12 Professions and Positions Where a Criminal Record Is a Legal Obstacle

A criminal record in itself does not prohibit working. The Criminal Code provides that a criminal record has legal significance in the case of a new criminal offence, “as well as in other cases provided for by the laws of Ukraine” (Article 88(2) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (CC)). That is, a ban for a particular profession must be established by law. Below are 12 professions and positions for which we found such a ban in the current text of the law, and what exactly each law treats as an obstacle. Whether an employer’s refusal is lawful and how to challenge it — in a separate article on refusal of employment because of a criminal record.

First, three questions about your criminal record

• Whether it still exists. A person has a criminal record from the day a guilty verdict enters into legal force until the criminal record is expunged or removed (Article 88(1) of the CC). Most of the bans below concern only an unexpunged and unremoved criminal record. How the periods expire — in the article on expungement and removal of a criminal record.
• What for, exactly. Laws define the scope differently: “intentional criminal offence”, “crime”, “serious or particularly serious crime”. Criminal offences are divided into criminal misdemeanours and crimes (Article 12(1) of the CC), and crimes are further divided by gravity; on the categories — see the article on the classification of crimes by gravity.
• What exactly is written about your position. The wording differs even between similar professions, so you need to compare with the text of the specific provision.

Civil service and municipal service

1. Civil servant

A person who has a criminal record for committing an intentional criminal offence cannot enter the civil service if that criminal record has not been expunged or removed (Article 19(2)(3) of the Law of Ukraine “On Civil Service”). The clause concerns only intentional offences.

2. Local self-government official

The requirement is the same for service in local self-government bodies: persons with an unexpunged and unremoved criminal record for an intentional criminal offence cannot be admitted (Article 12(1)(2) of the Law of Ukraine “On Service in Local Self-Government Bodies”).

Police, prosecutor’s office, court

3. Police officer

The requirements here are broader than for the civil service. A person who has an unexpunged or unremoved criminal record for committing a criminal offence cannot be a police officer, except for a rehabilitated person (Article 61(2)(3) of the Law of Ukraine “On the National Police”). Nor can a person convicted of the intentional commission of a serious or particularly serious crime — even if the criminal record has already been expunged or removed (clause 2 of the same part). A separate clause concerns a person against whom criminal proceedings were terminated on non-rehabilitating grounds (clause 4): this is no longer about a criminal record.

4. Prosecutor

A person who has an unremoved or unexpunged criminal record cannot be appointed to the position of prosecutor (Article 27(6)(3) of the Law of Ukraine “On the Prosecutor’s Office”). The law specifies neither the type of offence nor the form of guilt here.

5. Judge

The requirement for a candidate is worded in the same general way: a citizen who has an unremoved or unexpunged criminal record cannot be appointed as a judge (Article 69(2)(3) of the Law of Ukraine “On the Judiciary and Status of Judges”).

Legal professions

6. Attorney at Law

The scope is narrower here. A person with an unexpunged or unremoved criminal record for a serious or particularly serious crime, as well as for a minor crime if imprisonment was imposed for it, cannot be an attorney (Article 6(2)(1) of the Law of Ukraine “On the Bar and Practice of Law”). The clause does not name a criminal record for a minor crime with another punishment or for a criminal misdemeanour.

7. Notary and notary’s assistant

A person who has a criminal record for committing a crime, if it has not been expunged or removed, cannot be a notary, except for a rehabilitated person (Article 3(2) of the Law of Ukraine “On Notaries”). The requirement for a notary’s assistant is shorter: a person who has a criminal record cannot be one (Article 13(1) of the same law).

8. Private enforcement officer

A person who has an unremoved or unexpunged criminal record cannot be a private enforcement officer (Article 18(2)(3) of the Law of Ukraine “On Bodies and Persons Enforcing Court Decisions and Decisions of Other Bodies”).

9. Arbitration manager

The same wording is in the Code of Ukraine on Bankruptcy Procedures: a person with an unremoved or unexpunged criminal record cannot be an arbitration manager (Article 11(2)(2) of the Code of Ukraine on Bankruptcy Procedures).

10. Forensic expert

A person who has an unremoved or unexpunged criminal record cannot be involved in carrying out a forensic examination or in performing the duties of a forensic expert (Article 11(1) of the Law of Ukraine “On Forensic Examination”).

Education and security

11. Employee of an educational institution

The ban applies not only to teachers: a person who has a criminal record for committing an intentional criminal offence cannot work in an educational institution or be involved in the educational process (Article 52(2)(3) of the Law of Ukraine “On Education”). A separate clause concerns a person who committed a criminal offence against sexual freedom or sexual inviolability, if this is established by a guilty verdict that has entered into legal force (clause 4). Expungement of the criminal record is not mentioned in this clause.

12. Security guard

Security personnel may be citizens who, among other things, have submitted documents showing that they have no unexpunged or unremoved criminal record for committing intentional criminal offences (Article 11(1)(2) of the Law of Ukraine “On Security Activity”).

Separately: access to state secrets

This is not a profession but access to work with classified information. It is not granted if the person has an unexpunged or unremoved criminal record for a serious or particularly serious crime or for a criminal offence provided for by Article 111-1 of the CC (Article 23(1)(4) of the Law of Ukraine “On State Secrets”).

A ban imposed by a verdict is a different matter

The requirements of the laws listed above should be distinguished from the punishment that a court imposes in a verdict — deprivation of the right to hold certain positions or engage in certain activities; how it affects hiring is covered in the article on refusal of employment because of a criminal record.

If your profession is not here

The list is not exhaustive: the requirements for candidates are set by the law on the specific profession or body. If your position is not here, it is worth finding the law that regulates it and reading the article in it on requirements for candidates or restrictions. What the employer sees in an extract on a criminal record — in the article on the criminal record certificate; the general consequences — in the article on what a criminal record is and what its consequences are.

For more on what an attorney in a criminal case helps with, see the page of our service.

The provisions are cited as currently in force as of 13 October 2026.