If you are applying for a South African Police Clearance Certificate while living in South Africa, SAPS requires a full set of your fingerprints on a SAPS 91(a) fingerprint form, with the fingerprints taken by the South African Police Service. Your fingerprints form part of the supporting documents used to process the police clearance application and cannot be submitted as scanned or copied fingerprint images.
This guide focuses specifically on fingerprint requirements. For the wider application process, see the Police Clearance Certificate Requirements South Africa guide or browse Civic Documents South Africa.
Quick Answer: Police Clearance Fingerprints South Africa
For an applicant living in South Africa, the current SAPS requirements specify:
- a full set of fingerprints;
- fingerprints recorded on a SAPS 91(a) form;
- fingerprints taken by SAPS; and
- the original fingerprint submission rather than a scan or photocopy.
Applicants living outside South Africa may have their fingerprints taken at a police station in the country where they live or at a South African embassy. SAPS says the fingerprints may be recorded on the official fingerprint form used in that country or, where available, on a SAPS 91(a) fingerprint enquiry form.
Fingerprints are only one part of the application. You must also check the current identification, application-form, payment and supporting-document requirements before submitting your Police Clearance Certificate application.
Who This Requirement Applies To
Applicant type
The fingerprint requirement applies to people submitting an application for a South African Police Clearance Certificate. SAPS describes the service as being used by people who need confirmation of their criminal status for purposes such as emigration, travel or employment abroad.
The practical fingerprint route depends mainly on where you are when you apply:
If you are in South Africa: your full fingerprints must be taken by SAPS on the prescribed SAPS 91(a) form.
If you are outside South Africa: SAPS allows fingerprints to be taken at a police station in that country or at a South African embassy, using an accepted official fingerprint form.
Your employer, immigration authority, embassy, university or other receiving organisation may have separate rules about whether you need a Police Clearance Certificate and how recently it must have been issued. Those requirements should not be confused with SAPS’s fingerprint requirements.
Applicants outside the country should also check the dedicated Police Clearance From Abroad South Africa guide.
Eligibility Requirements
There is no separate fingerprint eligibility test that replaces the Police Clearance Certificate application requirements. The important question is whether you need a SAPS Police Clearance Certificate for your particular purpose and whether your fingerprints have been taken through an accepted route.
Before arranging fingerprints, confirm:
- that a South African Police Clearance Certificate is the document requested;
- whether you are applying from inside or outside South Africa;
- which fingerprint form and fingerprint-taking authority applies to your location;
- that the personal details on your identity documents match the application information; and
- whether the organisation receiving your certificate has additional document, legalisation or recency requirements.
Do not assume that fingerprints collected for an employer screening exercise, another type of criminal-record check or an unrelated application can automatically be reused for a SAPS Police Clearance Certificate.
Documents You May Need
Required proof
According to the current SAPS application guidance, a Police Clearance Certificate application generally requires:
- a full set of acceptable fingerprints;
- a completed application form;
- a certified copy of your identity document or passport; and
- proof of payment of the prescribed application fee.
You must present your identity document or passport when your identity is checked at the police station.
Conditional documents may include:
- documentary proof of a maiden surname or another surname if you want that surname reflected on the Police Clearance Certificate.
SAPS gives a certified marriage certificate as one possible example of supporting proof where another surname must be included.
Forms and supporting-document requirements can change, so check the current SAPS instructions before preparing your final application pack.
Steps to Apply or Prepare
- Confirm that you need a Police Clearance Certificate. Check the requirements of the employer, immigration authority, embassy or other organisation requesting it.
- Prepare your identification. Have your current identity document or passport available and confirm that your personal details are consistent.
- Arrange the correct fingerprints. Applicants in South Africa should have the full set taken by SAPS on the SAPS 91(a). Applicants abroad should follow the SAPS rules for fingerprints taken through a local police station or South African embassy.
- Complete the rest of the PCC application. Add the application form, certified identification, proof of payment and any conditional surname evidence that applies to you.
- Submit through the appropriate route. Applicants in South Africa may ask the police station to forward the completed application to Criminal Record and Crime Scene Management in Pretoria, or use another submission option permitted by SAPS.
- Track the application. SAPS provides an online Police Clearance Certificate enquiry facility for applications that have been registered.
Costs, Processing Times and Validity
SAPS currently lists a R190 non-refundable fee per Police Clearance Certificate application. This is the PCC application fee; the SAPS guidance does not describe it as a separate fingerprint fee. Confirm the current amount and payment instructions before paying, as tariffs can change.
SAPS states that finalisation takes approximately 15 working days from the date all required documents are receivedby Criminal Record and Crime Scene Management, excluding postal time. However, SAPS is currently warning applicants that a backlog has extended waiting periods. The 15-working-day figure should therefore be treated as a guideline rather than a guaranteed completion date.
For use through DIRCO’s legalisation process, DIRCO states that Police Clearance Certificates must be no older than six months from their date of issue. A foreign authority, employer or other receiving organisation may apply its own document-recency requirements, so confirm what your specific application requires.
Common Mistakes and Delays
Common mistake
A major avoidable problem is treating any set of fingerprints as acceptable for a Police Clearance Certificate.
SAPS specifically states that copies and scanned versions of fingerprints will not be processed.
Other mistakes to avoid include:
- using an incorrect fingerprint route for your location;
- submitting an incomplete application;
- forgetting a certified identity document or passport copy;
- failing to provide proof for another surname that must appear on the certificate;
- relying on an old fee or application requirement;
- assuming a private provider’s process replaces SAPS requirements; and
- planning around the standard processing estimate without allowing for the current backlog.
SAPS says incomplete applications are not processed, making it important to check the complete application pack before submission.
Where to Confirm Official Requirements
The South African Police Service is the official source to check for current fingerprint, document, payment, submission and processing requirements for a SAPS Police Clearance Certificate. The certificate itself is issued by SAPS Criminal Record and Crime Scene Management in Pretoria.
Requirements.co.za is an independent informational guide and is not SAPS. Confirm change-sensitive requirements directly with SAPS before submitting an application.
Related guide
For the complete application checklist, continue to Police Clearance Certificates Requirements South Africa and the detailed Police Clearance Certificate Requirements South Africa guide.
If the certificate is being requested for immigration or travel, see Police Clearance for Visa South Africa.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the requirements for Police Clearance Fingerprints South Africa?
Applicants living in South Africa currently need a full set of fingerprints on a SAPS 91(a) form, taken by SAPS. Applicants abroad follow the SAPS-approved overseas fingerprint route.
What documents are needed?
In addition to fingerprints, SAPS currently requires a completed application form, certified identity document or passport copy and proof of payment. Extra surname evidence may be required where applicable.
How long does it take?
SAPS publishes an approximate 15-working-day processing period after all required documents reach Criminal Record and Crime Scene Management, excluding postal time, but currently warns that a backlog is extending waiting periods.
Where can I confirm the latest official rules?
Check the current Police Clearance Certificate guidance published by the South African Police Service before arranging fingerprints or submitting your application. This is particularly important for fees, forms, processing times and submission procedures, which may change.