Criminal/Civil Records Search

The South African Police Service (SAPS) provides ‘Clearance Certificates’ to individuals wishing to obtain an extract from their criminal record, upon payment of a fee.

Application Procedure

If applying from within South Africa:

Applications are submitted through local Police Stations where the application forms are completed, checked and the fingerprints taken. All requests for Clearance Certificates are then submitted to the South African Police Service Criminal Record Centre in Pretoria for processing.

If applying from the UK:

All of the following information must be supplied as part of an application for a SAPS Clearance Certificate from the UK:

Full names of applicant (including any previous names and maiden names used)
Current Address
Date of Birth
Place of Birth
Copy of South African Identity document or Pass Port
Current date

Full set of fingerprints (official taking the fingerprints full particulars and signature must appear on the fingerprint form)

The application must be submitted and signed by the subject of the certificate.

Completed applications (including original fingerprints) should be posted to:

(For attention: Police Clearance Certificates)
Criminal Record Centre
The South African Police Service
Private Bag X308
Gauteng
Pretoria 0001
SOUTH AFRICA

Applicants applying from outside of South Africa are responsible for their own postage.

OR if send by courier service to our physical address:

Criminal Record Centre
South African Police Service
Police Clearance Certificates
Bothongo Plaza West Building
CRC Client server centre
1st floor
271 Schoeman Street
PRETORIA 0001
SOUTH AFRICA

Contact No:
Tel No: 00 27 12 393 3928 *Remove other extension/s
Fax No: 00 27 12 393 3909

Cost

Applications for a South African Police Service Clearance Certificate should be accompanied by a bank guaranteed Cheque or a bankers draft for 59 Rand made payable to the South African Police Service.

In the case of electronic payments, the initial and surname of the applicant must be indicated as the reference and the letters PCC must also be added as reference to indicate that the payment is for a Police Clearance Certificate.

Content of Certificates

All convictions are disclosed. Individuals can apply to the South African Department of Justice for a previous conviction to be ‘set aside’, if a period of ten (10) years has laps from his/her last conviction. If approved, the record is removed from the applicants record at the South African Police Service, Criminal Record Centre, and will not appear on his/her Police Clearance Certificate.

Turnaround Times

Clearance Certificates currently take approximately 21 working days to produce from the date it was received at the South African Police Service, Criminal Record Centre.