A Counter Terrorist Check (CTC) is the national security vetting level for posts close to public figures at particular risk from terrorist attack, or with access to information of value to terrorists (GOV.UK). It builds on BPSS with criminal record and Security Service checks, and UKSV targets 25 net working days to complete it.
Key Takeaways
- CTC applies to posts involving “proximity to public figures assessed to be at particular risk from terrorist attack” or access to information “assessed to be of value to terrorists” (GOV.UK).
- A CTC includes BPSS, a security questionnaire, a departmental or company records check, spent and unspent criminal record checks and Security Service records, with an interview only if concerns stay unresolved.
- CTC has no credit or financial history check, which is the clearest practical difference from SC.
- CTC has a formal review after 10 years, or 5 years for contractors without Facility Security Clearance (GOV.UK).
- UKSV targets 25 net working days for CTC, the same target it sets for SC.
What a CTC Check Covers
A CTC is a terrorism risk check, not a check for access to classified material. That focus decides what’s in it and what’s left out.
What checks does a CTC involve?
A CTC involves six checks set out in the national security vetting guidance. They’re BPSS, a security questionnaire, a departmental or company records check, spent and unspent criminal record checks, a check of Security Service records and, only if security concerns stay unresolved or the Security Service recommends one, an interview (GOV.UK).
Most CTC applications never reach interview. A complete security questionnaire and clean records checks are usually enough for the sponsor to reach a decision.
How is CTC different from SC?
SC adds a credit and financial history check, and a financial questionnaire if concerns come up, because SC protects long-term, frequent and uncontrolled access to SECRET assets (GOV.UK). CTC doesn’t test finances at all. It asks whether a person poses a terrorism risk, while SC asks whether they can be trusted with classified material.
That difference matters when a brief arrives with “SC preferred” on a role that only needs CTC. Our guide to the UK security clearance levels sets out which posts each level protects.
How is CTC different from BPSS?
BPSS is the pre-employment check that sits underneath CTC, and it isn’t a clearance level in its own right. The employer completes BPSS, covering identity, right to work, employment history and criminal record, before the sponsor can create a CTC application. CTC then adds the national security checks on top.
Our breakdown of what BPSS covers lists the evidence candidates need, which is the same evidence that gets a CTC application moving.
Which Site Roles Need a CTC
No universal list of CTC job titles exists. The departmental authority responsible for each post sets the vetting requirement (GOV.UK), so the test is the post’s exposure rather than its title.
Which nuclear and defence site roles typically need CTC?
Roles meet the CTC test through what they can reach, not what they’re called. Information of value to terrorists can include site layouts, security arrangements and details of vulnerable plant, so engineers, trades, security staff and facilities teams on sensitive sites can all need CTC. The departmental authority makes the final call for each post.
That’s why two Mechanical Fitters on the same site can carry different requirements. One works on a general package, while the other handles drawings of a protected area.
Can someone start on site before a CTC comes through?
Sometimes, under controls. The National Protective Security Authority’s employment screening guide recommends escorting, “zoned/controlled access and distinguishable security passes”, and managing someone through “controlled access and/or supervision until all outstanding checks have been successfully completed” (NPSA, April 2023). The sponsor decides whether that’s workable for the post.
Controlled starts help most where trades are scarce. The welder and pipefitter shortage on UK nuclear projects means a supervised start can keep a work package moving while checks finish.
How Long a CTC Takes and How Long It Lasts
UKSV’s target and GOV.UK’s review periods give you two numbers to plan around. One sets the start date, and the other sets when the clearance comes up for review.
How long does a CTC check take?
UKSV targets 25 net working days for CTC, counted from a complete application. Net working days exclude time spent waiting on the applicant, referees or third parties, so elapsed time is usually longer. Missing addresses or employment gaps send an application back, and the target only runs once those gaps are closed.
The same 25-day target applies to SC clearance, so a CTC rarely saves time over SC. It saves scope, because there’s no financial check.
How long is CTC valid?
A CTC has a formal review after 10 years, or after 5 years for contractors without Facility Security Clearance, and the risk owner can review it earlier (GOV.UK). A CTC under 10 years old can also transfer to a new employer if no more than 12 months have passed since the holder left their last organisation.
The 5-year period catches many contractors out. Check which period applies before you assume a CTC from a previous contract is still current.
How to Prepare a Candidate for a CTC
- Step 1: Confirm with the sponsor that the post needs CTC rather than SC, using the published access definitions.
- Step 2: Collect BPSS evidence at the first call, including identity, right to work, employment history and criminal record.
- Step 3: Ask the candidate for a full address history so the security questionnaire goes in complete.
- Step 4: Check whether the candidate holds a CTC under 10 years old that can transfer, or 5 years for contractors without Facility Security Clearance.
- Step 5: Agree escorted or zoned access with the sponsor if the programme needs a start before checks finish.
Our nuclear recruitment team gathers this evidence before a CV reaches the client, so the sponsor can submit on day one.
CTC Check FAQs
What does CTC stand for?
CTC stands for Counter Terrorist Check, a level of UK national security vetting. It covers posts involving proximity to public figures assessed to be at particular risk from terrorist attack, or access to information assessed to be of value to terrorists. It builds on BPSS with criminal record and Security Service checks (GOV.UK).
Does a CTC check include a credit check?
No. A CTC covers BPSS, a security questionnaire, a departmental or company records check, spent and unspent criminal record checks and Security Service records. Credit and financial history checks belong to SC and DV, because those levels protect access to classified material where financial pressure creates a risk.
How long does CTC clearance last?
CTC has a formal review after 10 years, or after 5 years for contractors without Facility Security Clearance, and the risk owner can review it earlier (GOV.UK). To transfer to a new employer, the CTC must be under 10 years old and no more than 12 months can pass between leaving one organisation and joining another.
Can I get CTC clearance without a job offer?
No. National security vetting needs a sponsor, usually an HR officer or company security controller, who confirms the role requires clearance. Without a sponsored post there’s no application. The fastest route is a role with a sponsor attached, with your BPSS evidence ready before the application starts.
Does CTC clearance transfer to a new employer?
It can. The receiving organisation’s sponsor submits a Transfer Request Form, and the CTC must be under 10 years old, with no more than 12 months between leaving one organisation and joining another. You also can’t have lived overseas for more than 6 months if there’s been a break in service (GOV.UK).
Hiring CTC-cleared engineers or trades in 2027?
Scantec places CTC-cleared engineers and trades across UK nuclear and defence sites, so call +44 151 666 8999 to brief your role.
About the Author
Peter Bates founded Scantec Personnel in 1990 and is its Managing Director, leading the business from its Birkenhead head office. Over more than 35 years he has built a specialist engineering, manufacturing and scientific recruiter working across nuclear, defence, FMCG and scientific markets. He writes on UK technical hiring, security clearance and contractor regulation, and you can reach him at peterb@scantec.co.uk.
