Documents Required for a Police Clearance Certificate
Documents Required for a Police Clearance Certificate
A South African police clearance certificate application needs 3 things, plus proof of any previous surname you want on the certificate.
What documents do you need for a police clearance certificate?
A South African police clearance certificate application needs 3 things, plus proof of any previous surname you want on the certificate:
- A full set of fingerprints on the SAPS 91(a) form, taken by SAPS if you live in South Africa
- A certified copy of your identity document or passport
- A completed application, with proof of payment of the R190 SAPS fee
If you want a maiden name or other surname on the certificate, you also need documentary proof of it.
That list is short. Having every document is not the same as having every document right. SAPS does not process incomplete applications, so a gap means fixing it and waiting again.
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Police Clear (Pty) Ltd is an independent document facilitation company. We are not the South African Police Service and we do not issue certificates. SAPS issues them.
1. Fingerprints on the SAPS 91(a) form
What SAPS requires: a full set of your fingerprints on the SAPS 91(a) form. If you live in South Africa, SAPS requires that the fingerprints are taken by the South African Police Service.
Why fingerprint applications get returned:
- Prints that cannot be read. Applications are returned where fingerprints are unclear.
- Copies instead of originals. SAPS states that it does not process copies or scanned versions of fingerprints. A photocopy of a perfectly good set is not accepted.
- An outdated form. Older versions of the fingerprint form still circulate online.
- Prints taken by the wrong person. For applicants living in South Africa, prints taken by anyone other than SAPS do not meet the requirement.
More on the form itself is in our guide to the SAPS 91(a) form.
2. A certified copy of your ID or passport
What SAPS requires: a certified copy of your identity document or passport. SAPS also requires proof of identity when your fingerprints are taken.
Why ID documents get applications returned:
- An uncertified copy. A plain photocopy does not meet the requirement.
- Details that do not match. The names and identity number on your ID have to agree with everything else in the application.
3. Payment and the application form
What SAPS requires: a completed application form and proof of payment of the prescribed fee, which is R190 per application. SAPS states that the fee is non-refundable.
Why this gets applications stuck:
- Payment that cannot be matched to the application. SAPS needs to be able to connect the payment to the right applicant.
- A form with gaps. Incomplete applications are not processed.
- A fee that cannot be recovered. SAPS states the R190 is non-refundable, so it is worth getting the application right before it is paid.
4. Proof of a previous surname
What SAPS requires: if you want a maiden name or any other surname to appear on the certificate, you must say so in the application and attach documentary proof, for example a certified copy of your marriage certificate.
Why this one causes problems:
- It is easy to forget. If the authority asking for your certificate expects it to cover a previous surname, a certificate issued without that surname may not satisfy them.
- The proof has to connect the names. A certified document showing the change is what links the old surname to the new one.
Changed your name more than once, or married outside South Africa? Talk to us before you apply. This is where a certificate can come back correctly issued and still not do the job it was needed for.
If you live outside South Africa
The document list is broadly the same, but the rules around it change:
- Fingerprints are taken in the country you are in, on that country’s official forms or on the SAPS form where available.
- SAPS does not return applications sent from abroad. The finished certificate is handed to a person you nominate or to a courier.
- Certificates not collected within 3 months of being finalised are destroyed.
Applying from abroad adds more points where an application can stall, not fewer. See our guide to applying from abroad.
Documents for the country you are applying to
A police clearance certificate is often only one part of what a foreign authority needs. Depending on the country and the purpose, you may also need:
- An apostille or attestation, to legalise the certificate for use abroad
- A sworn translation, where the receiving country does not accept English
- Certificates from other countries you have lived in
Those requirements are set by the country receiving the certificate, not by SAPS, and they vary. See our guides for the UK, USA and Australia.
Common police clearance application mistakes
Paying before checking. The R190 SAPS fee is non-refundable, and a returned application means a second wait.
Applying under 1 name when you have used 2. If the authority needs a previous surname covered and the certificate does not cover it, you find out after SAPS has already issued it.
Sending copies of anything that has to be original. Fingerprints in particular.
Applying too early. Some authorities want a certificate issued within a recent window. The UK, for example, normally wants the certificate for the country you live in issued no earlier than 6 months before you apply. A certificate applied for months ahead can be out of date on arrival.
How Police Clear helps
We collect, we expedite, and we deliver. Applications are submitted directly to the Criminal Record Centre in Pretoria and handled end to end.
Prepared before it is submitted. Every point on this page is a reason an application stalls. Catching them before submission is the difference between 1 application and 2.
Speed you can plan around. Standard turnaround is 5 to 7 business days, with 3 to 5 and 1 to 3 business day options available, and approximately 80% of cases are completed sooner than quoted. Timeframes are estimates, not guarantees.
Your situation, talked through. Send us your details and we will talk you through what your application needs, including previous surnames.
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Police clearance certificate cost
| Official SAPS fee | R190, paid to SAPS |
| Police Clear service fee | Private service fee, quoted on request |
| Standard turnaround | 5 to 7 business days |
| Need it sooner | 3 to 5 or 1 to 3 business days |
The R190 is the fee SAPS charges to run the check, and it is payable whether you apply yourself or through a service. Police Clear charges a separate private service fee for handling the application, quoted on request. Turnaround times are estimates, not guarantees.
Send us your details and we will confirm what your application needs and what it costs.
Fees are quoted in South African rand and include VAT at 15%. A binding price is given in a written quotation. Statutory fees payable to SAPS, Home Affairs or DIRCO are set by those authorities and are payable in addition. Our refund and cancellation terms are in our terms and conditions.
Frequently asked questions
What documents are needed for a police clearance certificate in South Africa?
Fingerprints on the SAPS 91(a) form, a certified copy of your ID or passport, proof of any other surname you want on the certificate, a completed application and proof of payment of the R190 SAPS fee.
Can I use a copy of my fingerprints?
No. SAPS states that it does not process copies or scanned versions of fingerprints.
Who can take my fingerprints for a police clearance certificate?
If you live in South Africa, SAPS requires that your fingerprints are taken by the South African Police Service. Outside South Africa, they are taken in the country you are in.
Do I need my marriage certificate for a police clearance?
Only if you want a maiden name or other surname to appear on the certificate. In that case, SAPS requires documentary proof, such as a certified copy of your marriage certificate.
Is the R190 SAPS fee refundable?
SAPS states that the fee is non-refundable.
What happens if my application is incomplete?
SAPS does not process incomplete applications. Correcting and resubmitting takes time, which is why it is worth checking the application before it is lodged.
How long does a police clearance certificate take?
5 to 7 business days as standard through Police Clear, with 3 to 5 and 1 to 3 business day options available at a higher price. SAPS currently reports a backlog. Timeframes are estimates, not guarantees.
This page is general information about a document facilitation service. It is not legal or immigration advice. Requirements are set by SAPS and by the authority asking for the certificate, and they change from time to time. Confirm them with that body before you rely on them.
