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Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974

1974 c. 53 · Enacted 31 July 1974 · Extends to England, Wales and Scotland

Not fully up to date. 18 changes made by later legislation have not yet been written into this text, which is revised to 1 October 2026.

See the changes not yet applied
ProvisionChangeMade by
s. 8B(1A)-(1E)insertedChildren's Hearings (Scotland) Act 2011 s. 187(2)(a)
s. 5(10)words repealedChildren's Hearings (Scotland) Act 2011 sch. 6
s. 3repealedChildren's Hearings (Scotland) Act 2011 sch. 6
s. 5(3)(b) and wordrepealedChildren's Hearings (Scotland) Act 2011 sch. 6
s. 5(5)(f)repealedChildren's Hearings (Scotland) Act 2011 sch. 6
Sch. 3 para. 1(1)(aa) (ab)insertedChildren's Hearings (Scotland) Act 2011 s. 187(3)
s. 8B(2)words substitutedChildren's Hearings (Scotland) Act 2011 s. 187(2)(b)
s. 3omittedLegal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 Sch. 25 para. 4
s. 5B Table Bwords insertedCounter-Terrorism and Sentencing Act 2021 Sch. 13 para. 34(3)
s. 5(1)(d)words insertedCounter-Terrorism and Sentencing Act 2021 Sch. 13 para. 33(a)
s. 5(1)(d)words insertedCounter-Terrorism and Sentencing Act 2021 Sch. 13 para. 34(2)(a)
s. 5(2F)(a)(ii)words insertedCounter-Terrorism and Sentencing Act 2021 Sch. 13 para. 34(2)(b)
s. 5(8)words insertedCounter-Terrorism and Sentencing Act 2021 Sch. 13 para. 33(b)
Sch. 2 para. 2(1)(f)words substitutedPolice, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 Sch. 11 para. 3(3)
Sch. 2 para. 1(1)(a)words substitutedPolice, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 Sch. 11 para. 3(2)
s. 8A(2)(d)words substitutedPolice, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 Sch. 11 para. 2(b)
s. 8A(2)(aa)-(ad)substituted for s. 8A(2)(a)Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 Sch. 11 para. 2(a)
s. 4(3)(b)applied by 1996 c. 18, s. 108(3)(ha) (as inserted)Employment Rights Act 2025 Sch. 3 para. 1(3)(a)

An Act to rehabilitate offenders who have not been reconvicted of any serious offence for periods of years, to penalise the unauthorised disclosure of their previous convictions, to amend the law of defamation, and for purposes connected therewith.

[31st July 1974]C1C2C3I1C4C5C6C7C8C9C10C11C12C13C14C15

Annotations to the whole text

Modifications

C1

Act modified (1.7.1992) by Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988 (c. 53, SIF 107:1), ss. 58, 77(7), as substituted (1.7.1992) by Road Traffic Act 1991 (c. 40, SIF 107:1), s. 34; S.I. 1992/1286, art. 2, Sch.

Act modified (1.4.2009) by Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988 (c. 53), s. 58A(1) (as inserted by Road Safety Act 2006 (c. 49), ss. 9(2), 61(1), Sch. 2 para. 17; S.I. 2008/3164, art. 4(b))

Act modified (1.4.2009) by Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988 (c. 53), s. 77A(9) (as inserted by Road Safety Act 2006 (c. 49), ss. 9(2), 61(1), Sch. 2 para. 27; S.I. 2008/3164, art. 4(b))

C2

Act (except section 1(2)) modified by Repatriation of Prisoners Act 1984 (c. 47, SIF 39:1), s. 3, Sch. para. 6(a)

C3

Act excluded by Financial Services Act 1986 (c. 60, SIF 69), s. 189(1)

Act excluded (15.12.2011) by Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures Act 2011 (c. 23), ss. 25, 31(2), Sch. 6 para. 10(2) (with Sch. 8)

C4

By Criminal Justice Act 1991 (c. 53, SIF 39:1), s. 101(1), Sch. 12 para. 23; S.I. 1991/2208, art. 2(1), Sch. 1 it is provided (14.10.1991) that in relation to any time before the commencement of s. 70 of that 1991 Act (which came into force on 1.10.1992 by S.I. 1992/333, art. 2(2), Sch. 2) references in any enactment amended by that 1991 Act, to youth courts shall be construed as references to juvenile courts.

C5

Act amended (1.10.1996) by 1996 c. 46, s. 13(5)(6); S.I. 1996/2474, art. 2

C6

Act modified (S.) (14.5.2013) by The Children's Hearings (Scotland) Act 2011 (Rehabilitation of Offenders) (Transitory Provisions) Order 2013 (S.S.I. 2013/146), arts. 1(1), 2(1)

C7

Act excluded by 2000 c. 11, Sch. 8 para. 20D (as inserted (31.10.2013) by Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 (c. 9), s. 120, Sch. 1 para. 1(4) (with s. 97); S.I. 2013/1814, art. 2(i))

C8

Act excluded by S.I. 2009/1922, art. 2(6) (as inserted (31.10.2013) by The Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (Armed Forces) (Amendment) Order 2013 (S.I. 2013/2554), arts. 1(1), 2(3))

C9

Act excluded by 2008 c. 28, s. 18E(4) (as substituted (31.10.2013) by Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 (c. 9), s. 120, Sch. 1 para. 4 (with s. 97); S.I. 2013/1814, art. 2(k))

C10

Act excluded by 1984 c. 60, s. 65B(2) (as inserted (E.W.) (31.10.2013) by Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 (c. 9), ss. 18(5), 120 (with s. 97); S.I. 2013/1814, art. 2(d))

C11

Act excluded (13.8.2020 except in relation to N.I., 1.6.2021 for N.I.) by Counter-Terrorism and Border Security Act 2019 (c. 3), s. 27(1)(g), Sch. 3 para. 45(2) (with s. 25(9)); S.I. 2020/792, reg. 2(g); S.I. 2021/622, reg. 2(b)

C12

Act: power to modify conferred (S.) (30.11.2020) by Management of Offenders (Scotland) Act 2019 (asp 14), ss. 36(1)(a), 63(2) (with s. 37); S.S.I. 2020/245, reg. 2, sch. (with reg. 3)

C13

Act applied (E.W.) (28.10.2023) by Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 (c. 32), ss. 193(17)(18), 208(1); S.I. 2023/1128, reg. 2

C14

Act excluded (20.12.2023) by National Security Act 2023 (c. 32), s. 100(1), Sch. 6 para. 21(2) (with s. 97); S.I. 2023/1272, reg. 2(a)

C15

Act excluded (20.12.2023) by National Security Act 2023 (c. 32), s. 100(1), Sch. 12 para. 10(2) (with s. 97); S.I. 2023/1272, reg. 2(b)

Commencement

I1

Act wholly in force at 1.7.1975 see s. 11(2)

Contents

  1. 1Rehabilitated Protected persons and spent convictions.
  2. 2Rehabilitation of persons dealt with in service disciplinary proceedings.
  3. 3Special provision with respect to certain disposals by children’s hearings ....
  4. 4Effect of rehabilitation becoming a protected person.
  5. 5Rehabilitation periods for particular sentences.
  6. 5ATable A – disclosure periods: ordinary cases
  7. 5BTable B – disclosure periods: service disciplinary sentences
  8. 5CDisclosure period: caution for good behaviour
  9. 5DDisclosure period: particular court orders
  10. 5EDisclosure period: adjournment or deferral
  11. 5FDisclosure period for certain mental health orders
  12. 5GDisclosure period: compulsion orders
  13. 5HDisclosure period: orders relating to juvenile offenders
  14. 5IDisclosure period: service disciplinary orders
  15. 5JSentences to which no disclosure period applies
  16. 6The rehabilitation disclosure period applicable to a conviction.
  17. 7Limitations on rehabilitation under this Act, etc.
  18. 8Defamation actions.
  19. 8AProtection afforded to spent cautions
  20. 8AAProtection afforded to spent alternatives to prosecution
  21. 8BProtection afforded to spent alternatives to prosecution: Scotland
  22. 8CModification of section 8B and schedule 3: Scotland
  23. 9Unauthorized disclosure of spent convictions.
  24. 9AUnauthorised disclosure of spent cautions
  25. 9BUnauthorised disclosure of spent alternatives to prosecution: Scotland
  26. 10Orders.
  27. 10AOrder-making powers: Scottish Ministers
  28. 11Citation, commencement and extent.
  29. Schedule 1: Section 6(4): service disciplinary convictions
  30. 1Paragraph 1
  31. Provisions of the Army Act 1955 and the Air Force Act 1955
  32. 2Paragraph 2
  33. 3Paragraph 3
  34. 4Paragraph 4
  35. Provisions of the Naval Discipline Act 1957
  36. 5Paragraph 5
  37. 6Paragraph 6
  38. Provisions of the Armed Forces Act 2006
  39. 7Paragraph 7
  40. Schedule 2: Protection for spent cautions
  41. Preliminary
  42. 1Paragraph 1
  43. 2Paragraph 2
  44. Protection relating to spent cautions and ancillary circumstances
  45. 3Paragraph 3
  46. 4Paragraph 4
  47. 5Paragraph 5
  48. 6Paragraph 6
  49. Schedule 3: PROTECTION FOR SPENT ALTERNATIVES TO PROSECUTION: SCOTLAND
  50. Preliminary
  51. 1Paragraph 1
  52. 2Paragraph 2
  53. Protection for spent alternatives to prosecution and ancillary circumstances
  54. 3Paragraph 3
  55. 4Paragraph 4
  56. 5Paragraph 5
  57. 6Paragraph 6
  58. 7Paragraph 7
  59. 8Paragraph 8
  60. 9Paragraph 9