The Police Force is now in a position to recoup the costs it faces from the 500,000 security vetting applications it receives every year.

Parliament has passed the third reading of a costs recovery Bill, which allows police to charge for services that are defined as being demand services.

Police Minister Judith Collins said with demand for vetting services increasing, there's a need for additional resourcing.

She said each vetting request will cost $8.50, which will raise over $3 million a year to meet most of the cost of the service.

"Regulations will also provide for a range of fee wavers, including for agencies making 20 vetting requests or fewer per year, and for registered charities," Collins said.

"Police vetting is considered a demand service because it is provided on request from organisations for their direct benefit - for example the vetting of a prospective employee or volunteer.

"New Zealand police was one of the few police services worldwide that did not have legislation that explicitly allowed for some degree of cost recovery."

The charges will come into force when regulations have been drawn up.

Ms Collins says the $8.50 fee is much lower than in some other countries - in Australian states it's more than $50.

Labour, the Greens and NZ First opposed the bill and it passed its final third reading stage by 63 votes to 56.

Additional reporting by NZ Newswire