{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/special-constables-regulations-1965/regulation-1",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/special-constables-regulations-1965/regulation-1.json",
  "legislation": "uksi/1965/536",
  "legislation_title": "The Special Constables Regulations 1965",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/special-constables-regulations-1965",
  "path": "regulation/1",
  "kind": "regulation",
  "number": "1",
  "heading": "Qualifications for appointment",
  "text": "(1) A candidate for appointment as a special constable—\n(a) must, if not a national of the United Kingdom or a State which is a Contracting Party to the Agreement on the European Economic Area signed at Oporto on 2nd May 1992 as adjusted by the Protocol signed at Brussels on 17th March 1993, have leave to enter or remain in the United Kingdom for an indefinite period;\n(b) must satisfy the chief officer of police that he is sufficiently competent in written and spoken English, and sufficiently numerate, by passing such assessments in written and spoken English, and numeracy, as may be determined by the chief officer of police;\n(c) must have attained the age of 17 years;\n(ca) must have attained the age of 18 years before being appointed as a special constable;\n(d) must be of good character;\n(e) must be in good health;\n(f) must (unless he is applying to transfer to the police area from another police area) on being so required by the chief officer give a sample of hair, oral fluid or urine to be tested, in accordance with procedures determined by the Secretary of State, for evidence of such controlled drugs as the Secretary of State may determine.\n(2) For the purposes of this regulation, “national of the United Kingdom” means—\n(a) a British citizen;\n(b) a person who is a British subject by virtue of Part 4 of the British Nationality Act 1981 and who has the right of abode in the United Kingdom; or\n(c) a person who is a British overseas territories citizen by virtue of a connection with Gibraltar.",
  "extent": "E+W",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Reg. 1 substituted (3.2.2003) by The Special Constables (Amendment) Regulations 2002 (S.I. 2002/3180), regs. 1(2), 2(2)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "Reg. 1 renumbered as reg. 1(1) (31.12.2020) by The Immigration, Nationality and Asylum (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/745), regs. 1(2), 23; 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F3",
      "text": "Words in reg. 1(1)(a) inserted (31.12.2020) by The Immigration, Nationality and Asylum (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/745), regs. 1(2), 23(a); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F4",
      "text": "Reg. 1(1)(c)(ca) substituted for reg. 1(1)(c) (28.6.2022) by The Special Constables (Membership of the Police Federation etc.) (England and Wales) Regulations 2022 (S.I. 2022/505), regs. 1(2), 2(2)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F5",
      "text": "Reg. 1(f) inserted (20.8.2012) by The Special Constables (Amendment) Regulations 2012 (S.I. 2012/1961), regs. 1, 3"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F6",
      "text": "Reg. 1(2) inserted (31.12.2020) by The Immigration, Nationality and Asylum (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/745), regs. 1(2), 23(b); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1965/536/regulation/1",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T23:58:54.866321+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}