A New Zealand criminal record check is the Ministry of Justice's record of your criminal and traffic convictions. It is the document any office means when it asks a New Zealander for a police certificate. We request it for you as a registered third party for NZ$35 all in and email you the result. Most come back within a week. A clean record still produces a result: a letter confirming there's nothing to disclose.
What's on it, and what isn't
People worry about the wrong things here. A criminal record check is narrower than most expect, because it only lists what a court decided.
Shows
- Criminal convictions from a New Zealand court
- Traffic offences that ended in a conviction
- If there's nothing to show, a letter confirming that
Doesn't show
- Charges that haven't reached court yet
- Charges that didn't end in a conviction
- Infringements, such as speeding and parking tickets
- Convictions concealed under the Clean Slate scheme, unless a full record is lawfully required
The full record, with concealed convictions included, can only be asked for in limited situations, such as some police, prison and probation jobs, court or tribunal matters, and a few countries that require it. Tell us who's asking and we'll request the version that fits.
The ID check that holds most requests up
Before a request goes to the Ministry, the details on it have to match an acceptable ID exactly: name, date of birth, place of birth and any other names you've used. A mismatch is the most common reason a request stalls, so we check this before anything is lodged.
- NZ passport
- Overseas passport
- NZ driver licence
- NZ firearms licence
- Overseas driver licences
- Kiwi Access card (the old 18+ card)
- Expired overseas ID
- Cancelled or damaged ID
- A statutory declaration signed in front of a JP, court registrar or solicitor
- Or a proof of identity form from someone who has known you 12+ months and isn't a relative or flatmate
New Zealand passports and licences can be used for up to two years after they expire. Overseas ID must be current.
How old is too old?
A criminal record is a snapshot of the day it was issued. It never expires, but the office receiving it often sets its own limit, and getting the timing wrong is as costly as getting the document wrong.
Under 6 months
Immigration New Zealand wants police certificates less than six months old when you submit them.
Usually within 12 months
There's no legal expiry, but many employers and organisations only accept a record issued in the last year.
Wait to be asked
Australia's Department of Home Affairs tells applicants if and when to request their New Zealand record. Requesting early doesn't speed anything up. NZ police check from Australia.
Their rule, plus an apostille
Overseas offices set their own age limit and usually want the record apostilled or authenticated. A late record can cost far more than its price: here's a real 35-day delay.
Request your NZ criminal record
Pay securely, then sign our short online letter of authority and email us a clear photo of your ID. We check everything matches and lodge your request with the Ministry of Justice.
- Standard or full record, whichever the office asking needs
- Ministry of Justice fee and GST included
- Result emailed to you, in New Zealand or overseas
Going to another country? Requested and apostilled together.
Police vetting is your employer's request, not yours
If a school, early childhood centre, rest home or similar organisation has asked for a police vet, that is a New Zealand Police service that only approved organisations can use. It looks wider than a criminal record check and can include contact you've had with police. You can't order it yourself, and neither can we. Everything else people call a police check is the criminal record on this page.
What happens after you pay
- Pay securelyNZ$35 all in.
- Sign and send IDOnline authority, then a photo of your ID.
- We check, then lodgeDetails matched to your ID first.
- Result emailedUsually within a week.
Need the record for a job overseas? See the NZ police certificate for a Vietnam work permit, the NZ police certificate for China, and police certificates for India. Teaching in Korea? See the NZ criminal record for a Korean E-2 visa. Living in Australia? See the NZ police certificate for an Australian visa or citizenship.
Questions people ask us
How long does a NZ criminal record check take?
Most come back from the Ministry of Justice within a week. Some are checked by a staff member first, and the Ministry allows itself up to 20 working days, so if you have a deadline, give it to us when you order and we will tell you how it looks.
What will I receive if I have no convictions?
You still get a result. The Ministry issues a letter confirming there are no convictions to disclose, and that letter is what offices asking for a police certificate expect from someone with a clean record.
Is a criminal record check the same as a police certificate or police clearance?
In New Zealand, yes. The country simply doesn't produce a stand-alone clearance document, so whatever name the office uses, the New Zealand document that answers the request is your Ministry of Justice criminal record.
Which ID can I use?
Any passport, whether from New Zealand or another country, a New Zealand driver licence, or a New Zealand firearms licence. New Zealand ID can be up to two years past its expiry date; overseas ID must be current. Overseas driver licences and Kiwi Access cards are not accepted.
I live overseas. Can you still request my record?
Yes. Nothing needs posting. You pay, sign our online authority, email us a photo of your current passport and we do the rest. The result is emailed to you wherever you are.
Will it show speeding or parking tickets?
No. Infringements such as speeding and parking tickets are not convictions and do not appear. Traffic offences that went to court and ended in a conviction do.
Can I get my full record, including concealed convictions?
Only in the situations where the law allows it, for example some police, prison or probation roles, court or tribunal matters, or a country that specifically requires it. Tell us who is asking and we will request the version that fits.
Do I need an apostille on my criminal record?
Only if an authority in another country asks for one. If it does, we can request the record and get it apostilled or authenticated in one job. See our criminal record apostille page.
Is this the same as police vetting?
No. Police vetting is run by New Zealand Police for approved organisations, such as schools and care providers, and it is your employer who requests it. A criminal record check is your own record, and you can order it yourself.
Sources
Checked against official New Zealand information on 14 October 2026.
- Criminal record check, Ministry of Justice
- Identification check requirements, Ministry of Justice
- Police clearances and vetting, Ministry of Justice
- How do I get a New Zealand Police clearance certificate?, New Zealand Police
- Police certificates, Immigration New Zealand
NZ Document Assist Limited is an independent company registered with the Ministry of Justice as a third party for criminal record requests. We are not the Ministry of Justice, New Zealand Police or any government agency. We are not a law firm or licensed immigration adviser and do not give legal or immigration advice, including advice about what a conviction means for a visa.