UK Act of Parliament 1974 United Kingdom

Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974

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At a glance

Enforced by

DBS, Forestry Commission

What's here

5 compliance obligations, 1 practical guide · 2 journeys

Penalty landscape

2 of 5 obligations carry imprisonment (6 months). 2 carry different penalties and 1 has no criminal penalty — flagged in the list below.

Who this Act binds

Business-side actors with duties under this Act, ranked by how often they appear.

  • Any Person 4
  • Employer 1

Step-by-step journeys using this legislation

Walkthroughs that take you from a real business situation to compliance.

Relevant guidance

Practical guides for businesses affected by this Act, ordered by how closely they engage with it.

Supporting — topic alignment

1 guides

Other Acts binding the same actors

For each actor bound by this Act, the other UK Acts that bind them most often. Useful for understanding the full compliance landscape facing each role.

Any Person also bound by 2338 other Acts (top 5 shown)
Employers also bound by 694 other Acts (top 5 shown)

What this Act requires

Sections that create concrete duties on businesses or carry penalties. Procedural and definitional sections are folded into the “Browse other sections” expander at the bottom of each group. Click any section title to read the source text on legislation.gov.uk.

Schedules

s.sch001

Any offence under section 68 (attempt to commit military offence)...

  • Attempt, aid, abet, or incite a military offence Any Person
s.sch003

(1) A person who is given an alternative to prosecution...

  • Treat spent alternatives to prosecution as if they never occurred Employer
Browse 23 other Schedules — structural / supplementary
s.sch001

Any conviction for an offence mentioned in this Schedule is...

s.sch001

Any offence under any of the provisions of the Army...

s.sch001

Any offence under section 68 (attempt to commit air-force offence)...

s.sch001

Any offence under any of the provisions of the Naval...

s.sch001

Any offence under section 40 (attempt to commit naval offence)...

s.sch001

Any service offence within the meaning of the Armed Forces...

s.sch002

(1) For the purposes of this Schedule a caution shall...

s.sch002

(1) In this Schedule “ ancillary circumstances ”, in relation...

s.sch002

(1) A person who is given a caution for an...

s.sch002

The Secretary of State may by order—

s.sch002

Nothing in paragraph 3 affects— (a) the operation of the...

s.sch002

(1) Section 7(2), (3) and (4) apply for the purposes...

s.sch003

(1) For the purposes of this Act, an alternative to...

s.sch003

(1) In this Schedule, “ ancillary circumstances ”, in relation...

s.sch003

(1) This paragraph applies where a person (“A”) is asked...

s.sch003

(1) An obligation imposed on a person (“A”) by a...

s.sch003

The Scottish Ministers may by order— (a) exclude or modify...

s.sch003

Paragraphs 3 to 5 do not affect—

s.sch003

(1) Section 7(2), (3) and (4) apply for the purpose...

s.sch003

(1) The powers conferred on the Scottish Ministers by—

s.009

Unauthorised disclosure of spent cautions

51 weeks imprisonment
  • Unlawfully disclose or obtain a person's spent caution Any Person
s.009

Unauthorised disclosure of spent alternatives to prosecution: Scotland

6 months imprisonment
  • Improperly obtain or disclose spent Scottish criminal records Any Person
Browse 25 other sections — procedural / definitional / commencement
s.005

Table A – disclosure periods: ordinary cases

s.005

Table B – disclosure periods: service disciplinary sentences

s.005

Disclosure period: caution for good behaviour

s.005

Disclosure period: particular court orders

s.005

Disclosure period: adjournment or deferral

s.005

Disclosure period for certain mental health orders

s.005

Disclosure period: compulsion orders

s.005

Disclosure period: orders relating to juvenile offenders

s.005

Disclosure period: service disciplinary orders

s.005

Sentences to which no disclosure period applies

s.008

Protection afforded to spent cautions

s.008

Protection afforded to spent alternatives to prosecution

s.008

Protection afforded to spent alternatives to prosecution: Scotland

s.008

Modification of section 8B and schedule 3: Scotland

s.010

Order-making powers: Scottish Ministers

Read the full Act on legislation.gov.uk (opens in a new tab)

Official guidance

Authoritative sources published by regulators or government explaining this legislation.

Enforcement and responsible bodies

The regulators that administer or enforce this legislation.

DBS

Primary

Disclosure and Barring Service

Provides criminal record checks (Basic, Standard, and Enhanced) for employers and organisations. Maintains the children's and adults' barred lists. Employers in regulated …

Forestry Commission

Government department responsible for protecting, expanding, and promoting the sustainable management of woodlands in England. Issues felling licences, administers woodland creation grants, …

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Regulators

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