures, so we do not quote any.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the police vetting levels in the UK?
Police vetting has two families. Police personnel (officers, specials and staff) hold recruitment vetting (RV) or management vetting (MV). Non-police personnel such as contractors and agency staff hold NPPV level 1, 2 abbreviated, 2 full or 3. National security vetting (CTC, SC, DV) is a separate regime added on top where a post needs access to government assets (College of Policing Vetting APP, May 2025, 4.1 and 5.2).
What vetting level do new police officers need?
Recruitment vetting (RV). The APP calls it the minimum level for police officers, special constables and police staff to be recruited and remain in post (5.4.1.a). Since 13 July 2026 a police candidate also cannot be appointed unless the force's vetting authority granted clearance within the six months ending with the appointment date (Police (Vetting) Regulations 2025, reg 4B).
What is MV vetting in the police?
Management vetting is the higher police level for posts with sensitive access, where compromise is a high risk or serious damage to the force is likely. Examples in the APP include informant handlers, counter-corruption and counter-terrorism staff, vetting staff, authorised firearms officers and people who award contracts or handle sensitive finances. It adds full financial checks and lasts seven years.
What is developed vetting (DV)?
Developed vetting is the highest routine level of national security vetting, run by United Kingdom Security Vetting for posts with frequent uncontrolled access to TOP SECRET material. In policing it sits on top of MV, never instead of it. GOV.UK lists a DV security questionnaire, criminal record, credit, Security Service checks, a full finance review and interviews with you and your referees.
Does police vetting include developed vetting?
Not normally for a new constable. Ordinary recruitment uses RV. DV is required for specific posts: the APP says chief constables and deputy chief constables must hold MV and DV, and other posts get DV only where the role needs it. A force sponsoring DV for you must first be satisfied you hold, or will hold, MV.
What is NPPV level 2 and level 3?
NPPV is police vetting for people who are not officers, specials or police staff, such as contractors, agency workers and partner agency staff. Level 2 full allows unsupervised police systems access up to OFFICIAL-SENSITIVE and lasts three years. Level 3 allows access up to SECRET and to sensitive premises, needs a signed annual vetting notice, and lasts seven years.
I failed NPPV level 2. Can I appeal?
Yes. The APP says an appeals process must be in place whenever vetting clearance at any level is declined or withdrawn, except for transfers between forces (10.1, 10.2). For non-police applicants it is normally done by written representations to someone independent of the original decision. Ask the force that sponsored your vetting for its appeal process and deadline.
How long does RV vetting last?
Ten years, then it must be renewed with a new vetting form and the full set of checks (APP 5.4.1.d, 7.10.1). It is not left alone in between: serving personnel complete annual integrity reviews and must report changes of circumstances, and since 13 July 2026 the regulations let a force review an officer's clearance at any time (reg 5A).
Is SC clearance the same as police vetting?
No. SC is national security vetting, which protects government assets and looks at more limited sources. The APP says police vetting covers a wider range of threats, that no other regime can replace it, and that a police-sponsored SC lapses if you stop holding the police vetting it rests on (5.1.2, 11.2, 11.4).
Do police staff and PCSOs get the same vetting as officers?
Same level, different rules around it. RV is the minimum for officers, specials and staff alike, and PCSOs are among the staff roles that need biometric vetting. But the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act protections apply to staff and PCSOs and not to officers or specials, and the 2026 statutory candidate rules cover officer and special constable recruitment, not staff.
Can I hold DV or SC without police vetting?
Not through a police sponsor. The APP says police-sponsored NSV clearance is predicated on the relevant police vetting level and becomes invalid if you no longer hold it (11.4, 11.11.1). If you already hold SC or DV from another employer, you still need police vetting to work in policing.
Which vetting level is hardest to get?
Within police vetting, MV and NPPV 3 apply a higher threshold: the decision-maker must have no reason to doubt your integrity or your susceptibility to improper influence, and full financial checks apply (APP 9.9.2). The residency requirement is also longer for MV (five years). We do not know of any published pass rates by level.
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.
- College of Policing: Vetting authorised professional practice (May 2025, PDF) — regimes (4), levels (5.2 to 5.6), residency (5.3.2), PNVS (5.7), checks table (6.5), renewal periods (7.10.1), MV threshold (9.9.2), appeals (10), NSV and NSV renewal table (11) (accessed 1 October 2026)
- The Police (Vetting) Regulations 2025 (SI 2025/502), latest revised text, legislation.gov.uk — definitions incl. 'vetting clearance' and 'police candidate' (reg 2), candidate clearance and six-month rule (regs 4B, 4C), officers' duty to hold clearance (reg 5), review and renewal (regs 5A, 5B), transfers (reg 5C), termination (reg 6) (accessed 1 October 2026)
- The Police (Conduct and Vetting etc.) (Amendment) Regulations 2026 (SI 2026/653), as made — inserted Part 1A (candidates) and regs 5A to 5F, in force 13 July 2026; transitional reg 28 (accessed 1 October 2026)
- Explanatory Memorandum to SI 2026/653 (Home Office) — para 5.8: the instrument covers police candidates, serving officers and special constables; the Code of Practice continues to apply to police staff (accessed 1 October 2026)
- College of Policing: Vetting Code of Practice (20 July 2023; page notes the amended Regulations in force 13 July 2026) — statutory code under s.39A Police Act 1996; regulations take precedence where they differ; appeals principle (5.15) (accessed 1 October 2026)
- GOV.UK / UKSV: National security vetting clearance levels (updated 23 September 2024) — what BPSS, CTC, SC, eSC, DV and eDV involve; review periods (accessed 1 October 2026)
- College of Policing: Police constable pre-employment guidance (April 2024, PDF) — three years' continual UK residency and the extended-holiday exception (accessed 1 October 2026)
- Police Regulations 2003, regulation 10 (qualifications for appointment), latest version — reg 10(1)(hb): candidates must hold vetting clearance under the 2025 Regulations (inserted 13 July 2026) (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.