SAPS Clearance Records South Africa
Police Clearance Certificates, Tracked and Corrected
A SAPS police clearance certificate hangs on one office in Pretoria: the Criminal Record Centre. A file missing one element, from original fingerprints to proof of a surname change, is simply not processed, and the published 15-working-day estimate is not a promise.
Otrebski Attorneys prepares, tracks and corrects police clearance applications for clients across South Africa and abroad from its Sandton office.
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How SAPS Clearance Records Actually Work
There is no provincial issuing office and no magistrate’s court issues police clearance certificates. Every application, wherever the fingerprints are taken, lands at the Criminal Record and Crime Scene Management (CRC) division in Pretoria, and moves on one national track.
A complete police clearance certificate file needs:
- original fingerprints on SAPS 91(a)
- completed PCC application form
- certified ID or passport copy
- proof of surname changes
- proof of the R190 fee
- CRC Pretoria as sole issuer
Copies or scans of fingerprints are not accepted, and incomplete files are not processed. Where fingerprints are taken at a local station, the station can forward the file to Pretoria at no extra SAPS charge, or the applicant delivers it by courier at own cost. SAPS sends SMS updates only to South African cell numbers, so applicants abroad must track through the official SAPS enquiry portal using the enquiry number and identity number.
The certificate also has a shelf life: uncollected originals are destroyed three months after finalisation, and DIRCO legalises only originals issued within the previous six months. Timing the application around a visa or emigration deadline is part of doing it properly.
What a Clearance Attorney Does
Checks the file before it goes to Pretoria: fingerprints correctly taken, every name and surname to be searched disclosed, identity copies certified, and the fee reference formatted correctly. Attorneys also track stalled files through the portal and CRC client service centre.
Where the certificate reveals a surprise, a withdrawn case still reflected, or another person’s convictions under your name, the attorney opens the record-correction or expungement route and re-runs the clearance once the record is fixed.
The certificate is only as good as the record behind it.
The Application Process, Step by Step
The pathway, stage by stage.
Complete the PCC form
Every name, identity detail and contact field completed accurately, including any maiden or former surnames to be searched.
Have fingerprints taken
In South Africa, at any SAPS station on the original SAPS 91(a) form. Abroad, at a local police station or South African mission on the official form, where SAPS 91(a) is unavailable.
Prove identity and payment
Original ID or passport shown at fingerprinting with a certified copy enclosed; R190 paid by cash at a station or transfer to the SAPS account, referenced to the applicant.
Submit the file to Pretoria
The local station forwards it free of charge, or it is couriered; overseas applicants send it directly to the Criminal Record Centre.
Track the enquiry
Follow progress on the SAPS enquiry portal with the enquiry number, or through the CRC client service centre when the file stalls.
Collect and legalise in time
The applicant, a nominee or a courier collects the original; DIRCO apostilles or legalises it within six months of issue if a foreign authority requires that.
Two SAPS Products People Confuse
Police Clearance Certificate (PCC)
The R190 national criminal record check used for employment, visas and emigration. Issued only by the Criminal Record Centre in Pretoria.
Right choice: proving your record to an employer, embassy or foreign authority.
Police Clearance Report (R95)
A separate, cheaper CRC product that SAPS positions for expungement purposes, tied to section 271B(1) of the Criminal Procedure Act 51 of 1977.
Right choice: confirming what the record shows before an expungement application, not for emigration.
| Dimension | Clearance Certificate (PCC) | Clearance Report |
|---|---|---|
| SAPS fee | R190 per application | R95 per report |
| Purpose | employment, visas, emigration | record check for expungement |
| Issuer | CRC Pretoria only | CRC Pretoria only |
| Turnaround | 15 working days published; backlog in practice | similar CRC queue |
| Who orders it | any applicant or attorney | typically via the expungement route |
Where Clearance Matters Are Handled
Clearance records run through one national office:
- SAPS Criminal Record Centre, Pretoria – the single issuing authority for all police clearance certificates, at Bothongo Plaza West, Francis Baard Street.
- Local SAPS stations – take the 91(a) fingerprints and can forward files to Pretoria; they do not issue certificates.
- DIRCO, Pretoria – apostille and legalisation of issued certificates for use abroad.
Otrebski Attorneys prepares and tracks clearance applications for clients across South Africa and abroad from its Sandton office.
When an Attorney Is Worth It
Most straightforward applications do not need a lawyer. These situations do:
- A deadline that cannot slip.visa, emigration or employment dates where a stalled or rejected file is costly.
- Applying from abroad.missions do not issue certificates; the file must still reach Pretoria and return.
- A record with surprises.withdrawn cases still reflected, duplicated identities, or another person’s convictions.
- Prior names and surnames.maiden names and former surnames must be searched or the certificate is incomplete.
- Expungement first.where the record should be cleared under section 271B before the certificate is run.
What a Clearance Application Should Cost
SAPS charges R190 for the certificate itself, and that fee is non-refundable. Private courier, agency and legal fees sit on top, and attorney assistance is usually charged as a modest fixed fee for preparation, tracking and collection.
Budget for the practical timeline rather than the published one: 15 working days is the CRC’s estimate from a complete file, and SAPS itself acknowledges backlogs. Ask any firm assisting you for its fee in writing before work begins.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
The delays are almost always self-inflicted.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a SAPS police clearance certificate in South Africa?
Complete the official PCC application, have original fingerprints taken on SAPS 91(a) at any police station, enclose a certified ID copy, proof of any surname change and the R190 fee, and submit to the Criminal Record Centre in Pretoria, which is the only office that issues the certificate.
How long does a SAPS clearance certificate take?
SAPS publishes approximately 15 working days from receipt of a complete file, but backlogs in practice make the wait longer, and delivery time is excluded. Applications lodged around visa deadlines should allow for the backlog plus collection and any DIRCO legalisation.
Where is the SAPS clearance certificate issued?
Only by the SAPS Criminal Record Centre in Pretoria, at the Criminal Record and Crime Scene Management offices. No provincial office and no magistrate’s court issues these certificates, wherever your fingerprints are taken.
Can I apply for a SAPS clearance from outside South Africa?
Yes. Have fingerprints taken at a local police station or South African mission on the official form, include the same identity documents and fee proof, and courier the file directly to Pretoria. The mission does not issue the certificate, and SMS updates only reach South African numbers, so track on the SAPS portal.
What is the difference between the R190 certificate and the R95 report?
The R190 police clearance certificate is the criminal record check for employment, visas and emigration. The R95 police clearance report is a separate CRC product intended for expungement purposes under section 271B(1) of the Criminal Procedure Act 51 of 1977.
My clearance shows a withdrawn case or someone else’s convictions. What now?
The certificate reflects the record as captured, so the record itself must be fixed: correction of erroneous entries through the CRC where the data is wrong, or expungement through the Department of Justice where a conviction qualifies after ten years. Only then should the clearance be re-run.
What happens if I do not collect the certificate?
SAPS destroys uncollected certificates three months after finalisation, and the application fee is not refunded. A nominee or prepaid courier may collect the original on proof of identity if you cannot.
Can a lawyer speed up a SAPS clearance?
An attorney cannot jump the national queue, but a properly prepared file avoids the rejection and stall cycles that cause most delay, and active tracking through the CRC client service centre surfaces problems weeks earlier than waiting for silence.
Get the file right before it goes to Pretoria.
Otrebski Attorneys practises from Office 9th Floor, The Spaces, 5th Street, Sandhurst, Sandton – with transparent billing and no hidden costs.
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