What is a certificate of good conduct in Kenya? It is a document issued by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) that contains an extract of judicial records showing that the applicant has never faced any criminal charges and thus qualified for the certificate, also known as the Police Clearance Certificate. It contains an history of convictions in cases where the applicant has been found in the wrong side of the law, served time or freely discharged on fine or declared innocent.

Kenyans residing in Kenya, those in foreign countries, refugees in Kenya, and foreigners who are dully registered as residents of Kenya qualify to get a certificate of good conduct so long as they are 18 years and above. Minors can also apply for the police clearance certificate with their original birth certificate with the aid of a parent or guardian.

How to get a certificate of good conduct

A certificate of good conduct is obtained by visiting DCI offices, Huduma Centres near you, or applying online through E-Citizen.

Residents of Nairobi can visit CID offices in Muthaiga area. Those in other parts of the country can get them in CID divisional offices or the 53 Huduma Centres located across the country.

How long does a certificate of good conduct take to process?

Individuals are issued with certificates of good conduct one to two weeks from their date of application.

How much does it cost to apply for a certificate of good conduct?

A certificate of good conduct costs Ksh1,050 in Kenya, payable through mobile money, cash, or credit card. Ksh1,000 is the amount for the police clearance certificate and a processing fee of Ksh50.

How to check the authenticity of a certificate of good conduct in Kenya

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) is always one step ahead of the fraudsters. It has an established means of authenticating your certificate of good conduct both via USSD and online in order to curb the rising forgery cases.

Here is how you can check if your certificate of good conduct is original or fake via USSD/SMS

1. Register on the DCI SMS service by sending the word DCI to 21546 – SMS costs Ksh5.406
2. Dial *512# and follow the prompts to verify your certificate of good conduct

Here is how you can check if your certificate of good conduct is original or fake online

1. Visit https://dci.ecitizen.go.ke/verify
2. Select service ‘Police Clearance Certificate’
3. Enter the application number
4. Enter your ID number
5. Submit

Can you get your Certificate of Good Conduct on eCitizen?

Yes, a certificate of good conduct can be applied online through the E-Citizen, an online portal for all Kenyan citizens and foreigners that permits access to all government services.
How do you apply for a certificate of good conduct online? Here is a simple guide on how to get your police clearance certificate on E-Citizen.

1. Visit https://www.ecitizen.go.ke/ and click the ‘Sign In’ tab
2. Enter your email address or ID number and password to log in
3. You will be directed to your dashboard. Choose ‘Get Service’ on the DCI category or visit https://dci.ecitizen.go.ke/dashboard
4. On the ‘Our Services’ window, click ‘Police Clearance Certificate’
5. Choose ownership of the certificate as either yours or that of your child
6. Read the instructions and fill in the application forms
7. Pay Ksh1,050 – Ksh1,000 for the police clearance certificate and Ksh50 convenience fees – via mobile money or credit card
8. Download two copies of your invoice and a copy of C24 (a form where your fingerprints are taken) printed on both sides of A4 sized paper
9. Submit the documents plus your original ID to a DCI office near you or Huduma Centre for fingerprint processing on your C24 form

Applicants will also be required to provide a letter from the institution that required the provision of the certificate of good conduct.

Does Huduma Centre offer Certificate of Good Conduct?

Yes, in July 2020, Huduma Centres announced that they will be offering certificate of good conduct services from its application to collection.

How to know when your Certificate of Good is ready

You are impatient, and you want to know whether your certificate of good conduct is ready because you are running out of time and the deadline for a job application is nearing. Don’t worry, don’t panic. You don’t need to wait for one or two weeks to be sure that the police clearance certificate is ready. You can now check online whether your certificate of good conduct is ready for pick up by following these steps.

1. Visit the E-Citizen portal and log in
2. Choose ‘Get Service’ in the Directorate of Criminal Investigations category
3. Click on the downloadable files beginning with the letters ‘PCC’ and check if the certificate of good conduct is among them
4. If it’s available, you can download and print it for submission to the respective institution that requested it

The downloaded file looks similar as this one below, but your details are filled in it.

For how long is the Certificate of Good Conduct valid?

In Kenya, a certificate of good conduct is valid for one year from its date of issue by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).

Can you renew your Certificate of Good online?

A certificate of good conduct has a validity period – it expires after a year. Thus, prompting its renewal. Because it’s a document with judicial records and within a span of a year, one might have had run-ins with the police, getting the first police clearance certificate does not guarantee getting the second one.

You can renew your certificate of good conduct online by following the procedures you followed while obtaining the expired certificate.

1. Visit the E-Citizen portal and log in using your email or ID number and password
2. Click on ‘Get Service’ in the DCI category
3. On the ‘Our Services’ window, click ‘Police Clearance Certificate’
4. Select ownership as either yours or your child’s
5. Read the instructions and fill in the application form
6. Pay Ksh1,050 through mobile money or credit card
7. Download two copies of your invoice and a C24 form
8. Submit it at the nearest Huduma Centre or CID officers for fingerprints to be taken and inscribed in the C24 form