Guidance for Candidates and Agents at Police and Crime Commissioner elections

You cannot stand for election if on the day of your nomination:

• you have been nominated as a candidate at a Police and Crime Commissioner election taking place on the same day for a different police area1
• you have been nominated as a candidate at a combined (or combined county) authority mayoral election on the same day where the mayor would also exercise the functions of a Police and Crime Commissioner in relation to that area.2
• you have ever been convicted of an imprisonable offence. This disqualification applies even if you were not actually imprisoned for that offence, or the conviction has been spent3
• you are a police officer or are directly or indirectly employed by the police.4   More information is set out in our guidance ‘Working for the police’ 
• you are the London Fire Commissioner or a
  member of staff of the London Fire Commissioner
• you are employed, directly or indirectly by a fire and rescue authority and want to stand for election in an area where the PCC also has responsibility for the fire and rescue authority function.5 More information is set out in our guidance ‘Working for a fire and rescue authority within the police area’
• you are disqualified under certain provisions of the House of Commons Disqualification Act 1975, (as amended), if you are a civil servant, a member of the armed forces or hold any judicial office specified in Part 1 of Schedule 1 of the House of Commons Disqualifications Act 1975 (as amended)6
• you are a member of the legislature of any country or territory outside the UK7
• you are a member of staff of a local council that falls wholly or partly within the police area in which you wish to stand, or you are employed in an organisation that is under the control of a local council in the police area in which you wish to stand.8
  • Note that you may be employed by an organisation that is under the control of a local council, for example, if you work for certain fire services or health services. This list is not exhaustive. More information is set out in our guidance 'Working for a local council within the police area’
  • At a Police and Crime Commissioner election you are not treated as being employed by a local council if you work at a school (either as a teacher or a member of non-teaching staff) that is maintained or assisted by a local council.9   
  • Elected members of councils are not disqualified from being elected at a Police and Crime Commissioner election.
    • For these purposes a local council is:
      • a county council
      • a county borough council
      • a district council
      • a parish council
      • a community council
      • the Council of the Isles of Scilly
  • You may, however, be employed in an organisation that is under the control of a parish or community council.
• you are the subject of a bankruptcy restrictions order or interim order.10 More information is set out in our guidance Bankruptcy restrictions or interim orders.
• you have been disqualified under the Representation of the People Act 1983 (as amended)11  if you have been convicted or have been reported guilty of a corrupt or illegal electoral practice or of an offence relating to donations, or under the Audit Commission Act 1998. The disqualification for an illegal practice begins from the date a person has been reported guilty by an election court or convicted and lasts for three years. The disqualification for a corrupt practice begins from the date a person has been reported guilty by an election court or convicted and lasts for five years.
• for polls on or after 2 May 2024 - You have been convicted of an intimidatory criminal offence motivated by hostility towards a candidate, future candidate or campaigner or holder of a relevant elective office. The effect of a disqualification order is that the person will be disqualified from standing for, being elected to, and holding any relevant elective office for five years.