About police fingerprint clearance

A police fingerprint clearance is available to people who require confirmation of their criminal status for emigration purposes or for working abroad for long periods of time.

A certificate will be issued stating whether any criminal offences are recorded against you.

Although fingerprints will be taken at your local police stations, the South African Police Service (SAPS) Criminal Record Centre in Pretoria does the analyses and issues the certificate.

What you should do

1. Provide a full set of your fingerprints, taken at your nearest police station, to the SAPS Criminal Record Centre. Ensure that your full name, surname, date of birth, place of birth and identity number (if available) are recorded on the fingerprint form.
   
   Please note: Some police stations will accept these applications during office hours only (07h30 to 16h00).
   
   
2. Take your identity document to the police station because proof of identity will be required.
   
   
3. If you are a South African citizen living outside the country may apply at any police station in the country where they live or at the South African Embassy or Consulate in that country. Fingerprints may be taken on the official fingerprint forms of the specific country. The fingerprint form must be signed by the person who takes the fingerprints. A completed set of fingerprints and a copy of your identity document or passport must accompany the application.
   
   
4. If you provide your cellphone number on the application for a police clearance certificate, you will be alerted by SMS that the application was received and be given the reference number for the certificate. You can use the reference number to find out on the SAPS website whether the certificate has been finalised. The SMS service is currently only available for local cellphone numbers.
   
   
5. The police station will forward the application to the Criminal Record Centre. In urgent cases, you may mail the application to:
   
   The Head of the South African Criminal Record Centre, (For attention: Police Clearance Certificates), Private Bag X308, Pretoria, 0001, South Africa.
   
   
6. The application may also be delivered to The Head of the South African Criminal Record Centre, (For attention: Police Clearance Certificates), CRC Client Service Centre, 1st Floor, Bothongo Plaza West, 271 Frances Baard Street (formerly Schoeman St), Pretoria.
   
   
7. You must pay by bank guaranteed cheque, bankers draft or electronic payment in favour of the National Commissioner of the South African Police Service into the South African Police Service account:
   Absa cheque account number 4045522787
   Branch code 632005
   Swift code Absa ZAJJ.
   
   If making an electronic payment, use the initials and surname of the applicant as the reference. The letters PCC must be added as reference to indicate that the payment is for a police clearance certificate (PCC). To make an electronic payment abroad, you can approach any bank that can make a telegraphic transfer and request that the fees be paid into the above mentioned bank account.
   
   
8. You must send proof of payment to the Criminal Record Centre before the application will be processed.
   
   
9. A police clearance certificate can be reissued within six months of the original application at an additional cost of R59. After six months of the date of the original application a new application must be submitted.

How long does it take

On average it takes approximately 14 working days from the day that the complete application is received at the Criminal Record Centre until the Clearance Certificate is issued.

How much does it cost

R59

Forms to complete

The appropriate fingerprint forms are completed by a police officer.

Who to contact

Please select one option:

• National