How to Apply for a Good Conduct Certificate

A Police Clearance Certificate that is commonly referred to as a Good Conduct Certificate is a crucial document that is used as proof of your conduct. It shows whether you have a criminal record stemming from any past offences and the results of their trials.

As such, this document is vital in any scenario where the behaviour of an individual has to be screened before being considered for any role or accessing some services.

The most common of  these scenarios are job applications, especially county and national government positions that require various clearance certificates.

The Good Conduct certificate can be applied for and obtained by any Kenyan citizen above the age of 18 years in different parts of the country. Applications are done online on the eCitizen portal, however one has to present themselves physically for fingerprints processing.

Children under the age of 18 years that are Kenyan citizens can obtain the certificate as well however this has to be done by their parents as we’ll see later on.

Kenyans outside the country, foreign citizens in the country and refugees can also obtain their good conduct certificates, however their applications have to be done physically as it’s explained on the DCI website.

Requirements for a Good Conduct Certificate

To apply for a good conduct certificate, you’ll need the following:

• KES.1050
• Your National ID Card
• Original Birth certificate for those below 18 years
• Photocopy of your National ID Card
• Photocopy of Birth certificate for those below 18 years
• 2 Photocopies of your Invoice

Once you’ve these documents and the fee, you can proceed to apply for the certificate as explained below.

Step 1: Apply for a Good Conduct Certificate on eCitizen

1. Go to the login page and sign in into your account. If you don’t have an account, first register for one, then login. On the other hand, if you have an account but have forgotten the password, then try to reset your eCitizen password.
2. Once you’re logged in the eCitizen dashboard, click the Get Service button inside the Directorate of Criminal Investigations option.
   
3. On the DCI dashboard, click on the Make Application button.
   
4. That will open the Police Clearance application menu. Click on the little plus sign on its side to reveal the application options.
   
5. If you’re applying for yourself, click the first option: 01. Police Clearance Certificate Application (ADULT). If you’re applying on behalf of a child below the age of 18 use the second option. The application MUST however be done using the eCitizen account of the parent.
   
   Note: One cannot apply on behalf of another adult. Such applications will be rejected. The application must be completed using the eCitizen account of whoever is applying for the certificate.
6. That will open a page with instructions on how to complete the application. At the bottom of this page, click on the Apply Now button.
7. In the next page, you’ll be required to enter details regarding where and when you intend to have your fingerprints to be recorded as shown below:
   
8. Start by selecting your region (province) from the Area dropdown list. Then below it select the location nearest to you. These locations include DCI Offices and all the Huduma Centres throughout the country.
9. Next, select the exact date when you intend to the go to the selected location to have your fingerprints taken. Click the Continue button to proceed.
10. In the next page review your details and then click the Submit button.
11. This will open the payment menu where you can complete the payment using one of the following options:
    • M-PESA
    • Airtel Money
    • Debit/Credit/Prepaid Card
    • EazzyPay
    • Mobikash
    • E-Agent
    • KCB Cash
    • Equity Cash

Step 2: Pay for the Good Conduct Certficate using M-PESA

For any payment option you choose, you’ll be provided with instructions on how complete the. I’ll however be looking at M-PESA which is by far the most preferred payment gateway for most people.

1. Go to your M-PESA Paybill menu and enter the business number 206206 then use the unique code that is provided inside the instructions as the account number.
   
2. Enter 1050 as the amount, then provide your PIN to confirm the payment.
3. Wait to receive the confirmation SMS message from M-PESA, then go back to eCitizen and click the Complete button.
4. eCitizen will confirm your payment and provide you with a Billing Summary. Inside this menu, click on the Print Invoice button to download your PDF invoice. Once you’ve downloaded it, print two (2) copies of it.
   
5. Next click the Downloads button on your top right and download the available C24 Finger and Palm Print Form. Print one (1) copy of this document.

Step 3: Fingerprint Processing

1. Go to the fingerprint processing location on the exact day you selected in the application. Carry with you the following documents:
   • Original National ID Card and its photocopy
   • Original Birth certificate and photocopy for those below 18 years
   • 2 printed copies of your Invoice
   • A printed C24 Finger and Palm Print Form
2. After your fingerprints are recorded, you’ll be left with one invoice. You can use this invoice as the waiting certificate as you await the actual one to be processed.

Depending on where you had your fingerprints recorded, it usually takes between one and two weeks for the good conduct certificate to be available

Generally speaking, having your fingerprints taken at the DCI Headquarters tends to be quicker as it takes about a week for it to be ready

Step 4: Downloading your Good Conduct Certificate

Once your certificate is ready, you’ll receive an email from eCitizen alerting you that it has been generated and can be downloaded.

To download it, do the following:

1. Log into your eCitizen account and click the Get Service button inside the Directorate of Criminal Investigations option.
2. On the DCI page, you’ll see a history of your application(s). Click the link of the Ref No of your police clearance application.
   
3. In the next page, click the Downloads button, and you should find an option to download your police clearance certificate.
   
4.  Clicking this link will preview your certificate first. To actually download it, go to the bottom of the preview page and click the Print Service button. This will then download the certificate in PDF format for you to print.

Validity of a Good Conduct Certificate

There is no fixed period for the validity of a good conduct certificate. The validity is dependent on whoever is requesting the certificate, and so technically the certificate cannot expire.

The certificate’s age can however be determined using the date of issuance that is printed on the certificate.

Generally speaking, most employers require the certificate to be not more than 1 to 3 years old. There are some cases however where the employer may require shorter periods, such as 6 months.

One can also verify the authenticity of a certificate by sending DCI to 21546.