What is a police clearance certificate and how to apply in Kenya?
By David Nthua, July 23, 2026A police clearance certificate is a document that shows whether a person has a criminal record in Kenya at the time of the official search.
It is issued by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations after an applicant’s fingerprints are checked against records held by the Forensic Fingerprint Identification Bureau.
The document was previously known as a Certificate of Good Conduct. The older name remains widely used by employers and members of the public.
What a police clearance certificate is used for
A police clearance certificate may be requested when applying for employment, a visa, public office, professional registration or certain business opportunities.
It does not serve as a general guarantee about a person’s character. It confirms the outcome of a criminal records search conducted using the applicant’s identity and fingerprints.
The DCI is responsible for maintaining Kenya’s central criminal records repository. It also processes police clearance certificates and certificates of previous convictions.
How to apply for a police clearance certificate
Applications are made through the DCI services portal on eCitizen.
An applicant should follow these steps:
- Log in to an existing eCitizen account or create a new account.
- Open the Directorate of Criminal Investigations services section.
- Select Police Clearance Certificate and choose the appropriate application category.
- Enter the required personal information.
- Select a preferred fingerprint collection centre.
- Choose a payment method and pay the prescribed application fee.
- Download and print two copies of the payment invoice.
- Download and print the C24 fingerprint form on both sides of an A4 sheet.
- Visit the selected fingerprint centre with the printed documents and original national identity card.
- Allow an authorised officer to capture the fingerprints for processing.
The DCI sends an SMS when the certificate is ready. The applicant can then log in to eCitizen and download it.
Applicants have been paying KSh1,050 for the service through eCitizen. The payable amount should be confirmed on the portal before completing the transaction because government service charges may change.
Where fingerprints are taken
Applicants can have their fingerprints taken at Huduma Centres across Kenya or at the DCI headquarters on Kiambu Road in Nairobi.
Refugees are directed to the Refugee Affairs Secretariat.
Kenyans living abroad can have their fingerprints recorded through designated Kenyan embassies, high commissions or other authorised offices listed during the application process.
An applicant should visit the centre selected during the online application. The location appears on the C24 form generated through eCitizen.
New biometric system cuts waiting time to 24 hours
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen presided over the launch alongside leaders from the DCI and National Police Service.
The system is known as the Multi-Biometric Identification System, ABIS Version 5. It replaces the Automated Palm and Fingerprint Identification System introduced in 2016.
“The turnaround time for processing Police Clearance Certificates, which previously took up to 14 days or more, will now be reduced to just 24 hours,” Murkomen said.
The 24-hour period follows the completion of the online application and fingerprint capture. An applicant must still visit an authorised centre for biometric enrolment.
The new process uses electronic fingerprint scanners instead of relying on fingerprints captured using ink. An applicant places their fingers on a biometric device, which sends the prints for an automated records search.
Processing within 24 hours will depend on successful fingerprint capture, accurate application details and normal system operations.
How the biometric system will speed up applications
The previous system could conduct about 4,500 fingerprint searches each day.
The new system can conduct up to 20,000 searches daily. Its records capacity has also increased from two million to 10 million.
This means more applications can be searched against the criminal records database within a shorter period.
The faster matching process is expected to reduce backlogs and eliminate repeated manual handling of fingerprint forms.
The system will be available through Huduma Centres across the country. The government also plans to introduce biometric enrolment services at police stations to bring fingerprint capture closer to applicants.
The Interior Ministry plans to connect the platform with the National Registration Bureau, Judiciary, Immigration Department and INTERPOL.
The proposed integration will support faster identity verification, criminal investigations and cross-border information sharing.
How foreigners apply
Foreign nationals living in Kenya can also apply through the DCI eCitizen portal.
A foreign applicant should register as a foreign resident when they have an alien identity card. Those without an alien identity card can register as visitors.
The applicant must upload documents showing their immigration status. These may include a work permit, dependant pass, student pass, diplomatic documents or visitor documents.
They must also provide proof that they have lived in Kenya for at least six months. The application must be approved before payment and fingerprint collection.
Foreign nationals who have left Kenya must provide a certified passport copy and evidence that they lived in Kenya for at least six months.
Their fingerprints and palm prints must be taken and certified by an authorised police agency in their current country of residence. The application is then forwarded through a Kenyan embassy or high commission to the DCI headquarters.
How to verify a police clearance certificate
Employers and other institutions can verify a certificate through the DCI verification platform.
They must select the Police Clearance Certificate service and enter the certificate’s application number.
Verification is also available by sending the word DCI to 21546, dialling *512# and selecting the police clearance option.