Police Clearance Certificate, commonly referred to as a Certificate of Good Conduct is increasingly becoming a basic requirement for many employers as it ensures a potential employee has no criminal history as documented by the Criminal Records Office (C.R.O.).

In this article, we take a look at all you need to know about the Certificate of Good Conduct including application, approval time and checking the authenticity.

The first step is creating an account of the eCitizen platform which can be done on a computer or a smartphone at ecitizen.go.ke.

If you are Kenyan or a foreigner, chose the account that is appropriate. Enter your ID number and first name as it appears on your ID. Enter your email address and password and confirm your password.

A confirmation link will be sent to your email address. Once you click on the link, you will be required to enter your mobile number for verification using the code which will be sent to your phone. 

The system will prompt you to upload a photo but that is not mandatory and you can proceed to complete the registration. 

Log into your newly created account and click the DCI menu from the dashboard and proceed to the Make Application button. 

On the next screen, click on the Police Clearance Certificate (adult option). Fill out the details requested on the application form then click on the continue button below the form.

Submit the information and select a payment method of your choice and make payment as per the instructions shown.

Once you have made your payment and received confirmation of the same on your mobile phone, you can then complete your application by clicking on ‘complete’.

Download the C24 form and 2 copies of the payment receipt. Present your original ID and its photocopy (or birth certificate for minors), two (2) copies of the online payment invoice and one (1) copy of the C24 printed on both sides to DCI headquarters or regional police headquarters.

Allow your fingerprints and palm prints to be recorded on a prescribed fingerprint form C24.

The next step is to wait for the DCI to process your application.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does a Certificate of Good Conduct take to process?

Ideally, the certificate of good conduct takes between two weeks and one month to process after which it should be ready for pick-up at the DCI Headquarters, Nairobi.

How I can Determine if a Clearance Certificate is genuine?

With cases of forgery and fraud on the rise, determining the authenticity of a Good Conduct Certificate is important.

To ascertain the authenticity of a generated certificate, first send the word DCI to 21546 which subscribes you to the service.

Dial *512# from your phone which prompts you through the verification process.

What does a certificate of good conduct mean?

A certificate of good conduct means that the particular Kenyan holder has been searched in the country’s criminal records, and no criminal record has been traced. The validity of a certificate of good conduct is based on the information provided as from the date of issuance of the certificate.

An employer in Kenya will require you to provide a valid certificate of good conduct or one that was taken at least three years prior. The certificate of good conduct in Kenya shows that a job candidate is of good morals, behaviors and obeys the law.