Criminal Convictions

Joining with a criminal conviction

Everyone makes mistakes and a criminal conviction doesn’t have to stop you from joining the Army. Be honest about your past history when you come in for a chat, and we might be able to offer you that all-important second chance.

Some convictions are forgotten – or 'spent' – after a rehabilitation period. The length of this period depends on the offence. You must tell us about any unspent convictions you have. For some jobs you’ll need to tell us about any convictions when you apply, whether spent or not. You need to be honest – if you hide a conviction before joining up, you could be prosecuted later.

My situation has changed since I applied, can I still join?

At all times during the application process, you need to make sure that you tell us about any changes to your circumstances when it comes to offences. This includes waiting for a court appearance for a criminal offence, for any reason (including jury service) other than as a witness, until the outcome of the hearing is known. This may cause a delay to your application.