All teachers, regardless of their registration category, must consent to VIT undertaking a Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check (NCCHC) on their behalf in order to become registered and then once every five years. This generally occurs as part of the annual registration process, within the application.
For more information, read VIT's suitability policy.
Teachers are still required to undertake the NCCHC even if they hold a current Working With Children (WWC) clearance (previously known as a Working With Children Check or WWCC).
Depending on their residency history within the last ten years, an overseas criminal records check (CRC) may also be required.
Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check
The NCCHC provides VIT with details about the following further to an examination of the records held by police services across Australia
- pending criminal investigations
- current criminal charges
- convictions and findings of guilt, and
- charges that have been struck out, withdrawn, set aside and where the person has been found not guilty.
All applicants and registered teachers must provide consent for Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Checks (NCCHC) and State police checks to be conducted on their behalf as part of their application and ongoing registration with VIT. Visit the ACIC disclaimer page to find out how this consent is provided.
How it works
Undertaking an NCCHC occurs when a teacher first registers to teach in Victoria and every four or five years* thereafter as part of the annual registration process completed via their MyVIT account.
Individuals are required to provide up-to-date identity documents and verify their identity as part of the NCCHC process.
The VIT may also elect to conduct a NCCHC at any other time if it reasonably suspects there are circumstances that warrant the check being conducted at that time.
The information provided by teachers for the NCCHC is used by the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) and police agencies in all Australian States and Territories to check actions and update records held about the applicant by these agencies.
Please note that VIT does not have access to any records held by ACIC or police agencies. Rather, a Police History Information (PHI) report is provided to VIT once these agencies have assessed the information provided from the NCCHC.
* If registration was granted before 30 September, the NCCHC will be conducted as part of the annual registration process during the fourth year.
The VIT is unable to provide teachers with an NCCHC certificate for external purposes.
This is because the VIT does not receive a copy of the certificate from the national police checking agency, rather it receives a data file that is compatible with VIT's teacher registration system.
Those seeking a current NCCHC for non-registration related matters will be required to apply for a separate NCCHC.
The PHI may include information from the applicant’s records held by ACIC and police agencies pertaining to
- outstanding charges
- criminal convictions
- findings of guilt
- charges that have been struck out or withdrawn
- charges where the person has been found not guilty, and
- findings of guilt that have been set aside on appeal.
The PHI will also include information that may come within the spent conviction scheme in the relevant State or Territory.
A finding in the NCCHC will not automatically preclude a teacher from teacher registration. Where a matter is returned on a NCCHC, VIT is required to assess a teacher’s suitability to teach. The VIT considers each case on its merits.
It is the teacher’s responsibility to notify VIT within 30 days if they are committed for trial or have been convicted or found guilty of
- a Category A or Category B offence
- an indictable offence
- unlawful assault, or
- an aggravated assault.
Check out our FAQs page for more information and definitions of these offenses.
Information required
In order to process an NCCHC, teachers are required to provide the following information via their MyVIT account
- country, state and town of birth
- proof of identity documentation
- name history including any aliases and supporting documentation for any name changes such as a marriage certificate or deed poll, and
- full residential address history – both within Australia and overseas – for the past five years.
Visit the Proof of identity page for a list of accepted documentation.
Please note that VIT must conduct the NCCHC in all cases. We cannot accept a current Victorian police check or the results of the NCCHC conducted by any other agency. This is due to the level of check required, timeliness of the check and the need for ongoing updates within the period of the NCCHC's currency.
Information and limitations of accuracy of the NCCHC
The PHI is disclosed in accordance with applicable laws of relevant jurisdiction and their respective information release policies.
While care is taken by ACIC and police agencies to conduct a search of their respective databases, the accuracy and quality of the NCCHC issued by ACIC is dependent on receiving accurate information from the teacher. If they do not complete the information requirements, the success and validity of the NCCHC results may be compromised. Therefore, it is in the best interests of the teacher to ensure the information provided for the NCCHC (such as address history) is accurate, complete and up-to-date.
Please note that it is a serious offence to provide false or misleading information.
If the teacher does not agree with the results of the NCCHC for any reason, they can contact VIT so that it can lodge a dispute with ACIC on their behalf.
Overseas criminal record check
An applicant for teacher registration who has lived continuously in any country other than Australia for 12 consecutive months while over the age of 18 within the last 10 years will need to provide an overseas criminal record check (CRC) issued by the national police service from each overseas country they lived in. The CRC must meet the requirements as outlined by the Department of Home Affairs or be undertaken by AIS International and are national, not state or regional.
Please note that all overseas CRCs issued must cover the full period that the teacher resided in each overseas country and be national, not state or regional.
If the applicant is currently residing overseas, an overseas CRC must be issued within seven (7) days of their application being submitted. For example, if their application is submitted on 31 August, the overseas CRC must be issued no earlier than 24 August.
Teachers who have obtained an Australian permanent residency visa or Australian citizenship since residing overseas will be exempt from providing an overseas CRC provided they have not resided in any other country other than Australia for 12 consecutive months since this time.
More information about obtaining an overseas CRC can be found on the Department of Home Affairs website or AIS International websites.
Please note: police checks not listed on the website (for example, AusPost and fit2work) are not accepted. Providing an incorrect police check will delay VIT’s assessment of applications.
Please note: all applicants and registered teachers must adhere to VIT’s rigorous screening process, including overseas criminal record checks and continual suitability assessments such as weekly state police checks, annual self-declarations and a four to five yearly* NCCHC.
* If registration was granted before 30 September, the NCCHC will be conducted as part of the annual registration process during the fourth year.
The VIT cannot accept applications for teacher registration for individuals who do not reside in Australia for the period they are seeking registration for.
If you’re currently based overseas, VIT is unable to access your continual international suitability assessments, and therefore will not accept your application for teacher registration in Victoria (unless you intend to arrive in Australia within three months and you have a pending teaching position).
Please note: teachers providing copies of documents in a language other than English must also provide translations prepared and certified as correct by a translator accredited by the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters Ltd (NAATI).
Last updated: 19 Jun 2025