How to get a legitimate certificate of good conduct

The Police Clearance Certificate (PCC), also known as the certificate of good conduct, is a critical document that every Kenyan needs especially for key government services.

The document, according to the Criminal Records Office (CRO), acts as a vetting mechanism to validate that a citizen or non-citizen has a clean criminal record.

Currently, it is a mandatory requirement in almost all government jobs and most private organizations have adopted the same requirement for job seekers.

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) is the government agency tasked with issuing the document, which is renewed yearly at a cost of Ksh.1,050.

Here is a quick guide on how to acquire the document for both adults and those under the age of 18 on the e-Citizen portal.

For children, one is only required to have an original birth certificate and copies while the adults provide an original ID and copies.

1. For a new user, you are required to create an account, but if you already have one, then just log in.
2. Thereafter, click the link on the Directorate of Criminal Investigations menu
3. Click on the ‘make an application’ menu
4. Select the Police Clearance Certificate Application (Adult) for those over 18 years and apply
5. Fill out the required details (the area you select is the location where you’ll have your fingerprints taken)
6. Select your preferred method of payment (M-Pesa or bank account)
7. Once you’ve made your payment and received confirmation of the same on your mobile, click on the ‘complete’ icon to complete your application
8. Download the C24 form and 2 copies of the payment receipt that you’ll present when you have your fingerprints taken
9. After successfully applying, the certificate takes between two weeks to one month
10. Once the notification appears on the portal, you are able to download it from your computer or smartphone

In the past, it was possible for Kenyans to access the PCC document at DCI headquarters on Kiambu road or Huduma centers across the country.

Since the automation of many government services on the e-Citizen portal, the agency now says that the PCC can only be downloaded through the platform.

This, the DCI explains, is meant to reaffirm the authenticity of the certificates and curb the risen cases of fraudsters posing to be DCI agents to give access to unsuspecting Kenyans who want to bypass protocol.

In this regard, the DCI notes that only the e-Citizen platform provides a genuine copy of the PCC that every Kenyan can access.

Applicants are therefore cautioned against falling prey to cons purporting to send copies to their emails or directing them to collect the forms at DCI offices.