The requirements for a South African police clearance certificate are the same wherever you apply. You need a set of fingerprints on the SAPS 91(a) form, the signed SAPS application form, a certified copy of your ID or passport, and proof that you have paid R190. Only the South African Police Service’s Criminal Record and Crime Scene Management division (CR & CSM) in Pretoria issues the certificate.
This page is about the certificate itself: what goes on the application, how the fingerprints must be taken, how the finished certificate reaches you, and what to do before you use it abroad. For who needs a clearance and the overall process, see our police clearance requirements guide.
Legal Requirements at a Glance
The police clearance certificate, sometimes called a criminal clearance certificate or PCC, states whether any criminal convictions are recorded against you. Key facts from the SAPS police clearance certificate page:
- Issuer: CR & CSM in Pretoria is solely responsible for issuing the certificate. Police stations in Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg and elsewhere only take fingerprints and forward applications.
- Basis of the check: your fingerprints. Scanned or photocopied fingerprints are not processed.
- Fee: R190 per application, non-refundable.
- Delivery: SAPS does not scan or email completed certificates. You receive the original paper certificate through the return method you choose.
- Refusal: SAPS will not issue a certificate to someone it has identified as “wanted”.
Documents, Forms and Evidence Required
These are the documents required for a police clearance certificate application:
- The SAPS application form for a police clearance certificate
- A certified copy of your South African ID or passport, attached to the form
- The fingerprint form: SAPS 91(a) in South Africa, or the official fingerprint form of your country of residence if you apply abroad
- A certified copy of your marriage certificate or other proof, if a maiden name or other surname must appear on the certificate
- Proof of payment
The SAPS web page does not set out the form’s fields in text, so read the form itself and complete every field. Mention any maiden or other surname you want included and attach proof of it. A South African cellphone number lets SAPS send you SMS updates.
SAPS does not describe a name-only “name clearance” product on its police clearance pages. Its certificate is based on a full set of fingerprints, so if someone asks for a “name clearance certificate”, ask them exactly which document they accept.
Eligibility and Formal Requirements
SAPS offers the certificate to people who need confirmation of their criminal status for emigration, travel or employment abroad. The fingerprint and identity rules are:
- In South Africa: SAPS must take your fingerprints, so you apply at a police station. Take your original ID or passport with you.
- Outside South Africa: fingerprints can be taken at any police station in your country of residence, or at a South African embassy. Use that country’s official fingerprint form, or the SAPS 91(a) if the station has one.
- Names: the details on the form should match your ID or passport. Any extra surname must be supported by documentary proof.
- Completeness: SAPS does not process incomplete applications. It notifies applicants who gave a South African cellphone number by SMS.
Application, Certification or Registration Steps
The police clearance certificate process has four stages.
- Pay. Pay R190 in cash at a police station, or by electronic transfer to the SAPS bank account published on the SAPS page. For an electronic transfer, use the reference “PCC” plus your initials and surname.
- Fingerprints and form. At the police station, have your fingerprints taken and attach them to the completed form, your certified ID copy and your proof of payment.
- Send to Pretoria. The station can forward the application to CR & CSM free of charge. You can also deliver it to CR & CSM in person, or post or courier it yourself at your own cost. If you are abroad, you can send your documents directly to CR & CSM.
- Receive the certificate. SAPS sends an SMS with your reference number when it receives the application and another when the certificate is finalised. You can also check progress on the SAPS status enquiry page.
On the form you say how the certificate is returned to you. SAPS hands it only to you, a person you nominate or a courier you choose, and does not scan or email it. SAPS destroys certificates not collected within three months after finalisation, and it does not return applications sent from abroad, so applicants outside the country need a nominee or courier.
Fees, Processing and Validity
- Cost: R190 per certificate, as published by SAPS. Courier and postage costs are extra and paid by you.
- Police clearance certificate duration: SAPS says it takes approximately 15 working days once all documents reach CR & CSM, excluding postal time. It currently reports a backlog that is extending waiting periods.
- Urgent police clearance certificates: SAPS does not publish an urgent or express service. Treat any service that advertises an urgent certificate with care and check its claims against the SAPS page.
- Validity: SAPS does not state a validity period on its pages. The embassy, employer or authority that receives it decides how recent it must be.
- Apostille or authentication: for use abroad, the DIRCO Legalisation Section apostilles the certificate if the destination country is a party to the Hague Apostille Convention, or issues a certificate of authentication if it is not. DIRCO accepts the original certificate issued by CR & CSM, no older than six months, and the service is free. DIRCO has stopped taking walk-ins since 1 September 2026: you book a slot (offered daily except Wednesdays) or use a courier or registered agent. DIRCO states that courier submissions take three to four weeks and registered agents one to two weeks, with same-day service for up to five documents by booking. Confirm on the DIRCO page before you go.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a police clearance certificate?
It is an official document issued by SAPS CR & CSM stating whether any criminal convictions are recorded against you. People commonly need it for emigration, visas and employment, in South Africa or abroad.
What is a clearance certificate?
“Clearance certificate” can mean different documents, such as a tax clearance certificate. For criminal records in South Africa, it means the SAPS police clearance certificate described on this page.
Can a police officer take the fingerprints for a South African criminal clearance certificate? Does a sheriff need to sign it?
Yes. In South Africa, SAPS must take the fingerprints. Abroad, a police station in your country of residence or a South African embassy can take them. The SAPS requirements page does not mention a sheriff’s signature, so check the application form itself.
How do I get a police clearance certificate for a visa?
Apply to SAPS in the usual way, with enough time for the process to finish before your deadline. Then check whether the destination country wants the certificate apostilled or authenticated by DIRCO. The embassy or immigration authority decides how recent the certificate must be.
Can I get an apostille on a copy of my police clearance certificate?
No. DIRCO accepts only the original certificate issued by CR & CSM, no older than six months. It apostilles the certificate if the destination country is a party to the Hague Apostille Convention, and otherwise issues a certificate of authentication. The service is free, but you now need a booking.
Can SAPS email me the certificate?
No. SAPS does not scan or email completed certificates. You receive the original through the return method you chose on the application form.
Is there a 12-month or five-year rule for a police clearance certificate for a South African visa?
SAPS does not publish such a rule. How recent the certificate must be, and how many years of residence it must cover, is set by the authority you are applying to, so confirm it with them before you apply. The only age limit we can confirm from official sources is DIRCO’s: it legalises originals no older than six months.
Fees, forms, processing times and collection rules for the police clearance certificate are set by the South African Police Service. Legalisation rules are set by DIRCO. Confirm current details with both before you apply. Browse all legal and document requirements.
See also official document requirements.