Will a Criminal Record Show on an ICPC?

If you are applying for an overseas role involving children, you may be required to obtain an International Child Protection Certificate (ICPC). A common concern is whether an existing criminal record, including convictions, cautions or older matters, will appear.

The short answer is: if the information remains on police systems, it is likely to be disclosed on an ICPC.

What Does an ICPC Show?

An ICPC can disclose:

• all convictions;
• all police cautions;
• relevant non-conviction information, such as arrests or allegations, where police consider disclosure necessary and proportionate for safeguarding purposes.

Unlike an Enhanced DBS certificate, an ICPC does not operate in the same way as the domestic filtering regime. This means convictions or cautions that may not appear on a DBS certificate can still appear on an ICPC.

Will Spent Convictions Appear?

Yes. Even if a conviction is considered spent under UK rehabilitation legislation, it can still be disclosed on an ICPC if it remains recorded on police systems.

This is one of the key differences between ICPC disclosure and standard domestic employment checks. Applicants are often caught out because an older conviction may still remain relevant in the overseas safeguarding context.

Do Police Cautions Show on an ICPC?

Yes. If a caution is recorded on the Police National Computer, it will be disclosed on an ICPC.

This includes cautions that would otherwise create a different outcome on an Enhanced DBS certificate. If your concern is specifically about a caution, read our guide on police cautions and ICPC disclosure.

Where a caution creates employment risk, you may wish to consider applying for deletion before submitting an ICPC application.

Can Arrests or Allegations Appear?

Potentially, yes. ICPCs may include relevant non-conviction information held on local police records where disclosure is considered necessary for safeguarding purposes.

This may include:

• arrests that did not result in charge;
• investigations that were discontinued;
• allegations recorded locally.

Read more about non-conviction information on an ICPC.

Why Is ICPC Disclosure Broader?

ICPCs are designed specifically for safeguarding roles overseas. The disclosure model prioritises child protection considerations over domestic rehabilitation concepts.

This explains why information that does not appear on a DBS certificate can still appear on an ICPC.

What Can You Do If Information Appears?

Your options depend on the type of information disclosed.

• If the disclosure relates to non-conviction information, it may be possible to submit a structured challenge.
• If the issue is a recorded police caution, deletion from police records may be the longer-term solution.
• If employment has already been affected, strategic advice before employer disclosure can be critical.

See our guide on what happens if an ICPC affects a job offer.

How Legisia Can Help

Legisia advises individuals concerned about how their criminal record may impact an ICPC application.

• assessment of likely disclosure risk;
• advice before submitting an application;
• police caution deletion applications;
• disclosure challenge representations;
• strategic planning where employment depends on the outcome.

Early advice can prevent unnecessary employment consequences.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does an ICPC show all convictions?

Yes. If convictions remain recorded on police systems, they will be disclosed on an ICPC.

Will a filtered caution appear on an ICPC?

Yes. Domestic DBS filtering rules do not operate in the same way for ICPCs, so a caution can still be disclosed on an ICPC.

Can I apply for an ICPC if I have a criminal record?

Yes. Having a criminal record does not prevent you from applying, but disclosure may affect overseas employment decisions depending on the role and the information disclosed.

Can I remove a caution before applying?

In some cases, yes. Where a caution was improperly issued, inaccurate or disproportionate, deletion from police records may be possible before the application is made.

Speak to Legisia

If you are concerned that your criminal record may affect an ICPC, contact Legisia for confidential advice.