Security Clearance

All NCA Officers must hold a minimum National Security Clearance (SC) however, some roles will require clearance up to Developed Vetting (DV) level. This involves interviews with you and your referees. Vacancies requiring developed vetting are clearly marked.

To meet National Security Vetting requirements you will need to have resided in the UK for at a minimum 3 out of the past 5 years for SC clearance and a minimum of 7 out of 10 years for DV clearance. You will still be considered if you were posted abroad as part of your service with the British Government or the British Military during this period.

Please note: From April 1st 2025, we will be introducing tighter pre-clearance UK residency rules to ensure we have access to sufficient information to offer appropriate assurance.

These will be:

• for SC clearance, at least 3 of the last 5 years, 2 of which must have been the immediately preceding years from the point of application;
• for DV clearance, at least 7 of the last 10 years, 2 of which must have been the immediately preceding years from the point of application.

Security vetting can be intrusive depending on the nature of clearance you require for the role you are applying for. This is to ensure that any vulnerabilities that would potentially put the organisation at risk are identified. While we aim to manage vulnerabilities where possible, in some cases this may not be possible and your application will not be progressed.

Once you join the NCA, your security clearance is subject to regular review. We recognise that personal circumstances change and we also offer a range of help and support in order for you to maintain your clearance whilst employed with us. A range of services will be available to you as an officer of the NCA to help you maintain your security clearance during your career with us.

Once you have received a conditional offer for a role:

As an NCA officer, you may need access to sensitive information, assets or equipment as part of your role so it is vital that we do everything we can to keep you and them secure.

The pre-employment checks process helps employers and employees identify, manage and mitigate risks in roles where there is a national security concern. Because of these reasons, checks can take approximately 16 weeks to complete for external candidates from the point the pre-employment checks team receive your case. However, it should be noted that this is just a guide on standard timeframes, as this may vary based on individual circumstances. Please do not be concerned if your checks take longer to complete than this, and be assured that we endeavour to complete all checks as quickly as possible.

In order for checks to be completed as quickly as possible please respond to any questions and return any requested forms as promptly as you can. If the process is taking a while please don’t be concerned; the length of time is not an indication that there is a problem.