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Guidance

Home Office Crime Recording Rules for frontline officers, staff

These rules help to ensure that crimes are recorded consistently and accurately.

Updates to this page

From:
Home Office
Published:
4 July 2013
Last updated:
16 July 2026
Show all updates

  1. Updated version of outcomes framework guidance attached.

  2. Home Office Crime Recording Rules for frontline officers and staff, page 35; paragraph deleted: 'There will be no requirement to include N300 Reported Incident of Sudden or Unexplained Death .... ADR process for 2025/26.'

  3. Crime Recording Rules; page 57, Finished Rule for Conduct Crime (line 3 of the last paragraph), reference to S4 and S4A Public Order removed.

  4. 'NFIB fraud' and 'notifiable offence and notifiable reported incidents' documents updated.

  5. Updated Crime Recording Rules for frontline officers and staff.

  6. Documents added; 'alternate offence for retail robbery' and 'outcomes framework guidance 2026'.

  7. Updated versions of the Crime Recording Rules and the Notifiable Offences / Incidents list.

  8. The crime recording rules for frontline officers and staff, and the notifiable offence and notifiable reported incidents list, have been updated.

  9. The crime recording rules for frontline officers and staff, and the list of notifiable offences and notifiable reported incidents, have been updated.

  10. The counting rules notifiable offences and notifiable reported incidents 2024 to 2025 have been updated, adding some notifiable offences.

  11. Crime recording rules for frontline officers and staff has been updated to include new guidance on online safety act offences, and information on crime flags has been added.

  12. The notifiable offences list has been updated.

  13. Crime Recording Rules for Frontline Officers and Staff, page 49; definition of exposure has been clarified.

  14. 'Crime Recording Rules for frontline officers and staff' and 'Notifiable offences and notifiable reported incidents' have been updated.

  15. List of notifiable offences, and principal crime look-up table, have been amended to show the maximum sentence for 'pursuing a course of conduct in breach of S1 (1) which amounts to stalking' as 6 months.

  16. The notifiable offence list has been updated to add some new offences.

  17. The Crime Recording Rules for frontline officers and staff have been updated with further guidance and clarification.

  18. Crime Recording Rules for frontline officers and staff, and Crime Recording Schools Protocol, have been added to the page.

  19. The spreadsheet 'Counting rules notifiable offences and notifiable reported incidents 2023 to 2024' has been updated; there have been some additions and one offence removed following the Home Office Counting Rules review.

  20. The Home Office Counting Rules are currently under review and a summarised version of the rules will be posted as soon as they are finalised.

  21. General Rules Section G - Location of Crimes has been expanded

  22. Some amendments to the April 2022 Counting Rules were made in July 2022. These are highlighted in yellow in the main document. There is also a separate document listing the updates; and the Counting Rules notifiable offence list has been updated.

  23. Home Office Counting Rules 2022/2023, and Summary of Changes, April 2022 Update

  24. Updated ‘Counting rules for public order offences', 'Counting rules for miscellaneous crimes against society'.

  25. Updated 'Counting rules for recorded crime update June 2021’, ‘Counting rules for drug offences', 'Crime recording general rules’, 'Counting rules for violence against the person' and 'Counting rules for reported incidents’.

  26. Updated 'Counting rules for violence against the person', 'Counting rules for fraud'.

  27. Updated 'Counting rules for recorded crime update April 2021’, 'Crime recording general rules’, 'Offence classification index’, ’Counting rules for sexual offences', 'Counting rules for robbery', 'Counting rules for burglary', 'Counting rules for violence against the person', 'Counting rules for theft', 'Counting rules vehicle offences', ‘Counting rules for arson and criminal damage', 'Counting rules for drug offences', ‘Counting rules for possession of weapons', ‘Counting rules for public order offences', 'Counting rules for miscellaneous crimes against society', 'Counting rules for fraud', 'Counting rules for reported incidents’, ’Counting rules notifiable offences and notifiable reported incidents list 2021 to 2022’, and 'Counting Rules Crime Flags'.

  28. Updated 'Counting rules for recorded crime update October November 2020', 'Crime recording general rules' and 'Counting rules for miscellaneous crimes against society'.

  29. Updated 'Counting rules for violence against the person'.

  30. Updated 'Counting rules for violence against the person'.

  31. Updated 'Crime recording general rules'.

  32. Updated 'Counting rules for fraud'.

  33. Updated 'Counting rules for recorded crime update April 2020', 'Crime recording general rule', 'Counting rules for violence against the person', 'Counting rules for sexual offences', 'Counting rules for robbery', 'Counting rules for burglary', 'Counting rules vehicle offences', 'Counting rules for theft', 'Counting rules for arson and criminal damage', 'Counting rules for drug offences', 'Counting rules for public order offences', 'Counting rules for possession of weapons', 'Counting rules for miscellaneous crimes against society', 'Counting rules for fraud', 'Counting Rules Crime Flags', 'Counting rules for reported incidents' and 'Counting rules notifiable offences and notifiable reported incidents list 2020 to 2021'.

  34. Updated 'Counting rules for recorded crime update November 2019', 'Crime recording general rules', 'Counting rules for violence against the person', 'Counting rules for sexual offences', 'Counting rules for public order offences', 'Counting rules for possession of weapons' and 'Counting rules for miscellaneous crimes against society'.

  35. Updated 'Counting rules for recorded crime update November 2019', 'Crime recording general rules', 'Counting rules for violence against the person', 'Counting rules for theft', 'Counting rules for public order offences', 'Counting rules for miscellaneous crimes against society', 'Counting rules for reported incidents' and 'Counting rules notifiable offences and notifiable reported incident list 2019 to 2020'.

  36. Updated 'Crime recording general rules'.

  37. Updated 'Counting rules for recorded crime update July 2019', 'Crime recording general rules', 'Counting rules for violence against the person', 'Counting rules for sexual offences', 'Counting rules for theft', 'Counting rules for arson and criminal damage', 'Counting rules for possession of weapons', 'Counting rules for public order offences', 'Counting rules for miscellaneous crimes against society' and 'Counting rules notifiable offences and notifiable reported incident list 2019 to 2020'.

  38. Updated 'Crime recording general rules' and 'Counting rules for reported incidents'.

  39. Updated 'Offence classification index' and 'Counting rules for fraud'.

  40. Updated 'Counting rules for recorded crime update April 2019', 'Crime recording general rules', 'Counting rules for violence against the person', 'Counting rules for sexual offences', 'Counting rules for robbery', 'Counting rules for burglary', 'Counting rules for theft', 'Counting rules vehicle offences', 'Counting rules for arson and criminal damage', 'Counting rules for drug offences', 'Counting rules for possession of weapons', 'Counting rules for public order offences', 'Counting rules for miscellaneous crimes against society', 'Counting rules for reported incidents', 'Counting rules notifiable offences and notifiable reported incident list 2019 to 2020' and 'Counting Rules Crime Flags'.

  41. Updated 'Counting rules for recorded crime update November 2018', 'Counting rules for violence against the person', 'Counting rules for miscellaneous crimes against society', 'Counting rules for reported incidents' and 'Counting rules notifiable offences and notifiable reported incident list 2018 to 2019'.

  42. Updated 'Counting rules for recorded crime update November 2018', 'Crime recording general rules', 'Counting rules for Violence against the person', 'Counting rules for miscellaneous crimes against society' and 'Counting rules notifiable offences and notifiable reported incident list 2018 to 2019'. Counting rules notifiable offences and notifiable reported incident list 2018 to 2019

  43. Updated 'Crime recording general rules', 'Counting rules for violence against the person', 'Counting rules for public order offences', 'Counting rules for miscellaneous crimes against society' and 'Counting rules notifiable offences and notifiable reported incident list 2018 to 2019'.

  44. Updated 'Counting Rules Crime Flags'.

  45. Updated 'Counting rules for miscellaneous crimes against society'.

  46. Updated 'Counting rules for recorded crime update April 2018', 'Crime recording general rules', 'Counting rules for violence against the person', 'Counting rules for sexual offences', 'Counting rules for robbery', 'Counting rules for burglary', 'Counting rules for theft', 'Counting rules vehicle offences', 'Counting rules for arson and criminal damage', 'Counting rules for drug offences', 'Counting rules for possession of weapons', 'Counting rules for public order offences', 'Counting rules for fraud', 'Counting rules for reported incidents' and 'Counting rules notifiable offences and notifiable reported incident list 2018 to 2019'.

  47. Updated 'Counting rules for violence against the person'.

  48. Updated 'Counting Rules Crime Flags'.

  49. Updated 'Offence classification index' and 'Counting rules for violence against the person'.

  50. Updated 'Counting rules summary of update November 2017', 'Counting rules general rules', 'Counting rules for violence against the person', 'Counting rules for miscellaneous crimes against society' and 'Counting rules notifiable offences and notifiable reported incident list 2017 to 2018'.

  51. Updated 'Offence classification index'.

  52. Updated 'Counting rules notifiable offences and notifiable reported incident list 2017 to 2018'.

  53. Updated 'Counting rules summary of update July 2017', 'Counting rules general rules’, ‘Counting rules for violence against the person’, ‘Counting rules for possession of weapons’, ‘Counting rules for public order offences’ and ‘Counting rules for miscellaneous crimes against society’.

  54. Updated 'Counting rules summary of update April 2017', 'Counting rules general rules', ‘Counting rules for violence against the person’, ‘Counting rules for sexual offences’, ‘Counting rules for robbery’, ‘Counting rules for burglary’, ‘Counting rules for theft’, ‘Counting rules vehicle offences’, ‘Counting rules for arson and criminal damage’, ‘Counting rules for drug offences’, ‘Counting rules for possession of weapons’, ‘Counting rules for public order offences’, ‘Counting rules for miscellaneous crimes against society’, ‘Counting rules for fraud’ and ‘Counting rules for reported incidents’.

  55. Updated 'Counting rules summary of update November 2016', 'Counting rules general rules', 'Counting rules for miscellaneous crimes against society' and 'Counting rules notifiable offences and notifiable reported incident list 2016 to 2017'.

  56. Updated 'Counting rules summary of update July 2016', 'Counting rules general rules', 'Counting rules for violence against the person', 'Counting rules for sexual offences', 'Counting rules for drug offences', 'Counting rules for miscellaneous crimes against society' and 'Counting rules notifiable offences and notifiable reported incident list 2016 to 2017'.

  57. Updated 'Counting rules general rules'.

  58. Updated 'Counting rules for fraud'.

  59. Updated to 'Counting rules notifiable offences and notifiable reported incident list 2016 to 2017'.

  60. Updated 'Counting rules summary of update April 2016', 'Counting rules general rules', ‘Counting rules for violence against the person’, ‘Counting rules for sexual offences’, ‘Counting rules for robbery’, ‘Counting rules for burglary’, ‘Counting rules for theft’, ‘Counting rules vehicle offences’, ‘Counting rules for arson and criminal damage’, ‘Counting rules for drug offences’, ‘Counting rules for possession of weapons’, ‘Counting rules for public order offences’, ‘Counting rules for miscellaneous crimes against society’, ‘Counting rules for fraud’ and ‘Counting rules for reported incidents’.

  61. Updated ‘Home Office Counting Rules (HOCR) for Recorded Crime Update of HOCR December 2015’, ’Home Office Counting Rules Crime Recording General Rules’, ’Home Office Counting Rules Violence against the Person’, ’Home Office Counting Rules Sexual Offences’, ’Home Office Counting Rules Drug Offences’, ’Home Office Counting Rules Possession of Weapons’, ’Home Office Counting Rules Public Order Offences’, ’Home Office Counting Rules Miscellaneous Crimes Against Society’ and ’Counting rules notifiable offences and notifiable reported incident list 2015 to 2016’.

  62. Updated 'Counting rules notifiable offences and notifiable reported incident list 2015 to 2016'.

  63. Updated 'Home Office Counting Rules Sexual Offences'.

  64. Updated 'Counting rules for reported incidents' and removed link to archived document 'The national crime recording standard (NCRS): What you need to know'.

  65. Updated 'Counting rules for violence against the person'.

  66. Updated 'Home Office Counting Rules (HOCR) for Recorded Crime Update of HOCR August 2015', 'Home Office Counting Rules General Rules', 'Home Office Counting Rules Violence against the Person', 'Home Office Counting Rules Public Order Offences', 'Home Office Counting Rules Miscellaneous Crimes Against Society' and 'Counting rules notifiable offences list 2015 to 2016'.

  67. Updated 'Home Office Counting Rules (HOCR) for Recorded Crime Update of HOCR April 2015'.

  68. Updated 'Counting rules for fraud'.

  69. Updated 'Counting rules notifiable offences list'.

  70. Added 'Counting rules summary of update April 2015', 'Offence classification index' and 'Counting rules for reported incidents'. Updated 'Counting rules general rules', 'Counting rules for violence against the person', 'Counting rules for sexual offences', 'Counting rules for robbery', 'Counting rules for burglary', 'Counting rules vehicle offences', 'Counting rules for theft', 'Counting rules for arson and criminal damage', 'Counting rules for drug offences', 'Counting rules for possession of weapons', 'Counting rules for public order offences', 'Counting rules for miscellaneous crimes against society' and 'Counting rules for fraud'. Removed 'Introduction to counting rules for recorded crime', 'Layout of classification and counting rules pages', 'Counting rules summary of update November 2014' and 'Counting rules summary of update July 2014'.

  71. Updated 'Home Office Counting Rules General Rules'.

  72. Added 'Vision and purpose statements for crime recording (NCRS & HOCR)'.

  73. Added 'Counting rules summary of update November 2014', updated 'Counting rules general rules', 'Counting rules for sexual offences', 'Counting rules for theft', 'Counting rules for possession of weapons', 'Counting rules for public order offences' and 'Counting rules notifiable offences list 2014 to 2015'.

  74. Updated 'Counting rules for theft'.

  75. Updated 'Counting rules summary of update July 2014', 'Counting rules general rules', 'Counting rules for violence against the person', 'Counting rules for robbery', 'Counting rules for theft', 'Counting rules for drug offences', 'Counting rules for possession of weapons', 'Counting rules for public order offences', 'Counting rules for miscellaneous crimes against society' and 'Counting rules notifiable offences list 2014 to 2015'.

  76. 'Counting rules for fraud': shortened version replaced by full NFIB fraud rules.

  77. All documents updated.

  78. Added ODS version of 'Counting rules notifiable offences list 2013/14'.

  79. 'Counting rules notifiable offences list 2013/14' has been updated.

  80. The following documents have been updated or added; summary of update July 2013, general rules, violence against the person, sexual offences, robbery, burglary, vehicle offences, theft, arson and criminal damage, drug offences, possession of weapons, public order offences and miscellaneous crimes against society.

  81. First published.

  82. 'Counting rules notifiable offences list 2013/14' has been updated.

  83. Rules updated in April 2013.

Applies to England and Wales

Documents

Crime Recording Rules for frontline officers and staff

PDF, 1.27 MB, 98 pages

Crime Recording Schools Protocol

PDF, 138 KB, 2 pages

Counting Rules for Fraud

PDF, 1.1 MB, 148 pages

Alternate offence for retail robbery

PDF, 44.5 KB, 2 pages

Outcomes framework guidance 2026

PDF, 511 KB, 30 pages

Counting rules notifiable offences and notifiable reported incidents

ODS, 190 KB

This file is in an OpenDocument format

Details

The Home Office Crime Recording Rules for frontline officers and staff provide a national standard for the recording and counting of ‘notifiable’ offences recorded by police forces in England and Wales (known as ‘recorded crime’).

Linked documents

The national standard for incident recording (NSIR) counting rules

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