How to Get a SAPS Police Clearance Certificate

A police clearance certificate from the South African Police Service is the official document confirming whether you have a criminal record in South Africa. It is required for emigration and work visa applications, working in certain regulated industries, adoption applications, and a range of other official purposes.

The certificate is issued by the SAPS Criminal Record Centre after checking your fingerprints against the national criminal records database. If there is no match, the certificate states that you have no criminal record in South Africa.

What the certificate shows

The certificate reflects convictions in the South African criminal records system. It does not show:

• Charges that were withdrawn before conviction
• Pending cases that have not resulted in a conviction
• Traffic fines or civil matters
• Arrests without conviction

If there is a conviction linked to your fingerprints, the certificate will reflect it.

In-person application

The in-person route is simpler for first-time applicants.

Step 1: Get fingerprinted at a SAPS station. Visit the detective branch or main charge office at any SAPS station. You do not need an appointment. Take your green ID book or smart ID. SAPS completes the SAP 91A fingerprint form for you at no extra charge.

Step 2: Submit your application at the Criminal Record Centre. Major cities have a SAPS Criminal Record Centre (Pretoria, Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg). Take your fingerprint form, ID, and R150. The fee is paid at the centre. For smaller towns, your local station may forward the application - confirm this when you collect your fingerprint form.

Step 3: Wait and follow up. Processing takes four to eight weeks. If you submitted in person, you can check progress by calling the SAPS Criminal Record Centre on 012 841 7000 with your reference number.

Applying online via eClearance

The eClearance portal at eclearance.saps.gov.za lets you apply online after getting your fingerprints at a station.

1. Go to a SAPS station for fingerprints on the SAP 91A form (you still need to do this in person)
2. Scan the completed form (a standard scanner or phone scan at good quality works)
3. Register at eclearance.saps.gov.za with your ID number and email address
4. Upload the scanned fingerprint form and your ID
5. Pay R150 via the portal's payment gateway
6. Submit and note your reference number

Your certificate arrives by email once issued. No return trip to a police station needed.

When your application triggers a manual review

Applications are sometimes delayed because your name or fingerprints generate a possible match in the criminal records database - not because you have a record, but because someone with a similar name or similar fingerprint profile exists in the system. A human investigator must verify it is not you.

This is particularly common with common names. If your application is past eight weeks with no update, call 012 841 7000 with your reference number. They can confirm whether it is under manual review.

Timing your application

Most requesting institutions (embassies, employers, adoption agencies) specify how recent the certificate must be - often within three or six months of the date they need it. Apply approximately ten weeks before the certificate is needed to account for processing time while still being within the validity window.

Do not apply months in advance. A certificate that expires before you need it means starting the process again.

Applying from abroad

Contact the South African embassy or high commission in your country. They coordinate fingerprinting locally and forward the application to South Africa. Timelines vary significantly by country. Allow at least three months and confirm procedures directly with the embassy before starting, as the process has changed across different posts.