Apply for a Queensland Blue Card — $108.30 for paid workers, free for volunteers and students, valid 3 years — and remember the rule that defines the scheme: No Card, No Start.
Overview
Queensland's working with children check is the Blue Card, issued by Blue Card Services in the Department of Justice and Attorney-General. It differs from the southern states in two ways that matter for hiring: the card is only valid for 3 years (not 5), and Queensland enforces a strict No Card, No Start rule — a paid worker cannot begin child-related work until the card is actually issued, not merely applied for.
From 1 July 2026 the application fee is $108.30 for paid workers, and free for volunteers, students and exemption-card applicants. Renewal costs the same as a new application, and an employer or organisation can pay the fee on a worker's behalf. Fees are reviewed every July.
Applications are lodged online through the Blue Card Services portal, and organisations employing card holders must be registered with Blue Card Services and link workers to their organisation. The check reviews national criminal history — including charges and non-conviction information — and Queensland continuously monitors holders for the life of the card.
Because of No Card, No Start, verifying a candidate's card status and expiry is a hard gate in Queensland hiring rather than a compliance afterthought. RefChecks verifies the card holder's name, card number, status and expiry and records the evidence in the candidate's report.
What's Included
Teachers, teacher aides and tutors in Queensland need a current Blue Card before day one — No Card, No Start applies to paid school roles without exception.
Queensland's holiday-program, camp and tourism operators hire seasonally at scale — 3-year expiry plus seasonal workforces make batch card verification a routine need.
Coaches and officials in Queensland sport need a Blue Card; volunteer cards are free, but the volunteer must be linked to the registered organisation they serve.
Educators and family day care providers hold Blue Cards under continuous monitoring — a card can be suspended mid-term, so point-in-time sighting is not enough.
Process
Apply through the Blue Card Services portal and pay $108.30 if applying as a paid worker. Volunteers and students apply free.
Queensland reviews national criminal history, including non-conviction charges. Once issued, the card is monitored daily for its whole 3-year life.
Under No Card, No Start, paid child-related work begins only after the card is issued. Employers link the holder to their organisation and verify status and expiry.
Turnaround & Pricing
Turnaround Time
Card must be issued before paid work starts (No Card, No Start)
Included in all plans
From $49/month
Card verification is a per-check cost on top of your plan quota. The Queensland government fee ($108.30 paid / free volunteer) is paid to Blue Card Services.
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