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Criminal record check levels in Canada: Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3 explained
A Level 2 criminal record check shows more than a Level 1, and a Level 3 shows more than both. Those 3 levels come from Ontario, where the Police Record Checks Reform Act, 2015 sets out 3 types of police record check and exactly what each one can disclose Government of Ontario.
On this page
- 01Where the 3 levels come from
- 02What each level shows
- 03Level 1: criminal record check
- 04Level 2: criminal record and judicial matters check
- 05Level 3: vulnerable sector check
- 06Level 1 or Level 2: which do you need?
- 07Outside Ontario: police information checks and other names
- 08Fingerprint-certified checks are not a level
- 094 common mistakes about criminal record check levels
- 10How to get a Level 1 or Level 2 check online
- 11Frequently asked questions
- 12Sources
Ontario police services number them this way, and employers across Canada often borrow the labels. Other provinces use different names for similar checks, which this guide also covers.
Level 1 and Level 2 can be done online. A Level 3 vulnerable sector check can only come from the police service where you live, or from BC’s Criminal Records Review Program if you live in British Columbia RCMP.
At a glance
| Detail | Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Name in Ontario | Criminal record check | Criminal record and judicial matters check | Vulnerable sector check |
| Criminal convictions (not suspended) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Absolute and conditional discharges, inside their window | No | Yes | Yes |
| Outstanding charges and arrest warrants | No | Yes | Yes |
| Court orders, such as probation orders and peace bonds | No | Yes | Yes |
| Record suspensions for sexual offences | No | No | Yes |
| Non-conviction information, only if a strict test is met | No | No | Yes |
| Usually asked for by | Most employers, staffing agencies, landlords, general volunteer roles | Roles with responsibility, unsupervised access or a licensing requirement | Roles in a position of trust or authority over children or vulnerable people |
| Where to get it | Police, or online | Police, or online | Only your local police service, or BC’s Criminal Records Review Program |
| With MyCheck | $39 | $49 | Not available |
Where the 3 levels come from
Ontario’s Police Record Checks Reform Act, 2015 authorizes exactly 3 types of police record check, and the Government of Ontario publishes a table of what each one may disclose Government of Ontario. Ontario police services label them Level 1, 2 and 3. London Police Service, for example, names its vulnerable sector check “Level 3” London Police Service.
There is no federal law that numbers criminal record checks. The RCMP talks about name-based checks, vulnerable sector checks and fingerprint-based certified checks, not levels RCMP. So when an employer outside Ontario asks for a “Level 2”, they almost always mean a check that goes beyond convictions, like Ontario’s judicial matters check. If you are unsure, ask them which information the check must include.
What each level shows
What shows up on a criminal record check depends on the level. Each level includes everything in the level below it, plus more. Here is what a criminal record check shows at each level under Ontario’s law, the most detailed rulebook in Canada Government of Ontario:
| Information | Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Criminal convictions, unless a record suspension (pardon) was granted | Shown | Shown | Shown |
| Convictions for summary-only offences, more than 5 years old | Not shown | Not shown | Not shown |
| Youth Criminal Justice Act findings of guilt, during the access period | In certain situations | In certain situations | In certain situations |
| Absolute discharges | Not shown | Shown for 1 year | Shown for 1 year |
| Conditional discharges | Not shown | Shown for 3 years | Shown for 3 years |
| Outstanding charges and arrest warrants | Not shown | Shown | Shown |
| Court orders against you, with some exceptions | Not shown | Shown | Shown |
| Not criminally responsible findings | Not shown | Not shown | Shown for 5 years |
| Record-suspended (pardoned) sexual offences | Not shown | Not shown | Shown, if authorized under the Criminal Records Act |
| Non-conviction information: charges withdrawn, dismissed or stayed, or an acquittal | Not shown | Not shown | Only when a strict test in section 10 of the Act is met |
What no level can show in Ontario: that you were a victim or witness of a crime, or that you had non-criminal contact with police during a mental health crisis Government of Ontario.
About the 5-year rule
Ontario police record checks do not disclose a conviction for an offence that can only be prosecuted by summary conviction if the request is made more than 5 years after the conviction. Since 2026, this no longer covers hybrid offences that the Crown chose to prosecute summarily. How long is a criminal record check good for explains this change.
About discharges: Absolute and conditional discharges explains the 1-year and 3-year windows, and why the clock starts at sentencing.
Level 1: criminal record check
A Level 1 criminal record check, often shortened to CRC, is the basic check most people are asked for. It answers one question: do you have a criminal conviction?
What a Level 1 shows
- Criminal convictions where no record suspension (pardon) has been granted
- Youth Criminal Justice Act findings of guilt, in certain situations and only during the access period
What a Level 1 does not show
- Absolute or conditional discharges
- Outstanding charges or arrest warrants
- Court orders, such as probation orders or peace bonds
- Charges that were withdrawn, dismissed or stayed, or ended in an acquittal
- Convictions with a record suspension
- Local police contact that did not lead to a conviction
- Who asks
- Most employers, staffing agencies, landlords and general volunteer roles.
- With MyCheck
- A Level 1 costs $39 and covers criminal convictions where no record suspension has been granted, searched against the RCMP National Repository of Criminal Records.
Level 2: criminal record and judicial matters check
A Level 2 criminal record check, called a criminal record and judicial matters check in Ontario, answers 2 questions: do you have a conviction, and is anything currently outstanding? That is what a judicial matters check is: a criminal record check plus the court matters that are still open or recent.
What a Level 2 shows, on top of everything in Level 1
- Absolute discharges for 1 year, and conditional discharges for 3 years
- Outstanding charges and arrest warrants
- Court orders against you, such as probation orders and peace bonds, with some exceptions
What a Level 2 does not show
- Charges that were withdrawn, dismissed or stayed, or ended in an acquittal
- Not criminally responsible findings
- Record-suspended sexual offences
Ontario’s exceptions for court orders include orders under the Mental Health Act, orders tied to a charge that was withdrawn, and family law restraining orders under certain Ontario statutes Government of Ontario.
- Who asks
- Roles that carry responsibility, unsupervised access to people or property, or a licensing requirement, where the role does not involve children or vulnerable people.
- With MyCheck
- A Level 2 costs $49. It includes everything in Level 1, plus outstanding charges and warrants, absolute and conditional discharges within their disclosure windows, Youth Criminal Justice Act findings within their disclosure windows, and court orders.
Level 3: vulnerable sector check
A Level 3 criminal record check is a vulnerable sector check. The RCMP describes it as a police information check plus a check to see whether a person has a record suspension (pardon) for sexual offences RCMP. That is the core of what vulnerable sector screening is: finding out whether someone applying for a position of trust has a suspended record for a sexual offence.
What shows up on a vulnerable sector check, on top of everything in Level 2
- Not criminally responsible findings, for 5 years
- Record-suspended sexual offences, where authorized under the Criminal Records Act
- Non-conviction information, only when a strict legal test is met
The rules are strict
It is only for positions of trust or authority over children or vulnerable people. Being near them is not enough: the nature of the position must create the trust or authority.
The hiring organization makes the request. You give consent, but you do not request it yourself.
It must be done by the police service where you live. In British Columbia, it goes through the province’s Criminal Records Review Program.
You may be asked for fingerprints to confirm your identity.
It is illegal for police to run one if the position does not meet the Criminal Records Act requirements.
Results are only available to organizations located in Canada.
Source: RCMP, Vulnerable sector checks.
Criminal record check vs vulnerable sector check
If the role involves children, seniors or other vulnerable people and the organization asks for a vulnerable sector check, a Level 1 or Level 2 will not be accepted in its place. If the role does not involve them, a vulnerable sector check is not available to you anyway, and a Level 1 or Level 2 is what you need.
- With MyCheck
- Not available. No private provider in Canada can issue a vulnerable sector check. Read our guide to vulnerable sector checks.
Level 1 or Level 2: which do you need?
The organization that asks for the check decides. If they named a level, order that one. If they did not, this table covers the common cases.
| Your situation | Order | Why |
|---|---|---|
| A job, staffing agency, landlord or general volunteer role asked for “a criminal record check” or “a police check” | Level 1, $39 | This is what most of them mean |
| They asked for a Level 2, a “criminal record and judicial matters check” or a “judicial matters check” | Level 2, $49 | Only Level 2 includes outstanding charges, discharges and court orders |
| You want to see everything a Level 2 would show before an employer does, for example because of a recent discharge or an open charge | Level 2, $49 | Level 1 would not show those |
| The role involves children or vulnerable people and they asked for a vulnerable sector check | Neither | Contact your local police service. Read our guide |
| Immigration, a visa, citizenship or use outside Canada | Neither | You usually need a fingerprint-based certified check from the RCMP. See the 2 kinds of RCMP check |
Outside Ontario: police information checks and other names
Outside Ontario, police services use their own names. The 2 you will see most often:
Police information check
In Alberta, the Calgary Police Service describes its police information check as more than a Canadian criminal record check. It searches 3 sources Calgary Police Service:
- Canada-wide criminal record history
- A vulnerable sector search, if the position requires one
- Police history, including local police information and Alberta provincial court records
A version with a vulnerable sector search is called a PIC-VS.
So a police information check vs a criminal record check is not a like-for-like comparison. A police information check can include local police files that a criminal record check does not. If an employer asks for a police information check specifically, ask whether a Level 1 or Level 2 criminal record check is acceptable before you order.
Criminal Records Review Program
In British Columbia, vulnerable sector checks for people working with children or vulnerable adults go through the province’s program, not local police RCMP. Criminal record checks in BC explains BC’s 2 routes.
Standard and enhanced
Some providers label their checks “standard” and “enhanced” instead of using levels. Ask which databases and which types of information each one covers, and compare that with the table above.
Fingerprint-certified checks are not a level
A fingerprint-based certified check is a separate product. The RCMP issues it from fingerprints submitted by an accredited agency or police service, and it is what immigration, visa and citizenship applications and most uses outside Canada ask for RCMP.
It is not a Level 4, and it is not the same as a Level 2.
If you were asked for fingerprints, “certified” results, or a check for immigration, you need this route. The 2 kinds of RCMP check, explained.
4 common mistakes about criminal record check levels
“A ministry issues criminal record checks.”
No government ministry issues them. In Ontario, the Ministry of the Solicitor General says it does not issue police record checks, and does not approve or license third-party providers Government of Ontario. Police services issue them, some checks can be completed through authorized third-party providers, and the RCMP issues fingerprint-certified checks.
“Level 2 is the check for immigration.”
Immigration, visa and citizenship applications usually need a fingerprint-based certified check from the RCMP instead.
“Level 3 is the most complete check that exists.”
Some checks are exempt from Ontario’s disclosure rules and can show more than a vulnerable sector check. Ontario gives firearms licence applications, child custody and adoption as examples Government of Ontario.
“I can get a vulnerable sector check for any job, just to be safe.”
You cannot. Police can only run one when the position meets the Criminal Records Act requirements, and the hiring organization has to make the request RCMP.
How to get a Level 1 or Level 2 check online
Choose your level and pay.
Enter your email, pick Level 1 at $39 or Level 2 at $49, and pay by debit or credit card. If an employer or agency gave you a promo code, enter it at checkout.
Verify your ID and declare.
A link arrives by email. Photograph your government ID, take a short live capture and complete your declaration. Your phone camera is enough.
Get your certificate.
An accredited police service searches the RCMP National Repository of Criminal Records through the Canadian Police Information Centre. Most checks complete in minutes, and the rest are usually back within 4 hours. The certificate lands in your inbox, ready to send on.
What to have ready
- Your most recent Canadian address
- An original unexpired government ID (passport, driver’s licence, ID card or residence permit)
- A phone or computer with a camera
- A debit or credit card
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a Level 1 and a Level 2 criminal record check?
A Level 1 shows criminal convictions that have not been suspended. A Level 2 shows the same convictions, plus outstanding charges and arrest warrants, absolute and conditional discharges still inside their disclosure window, and court orders such as probation orders and peace bonds. Neither shows charges that were withdrawn, dismissed or stayed.
What is a Level 2 criminal record check?
In Ontario it is called a criminal record and judicial matters check. It covers everything in a Level 1 criminal record check plus the court matters that are still open or recent: outstanding charges, warrants, discharges within their window and court orders. With MyCheck, a Level 2 costs $49 CAD and is done online.
What is a CRC?
CRC stands for criminal record check, the basic Level 1 check. It shows criminal convictions where no record suspension (pardon) has been granted. It is what most employers, staffing agencies and landlords ask for.
What is a Level 3 criminal record check?
A Level 3 is a vulnerable sector check. It includes everything in a Level 2, plus record-suspended sexual offences and, in limited cases, non-conviction information. It is only for positions of trust or authority over children or vulnerable people, and only your local police service can issue it, or BC's Criminal Records Review Program in British Columbia.
Can I get a vulnerable sector check online?
Not from a private provider. The hiring organization requests it, and the police service where you live conducts it. You may also need to give fingerprints. Level 1 and Level 2 checks can be done online.
Which level do I need for a job?
The employer decides. Most jobs ask for a basic criminal record check, which is a Level 1. Roles with more responsibility or a licensing requirement may ask for a Level 2. Roles in a position of trust over children or vulnerable people need a vulnerable sector check. If the employer did not say, ask them before you order.
Does a Level 1 criminal record check show outstanding charges or warrants?
No. A Level 1 only shows criminal convictions. Outstanding charges and warrants appear on a Level 2 and a Level 3.
Is a police information check the same as a Level 2?
Not exactly. In Alberta, the Calgary Police Service's police information check searches Canada-wide criminal record history and also local police information and Alberta provincial court records, so it can include information a criminal record check does not. If an employer asks for a police information check, ask whether a Level 1 or Level 2 is acceptable.
Does any level show a pardoned conviction?
A conviction with a record suspension (pardon) is not shown on a Level 1 or Level 2. A vulnerable sector check can show a record-suspended sexual offence, where authorized under the Criminal Records Act, for positions of trust over children or vulnerable people.
Does the Ministry of Justice issue criminal record checks?
No. Criminal record checks are issued by police services, some are completed through authorized third-party providers, and fingerprint-certified checks are issued by the RCMP. In Ontario, the Ministry of the Solicitor General says it does not issue police record checks or license providers.
Which check do I need for immigration or to work outside Canada?
Usually a fingerprint-based certified check from the RCMP, not a Level 1 or Level 2. Check the exact requirement with the authority or employer abroad before you order anything.
How long is a criminal record check valid?
There is no official expiry date. A check reflects the record on the day it was run, and the organization asking for it decides how recent it must be. How long is a criminal record check good for explains the details.
Sources
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Rules change and differ by province. Check the official sources below, and ask the organization requesting your check exactly what it needs.
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