Does a peace bond show up on a criminal record check?

No. A peace bond under section 810 of the Criminal Code is not a conviction and does not appear on a standard criminal record check. Because the charges are withdrawn in exchange for the peace bond, no conviction is registered in CPIC. However, a peace bond may appear on a police information check or vulnerable sector check, depending on the police service and the type of screening. For most employment purposes, a peace bond will not be disclosed.

What is the difference between a criminal record check and a vulnerable sector check?

A criminal record check searches the CPIC database for convictions only. A vulnerable sector check includes convictions plus additional information: pardoned sexual offences (where a record suspension has been granted), outstanding charges, peace bonds, absolute and conditional discharges that have not yet been purged, findings of not criminally responsible, and — depending on the police service — non-conviction dispositions. Vulnerable sector checks are required for positions involving children, the elderly, or other vulnerable persons.

Does an acquittal show up on a background check?

No. An acquittal means the court found you not guilty — no conviction is registered and nothing appears on a criminal record check. However, the charge itself may appear on a police information check (also called a police clearance letter or record of contact), because police retain records of charges laid regardless of the outcome. Whether this information is disclosed depends on the police service and the type of check requested.

How long does a criminal record last in Canada?

A criminal conviction stays on your record permanently unless you obtain a record suspension (formerly called a pardon) from the Parole Board of Canada. An absolute discharge is removed from CPIC after 1 year. A conditional discharge is removed after 3 years. Withdrawals, peace bonds, and acquittals do not result in a criminal record at all. For convictions, the waiting period to apply for a record suspension is 5 years for summary offences or 10 years for indictable offences, counted from the date you complete your entire sentence.

Will a criminal record prevent me from travelling to the United States?

Yes, in most cases. A criminal conviction — particularly for offences involving moral turpitude (which includes assault, theft, fraud, drug offences, and sexual offences) — makes you inadmissible to the United States under U.S. immigration law. U.S. Customs and Border Protection has access to Canadian criminal records through information-sharing agreements. Even a Canadian record suspension does not remove the conviction from U.S. databases. To enter the U.S. with a criminal record, you would need a U.S. Entry Waiver (I-192).

Does a withdrawn charge appear on a criminal record?

No. When the Crown withdraws a criminal charge, no conviction is entered and nothing appears on a standard criminal record check. The charge may still appear on a police information check as a 'non-conviction disposition,' but it is not a criminal record. Many employers who request a standard criminal record check will never see a withdrawn charge. This is one of the key reasons why fighting for a withdrawal — rather than pleading guilty — is so important.

Can an employer see my criminal record without my consent?

No. In Ontario, an employer cannot access your criminal record without your written consent. Criminal record checks are voluntary — the employer can ask you to provide one, but they cannot run a check on you unilaterally. Under the Ontario Human Rights Code, employers cannot discriminate based on a record of offences (pardoned convictions) unless the offence is directly relevant to the position. However, certain regulated professions and positions of trust do require disclosure as a condition of employment or licensing.

What is a police information check?

A police information check (also called a police clearance letter, police record check, or police vulnerable sector check depending on the jurisdiction) is a broader search than a standard criminal record check. It can include: criminal convictions, outstanding charges and warrants, peace bonds, absolute and conditional discharges not yet purged, findings of not criminally responsible, contacts with police (in some jurisdictions), and non-conviction dispositions such as withdrawn or stayed charges. The exact information disclosed varies by police service and the level of check requested.

Criminal Records in Canada

Types of Background Checks in Canada

There are three main types of background checks, each disclosing different levels of information. What shows up depends entirely on which type of check is being conducted.

Criminal Record Check (CPIC Check)

The standard criminal record check searches the Canadian Police Information Centre (CPIC) database for convictions only. This is the most common type of background check requested by employers. It will show:

Criminal convictions (guilty pleas or findings of guilt followed by a conviction)
Outstanding criminal charges and warrants

It will not show: withdrawn charges, peace bonds, acquittals, stays of proceedings, discharges that have been purged, or pardoned/suspended records.

Vulnerable Sector Check

A vulnerable sector check is a more comprehensive search required for positions working with children, the elderly, or other vulnerable persons. In addition to convictions, it may disclose:

Pardoned sexual offences (even with a record suspension)
Absolute discharges (within 1 year) and conditional discharges (within 3 years)
Peace bonds
Findings of not criminally responsible on account of mental disorder
Outstanding charges

The specific information disclosed on a vulnerable sector check varies by police service. Some services disclose more than others, and the standards are not fully uniform across Ontario.

Police Information Check

A police information check (sometimes called a police clearance letter or local record check) is the broadest type of search. Depending on the police service, it may include:

All of the above (convictions, discharges, peace bonds)
Non-conviction dispositions (withdrawn charges, stayed charges, acquittals)
Police contacts and occurrences
Mental health apprehensions (in some jurisdictions)

Police information checks are not standardized across Canada. What one police service discloses, another may not. This type of check is the most invasive and reveals information that is not part of a “criminal record” in the legal sense.

How Different Case Outcomes Appear

Outcome	Criminal Record Check	Vulnerable Sector	Police Info Check
Conviction	Yes (permanent)	Yes	Yes
Absolute discharge	No (purged after 1 yr)	Possibly (within 1 yr)	Possibly
Conditional discharge	No (purged after 3 yrs)	Possibly (within 3 yrs)	Possibly
Peace bond (s.810)	No	Possibly	Possibly
Withdrawal / stay	No	No	Possibly
Acquittal	No	No	Possibly
Record suspension	No	Possibly (sexual offences)	Varies

The table illustrates a critical point: the hierarchy of outcomes matters enormously. A conviction is permanent and universally disclosed. A withdrawal or acquittal appears on nothing except the broadest police information checks — and even then, many services do not disclose them.

U.S. Travel and Criminal Records

The United States takes a strict approach to criminal admissibility. Under U.S. immigration law, a person is inadmissible if they have been convicted of a “crime involving moral turpitude” (CIMT) or a drug offence. This covers most Criminal Code offences, including:

Assault (all levels)
Theft, fraud, and dishonesty offences
Drug offences (possession, trafficking)
Sexual offences
Weapons offences
DUI / impaired driving (in some circumstances)

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has access to Canadian criminal records through information-sharing agreements. Critically, a Canadian record suspension does not remove the record from U.S. databases. The only remedy for U.S. travel with a criminal conviction is a U.S. Entry Waiver (Form I-192 for temporary admission or I-212 for re-entry after deportation).

Outcomes that do not trigger U.S. inadmissibility: acquittals, withdrawals, and peace bonds (because there is no conviction). Discharges are a grey area — the U.S. may still treat a discharge as a conviction for admissibility purposes, depending on how CBP interprets the finding of guilt.

Employment and Professional Licensing

A criminal record affects employment in several ways:

Background checks: Most employers in sensitive industries (finance, education, healthcare, government) require a criminal record check as a condition of employment. A conviction will appear; a withdrawal or peace bond will not.
Professional licensing: Regulated professions — law, medicine, nursing, accounting, teaching, real estate — require disclosure of criminal convictions and often outstanding charges. A conviction can result in licence suspension or revocation.
Ontario Human Rights Code: Employers cannot discriminate based on a “record of offences” (pardoned convictions) unless the offence is directly related to the position. However, active (unresolved) convictions are not protected.
Federal employment: Security clearances require full disclosure, including charges that did not result in convictions.

How to Clear or Avoid a Criminal Record

The best strategy depends on where you are in the process:

Before Conviction: Fight the Charge

If you are currently facing charges, the priority is to avoid a criminal record entirely. Outcomes that leave no record include:

Acquittal at trial — the Crown fails to prove the charge beyond a reasonable doubt.
Withdrawal of charges — the Crown drops the case due to evidence problems, public interest, or negotiated resolution.
Peace bond (s. 810) — charges withdrawn in exchange for a recognizance to keep the peace.
Diversion — charges withdrawn after completing a program (where available).
Discharge (s. 730) — finding of guilt but no conviction; removed from CPIC after 1 year (absolute) or 3 years (conditional).

After Conviction: Record Suspension

If you already have a conviction on your record, the path to clearing it is a record suspension (formerly called a pardon) through the Parole Board of Canada. Eligibility requires completing your entire sentence and waiting 5 years (summary) or 10 years (indictable) before applying.

After Discharge: Wait for Automatic Purge

Absolute discharges are automatically purged from CPIC after 1 year. Conditional discharges are purged after 3 years. No application is required — the purge happens automatically once the time period elapses from the date of the discharge.

Why the Outcome of Your Case Matters

The difference between a guilty plea and a peace bond is not just legal terminology — it is the difference between a permanent criminal record and a clean slate. A conviction follows you on every background check, at every border crossing, and on every professional licensing application for the rest of your life (unless a record suspension is granted years later). A peace bond, withdrawal, or acquittal leaves nothing.

This is why criminal defence matters. The outcome of your case determines not just what happens in the courtroom, but how you live your life afterward — whether you can work in your field, travel freely, and move forward without explanation.

Criminal Records in Canada — What Shows Up and What Doesn’t