Australia
Police Check in NT: SAFE NT Fees, How to Apply and What Shows Up
Independently fact-checked against primary sources (last audited August 18, 2026). · 6 primary sources cited on this page. How we verify our legal content
In the Northern Territory, SAFE NT, NT Police's employment-screening arm, issues the National Police Check for $92.00, effective 1 July 2026, through a single portal that also issues the Ochre Card and NDIS Worker Screening Check.
This page covers the state layer specific to the Northern Territory: who issues the check, the fee schedule, and the NT Anti-Discrimination Act ground. For the two national routes into a police check generally and when to use the AFP instead of a state pathway, see the the Australia background checks hub and national police check overview.
Who Issues an NT Police Check, and What It's Called
SAFE NT is NT Police's employment-screening service. It issues three separate products from one office and portal: the National Police Check (NPC), the Working With Children Clearance (Ochre Card), and the NDIS Worker Screening Check. The correct domain is pfes.nt.gov.au; police.nt.gov.au did not resolve on any method tested and should not be relied on. Applications for all three products go through the same online portal, forms.pfes.nt.gov.au/safent, and the same physical SAFE NT offices in Darwin, Alice Springs, Katherine and Tennant Creek.
How to Apply
Standard NT National Police Checks are name-based and lodged online, with supporting identity documents uploaded as scanned files. NT Police applies a 100-point identity check: a photo document from Category A (an Australian passport at 70 points, or a driver licence or firearms licence at 40 points each) plus enough Category B documents, such as a birth or citizenship certificate at 70 points each, to reach the total. A fingerprint check is a separate, bookable add-on rather than the default. It is needed only where fingerprint validation is specifically required, for example NT Police's own recruitment process (Form PF166), an interstate police recruitment process, or ink prints for an overseas visa. Fingerprint appointments are booked separately through booking.nt.gov.au/service/safent.
NT Police Check Fees, Effective 1 July 2026
SAFE NT's fee schedule, effective 1 July 2026 and issued 22 June 2026, lists the National Police Check fee alongside its Ochre Card and NDIS fees on the same document. Fees have stepped up annually in prior years, so treat the figures below as current at the time of writing and confirm on SAFE NT's own fee schedule before applying.
| Product | Fee |
|---|---|
| National Police Check, standard/employment | $92.00 |
| National Police Check, volunteer (Volunteer Concession form required) | $17.00 |
| Fingerprint and Name Check (fingerprint-inclusive NPC) | $250.00 |
| Additional certificate copy, employment (within 3 months of issue) | $35.00 |
| Additional certificate copy, volunteer (within 3 months of issue) | $8.00 |
| Ink fingerprints for overseas visa, employment or passport purposes | $71.00 |
| PF166 NT Police Check (Contractors) | $92.00 |
The volunteer rate requires a Volunteer Concession form scanned and uploaded with the application; an application submitted without it is rejected. The $71.00 ink-fingerprint fee is a standalone fingerprinting-only service for a non-NT purpose, separate from the National Police Check product itself.
Turnaround and Certificate Validity: Not Published
SAFE NT does not publish a processing-time estimate for the National Police Check on its online-services pages, its application portal, or its fingerprint-booking page. It also does not publish how long a certificate stays current once issued. Do not assume it matches another jurisdiction's convention. If timing matters for a specific application, confirm directly with SAFE NT before relying on an assumed figure.
The Ochre Card and NDIS Worker Screening: Same Portal, Different Application
The Ochre Card, NT's working with children clearance issued under the Care and Protection of Children Act 2007 (NT), is applied for through the same SAFE NT portal as the National Police Check, not a separate agency. It is a different application type within that portal, not a different office. See the Ochre Card page for its own process and fees. NDIS Worker Screening runs the same way, for anyone working in the NDIS sector.
What Shows Up
An NT National Police Check is filtered by the Criminal Records (Spent Convictions) Act 1992 (NT). See spent convictions in the NT for the waiting periods and permanent-bar offences; that page owns the mechanism and it is not repeated here.
International and Citizenship Checks
SAFE NT's own application portal tells applicants seeking a check for citizenship, residency, a spousal visa or a guardianship matter to apply through the Australian Federal Police instead; SAFE NT does not process those. See the national police check overview for the AFP route.
Using an Irrelevant Criminal Record Against You in NT
The Anti-Discrimination Act 1992 (NT) defines an 'irrelevant criminal record' at s4, covering (among other things) a spent conviction under the Criminal Records (Spent Convictions) Act 1992 (NT) and certain arrest or proceeding records. Section 19(1)(q) lists an irrelevant criminal record as a prohibited ground of discrimination, alongside attributes such as race, sex, age and disability. Section 37 lets an employer discriminate on this ground where the work principally involves the care, instruction or supervision of a 'vulnerable person', defined to include children, aged persons, and people with a disability or mental illness, and the discrimination is reasonably necessary to protect that person's wellbeing. For the federal, non-binding conciliation route available across every state, see criminal record and employment rights in Australia.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a police check called in the Northern Territory?
SAFE NT, NT Police's employment-screening service, issues it as a National Police Check (NPC).
How much does an NT police check cost?
$92.00 for the standard application, or $17.00 for a volunteer application with a Volunteer Concession form, effective 1 July 2026. A fingerprint-inclusive Fingerprint and Name Check costs $250.00.
How long does an NT police check take?
SAFE NT does not publish a turnaround estimate for the National Police Check, so there is no official timeframe to quote. Confirm current processing times directly with SAFE NT if timing matters.
Is the Ochre Card a separate application from the National Police Check?
It is a different application type within the same SAFE NT portal and office, not a separate agency, so applicants apply for each product individually even though the process runs through the same system.
Can an NT employer refuse to hire someone over a spent conviction?
Generally no. The Anti-Discrimination Act 1992 (NT) lists an irrelevant criminal record, including a spent conviction, as a prohibited discrimination ground under s19(1)(q), though s37 allows an exception for roles caring for or supervising vulnerable persons.
Can I use an NT police check for a visa or citizenship application?
No. SAFE NT directs applicants who need a check for citizenship, residency, a spousal visa or a guardianship matter to apply through the Australian Federal Police instead.
Updates
Independently fact-checked against the cited primary sources
Sources and References
- SAFE NT employment screening overview, NT Police, Fire and Emergency Services(pfes.nt.gov.au).gov
- SAFE NT National Police Check online application entry point(forms.pfes.nt.gov.au).gov
- SAFE NT Fees and Charges schedule, effective 1 July 2026(pfes.nt.gov.au).gov
- NT Government, book a fingerprint appointment with SAFE NT(service.nt.gov.au).gov
- Anti-Discrimination Act 1992 (NT), ss 4, 19(1)(q) and 37(legislation.nt.gov.au).gov
- NT Government, apply for a Working with Children Clearance (Ochre Card fees)(nt.gov.au).gov