Start Date Estimator
Try illustrative timing scenarios. Your force sets the real dates.
There is no national timescale and forces vary. These are illustrative scenarios for planning, not official figures. Ask your force how long its own process usually takes.
*It is sensible not to hand in notice until you hold a confirmed offer and start date in writing.
Apply Today
Submit application form. Oct.
6 Month Wait (assumed)
Online sift tests, online assessment and a face-to-face interview with your force, plus vetting, medical and fitness checks. Your force sets the order and timing.
Estimated Start Date
Apr 2027
Illustrative only: your force sets real start dates. Training then begins.
With 1 month(s) of notice, you would hand it in about 1 month(s) before a confirmed start date.
First Pay
Illustrative: around May. Check your force's pay date.
The Short Answer
There is no national timescale for police recruitment, and forces vary. The process has four stages (national application form, online sift tests, online assessment, and a face-to-face interview with your force), with vetting, medical and fitness checks run by your force alongside them. Do NOT hand in your notice until you hold a confirmed offer and start date in writing.
Sources: College of Policing, 17 March 2026; Lancashire Constabulary vetting page (an example of a force-published window). Last reviewed 30 September 2026.
Where Delays Happen
⏳ The Vetting Black Hole
Vetting takes longer when there is more to check or the forms are incomplete. Leaving out something the form asks about can lead to queries going back and forth, which adds time, and can raise a bigger concern than the item itself.
📅 Intake Tetris
Even once you clear your checks, your start date can depend on when your force's next training course begins. Ask your force how it schedules start dates.
Financial Reality Check
Plan for a possible gap between your last civilian pay and your first police pay. Your force's payroll date decides how long it is.
- 1. Quit old job (Paid up to date)
- 2. Start Police (Day 1)
- 3. Start working
- 4. FIRST PAY DAY (your force's payroll date)
If you want to sense-check your timing
The readiness report places financial readiness, recruitment timing and early career pay into one combined planning view.
One-off £24.99 • Independent
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the best time to apply?
There is no official best time. Recruitment for England and Wales now follows four stages (a national application form, online sift tests, the online assessment, and a face-to-face interview with your force), and forces set their own windows and start dates. Apply when you meet your force's eligibility rules and can complete the forms carefully, then ask the force what timescale it expects.
Can I apply before I finish university?
That depends on the force and the entry route, so check the eligibility page of the force you are applying to. Because there is no national timescale, it is worth asking the force whether it can offer a start date that suits your graduation.
How long does vetting take?
There is no national vetting timescale and forces vary. Some publish their own figure, for example Lancashire Constabulary says six to eight weeks, but check your own force. Vetting takes longer where there is more to check, such as gaps in address history or time spent abroad.
Do I get paid during training?
Yes. Police constables are paid employees from their start date, including during initial training. The date of your first payment depends on your force's payroll, so ask when it falls and plan for a possible gap after your last civilian pay.
What is the 'Intake' system?
Many forces start new recruits in groups on set dates rather than one at a time, so your start date may depend on when the next course begins rather than only on when you clear vetting. Intake dates and sizes are set by each force, so ask yours.
Can I speed up the process?
Not directly, but you can avoid slowing it down. Return forms promptly and give complete, accurate information, including addresses, finances and anything else the forms ask about, so your force does not have to send queries back to you.