Beware of scam texts and emails claiming to be from the Ministry of Justice. We do not send payment links in texts or emails. If you are unsure whether a message is genuine, contact our call centre on 0800 4 FINES (0800 434 637) or 0800 COURTS (0800 268 787) before clicking any links or making a payment. Read more about identifying scams.
Sometimes when you apply to travel to or live in another country you might be asked for a police clearance certificate. This can also be called a police record, police file, police check, penal check or criminal check.
These are the same as your criminal record (or criminal conviction history). There is no such document as a police clearance certificate in New Zealand.
Police vetting
Organisations providing services to vulnerable people (this includes children, older people and people with special needs) can ask the New Zealand Police to vet(external link) (check) people who want to work or volunteer for them.
The difference between a Ministry of Justice criminal record check and police vetting(external link) is that the criminal record check only covers convictions. As well as your criminal record, police vetting can also include information on any contact you’ve had with the police.