Working with Children Check WA: Fees, Penalties and Spent Convictions

Western Australia's Working with Children Check costs $87.00 for employees and self-employed people, $11.00 for volunteers, and is valid for 3 years, administered by the Department of Communities' WWC Screening Unit under the Working with Children (Screening) Act 2004.

This article addresses the Working with Children Check as it applies in Western Australia. It does not address the schemes operating in other Australian states and territories; see the background checks hub for the full comparison.

What the WA Check Covers

Western Australia's Working with Children Check assesses a person before they take up child-related employment or run a child-related business, under the Working with Children (Screening) Act 2004. It is administered by the Department of Communities' WWC Screening Unit, and it draws on police and disciplinary information beyond a standard employment check, consistent with the broader-dataset approach used across all eight Australian working with children schemes. The Act defines child-related employment by the actual nature of the role rather than a job title alone, so a person unsure whether a specific position is covered should check the WWC Screening Unit's own guidance directly rather than assume based on the industry.

Cost and Validity

The current fee is $87.00 for employees and self-employed people, and $11.00 for volunteers, unpaid people, students on unpaid placement, and for a replacement card. A WA WWC Card expires after 3 years, requiring the holder to renew before continuing in child-related work. These figures come from a live WA Government page without an explicit financial-year label, so they should be treated as current at time of writing rather than a confirmed figure for a specific financial year.

Penalty for Working Without a Current Assessment Notice

Section 24 of the Act makes it an offence for a person without a current assessment notice to be employed in child-related employment, or to carry on a child-related business, with the Act's wording imposing both a fine and imprisonment, not one or the other. Section 22 sets out related employer-side offences, including a lower maximum for an employer who engages someone connected with a child care service who simply lacks a current assessment notice, as distinct from an employer who knowingly engages a person holding a negative notice or who is otherwise disqualified. Because published figures for the maximum WA penalty have varied between sources, this article states that a penalty applies and points to the Act itself rather than quoting a specific dollar amount here.

Interim Negative Notices and Ongoing Monitoring

WA can issue an Interim Negative Notice, which suspends a person's ability to work in child-related employment immediately, ahead of a fuller assessment being completed. This is one of the more immediate monitoring tools among the eight Australian schemes, and it means a WWC Card holder's work rights can be interrupted before any final decision is made, not only after a completed review.

WA's Distinctive Spent Convictions Regime

Western Australia's Spent Convictions Act 1988 works differently from every other Australian jurisdiction covered on this site. A "serious conviction", meaning a sentence of more than 1 year's imprisonment or a fine of $15,000 or more, does not become spent automatically. The person must apply to a District Court judge, who has discretion whether to declare the conviction spent, taking into account the sentence, the time elapsed, the effect on the person's employment, the nature and seriousness of the offence, and the public interest. A "lesser conviction" is not fully automatic either; it requires an application to the Police Commissioner, who has no discretion to refuse a certificate that meets the Act's criteria, but there is still an application step rather than automatic lapsing. See spent convictions in Australia for how this compares with the automatic-lapsing approach used in most other states.

Portability: A WA Check Only Works in Western Australia

A WA Working with Children Check is not recognised in another state or territory. A person moving interstate for child-related work needs to apply under that jurisdiction's own scheme, such as NSW's, Victoria's or South Australia's Working with Children Check, Queensland's Blue Card, or the differently structured schemes in Tasmania, the ACT and the Northern Territory. National reform toward mutual recognition of negative notices between jurisdictions is underway, but as at the date this article was verified no jurisdiction, including WA, has implemented portability of a positive clearance.

Employer Obligations When Engaging a Checked Worker

An organisation engaging someone for child-related employment in WA must confirm the person holds a current assessment notice before they start, since section 22 imposes its own employer-side offences for failing to do so. Because criminal record is treated as sensitive information under the Commonwealth Privacy Act, any employer collecting or verifying WWC Check information also needs the individual's consent and a genuine link between the collection and the specific role, consistent with the framework described on criminal record and employment rights in Australia.

This article provides general legal information about the Working with Children Check in Western Australia, verified 21 July 2026. It does not assess whether a specific applicant's record would affect their own application. For advice on your situation, consult a legal practitioner admitted in the relevant Australian state or territory.

Related reading: the background checks hub, the Working with Children Check across Australia, spent convictions in Australia, and criminal record and employment rights in Australia.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a Working with Children Check cost in WA?

The current fee is $87.00 for employees and self-employed people, and $11.00 for volunteers, unpaid people, and students on unpaid placement.

How long is a WA Working with Children Check valid for?

Three years. The card expires after that and must be renewed.

What is the penalty for working without a valid WWC Card in WA?

Under section 24 of the Working with Children (Screening) Act 2004, a penalty applies covering both a fine and imprisonment. Check the Act directly for the current maximum, since published figures for WA have varied between sources.

Can WA suspend someone's working with children status before a final decision is made?

Yes. WA can issue an Interim Negative Notice, suspending a person's ability to work in child-related employment immediately, ahead of a fuller assessment.

Does a serious conviction ever become spent automatically in WA?

No. Under the Spent Convictions Act 1988, a serious conviction (more than 1 year's imprisonment or a $15,000+ fine) requires a discretionary application to a District Court judge; it does not lapse automatically the way it does in most other states.