Updates to Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974

You will no doubt be aware that all personal licence applicants must disclose any unspent relevant convictions on their application paperwork and the Police may object to such application if they feel the granting of the licence would undermine the crime prevention licensing objective.

Significant important changes to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (“ROA”) came into force on 28 October 2023 relating to adult and youth sentences.

These changes have reduced the period that community sentences and most custodial sentences need to be disclosed to potential employers. The changes affect England and Wales; different rules are in place in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

The new rehabilitation periods that now apply can be found here.

Driving while under the influence of alcohol, which results in an endorsement on your licence still remains relevant (for adults) for 5 years post-conviction.