Among the many other reasons why we should strive to be law-abiding citizen, getting a certificate of good conduct is a motivator.

Why?

Because that document has the potential to determine the number of opportunities you have in life in Kenya.

A certificate of good conduct also referred to as the Police Clearance Certificate is a document that acts as proof that a citizen’s criminal records have been searched and no criminal account has been traced.

If you have ever been arrested and had your fingerprints taken by the police, personal details are recorded in the national criminal records database.

In such a case, your criminal record is tainted and once you request for a certificate of good conduct, your criminal offence will be brought up.

You get a good conduct certificate only if you don’t have a criminal record registered in the DCI criminal records system.

A clean certificate of good conduct shows that you are a citizen of good morals, behaviours and obey the laws of the land. Otherwise, you are painted as an offender and many opportunities such as job openings, government employment among others become inaccessible to you.

Why do I need a certificate of good conduct?

You need a certificate of good conduct when seeking the following

• Employment from some private companies, public and governmental entities
• Applying for a Public Service Vehicle badge
• Vying for a governmental post.
• Company directors applying for tenders for the supply of commodities or services in Kenya.

You’re 90% likely to fall in any of the above needs at least once in your lifetime. Most will need it while seeking employment and those who go the entrepreneurial path might need the document to secure tenders and contracts.

What I’m hinting on is that you might need this document more than you think you do. So how do you get it, of course after ensuring your criminal record is spotless?

Process of applying for Police Clearance Certificate

First, ensure you meet all conditions and have all requirements to apply for a certificate of good conduct.

The conditions are:

• Must be a Kenyan citizen, residing in Kenya or outside Kenya or
• A foreign citizen (who is not an alien or refugee in Kenya) or a foreign citizen (who is an alien or refugee in Kenya)

The requirements include:

• Both original and clear photocopy of the National ID for those above 18 years of age.
• Both original and clear photocopy of the Birth Certificate for those below 18 years of age.
• Ksh 1050 for the cost of the certificate of good conduct.

With all the requirements met, where do you get your certificate of good conduct?

The process of acquiring the good conduct certificate involves either the traditional process of visiting CID offices nearest to you or using the online E-Citizen portal to apply then visiting Huduma Centre

The online process is simple and efficient and recently CID offices such as Nairobi Criminal Investigation Department headquarters in Muthaiga require you to apply for your certificate online before visiting the DCI offices. This is due to the large number of certificates processed monthly.

Upon applying online ensure you visit DCI offices with a cover letter, an original and a clear photocopy of your ID or birth certificate depending on age and two printed copies of your invoice, and one copy of your C24 on both sides of an A4 paper which you get while using the e-Citizen portal.

In some offices, if you haven’t filled the online form you might be provided with physical forms to fill before you proceed to apply.

Your fingerprints will be recorded and attached to your documents which will be forwarded to CID headquarters for processing. It normally takes between 1 to 2 weeks for the certificate of good conduct to be provided to the person who applied.

Meanwhile, if you have no time to visit the DCI offices nearest to you, consider applying online as follows

How to get certificate of good conduct online

E-Citizen portal has revolutionized the way, cost and time for Kenyans to access government services. Among the many services it offers is the certificate of good conduct application service. It is very easy and efficient. You only need a good internet connection and an E-Citizen account to apply.

If you don’t have one, here is….

How to register on E-Citizen

The only requirement here is a valid Kenya National ID card

1. Click on Register E-Citizen Account
2. Enter ID Number and First name as it appears on your ID.
3. Enter your email address and password and confirm your password
4. Log into your Email and click on the confirmation link sent by E-Citizen
5. Enter your mobile phone number and a verification code will be sent to the number you
6. Enter the verification code sent to your mobile phone in the next screen and click on verify
7. Skip or Upload your photo to complete the registration process.

Now that your e-Citizen account has been created you can apply for the Police Clearance Certificate.

How to apply for certificate of good conduct

1. Log into your E-Citizen Account
2. Click Directorate of Criminal Investigations from the dashboard menu
3. Log into your account again and you’ll be directed to DCI E-Citizen Portal
4. Click on Police Clearance Certificate link
5. Under Police Clearance Owner select; Your Application and Click Next
6. Read through the instructions and requirements for the application process displayed, Click on Next
7. Choose area and Huduma Centre closest to you then click next.
8. Confirm the details and click complete
9. Select mode of Payment and pay according to instructions provided
10. If you select to pay through MPesa the most popular method, use DCI Paybill business number 206206.
11. 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
12. Download the C24 form and 2 copies payment receipt. You will present the documents when you visit the DCI offices or Huduma Centre you chose.
13. Visit the Huduma Centre you selected during the application process and submit all required documents.

As mentioned earlier, it takes between 7 days and 2 weeks to have your good conduct certificate ready. However, when it’s ready you don’t have to visit the DCI offices or Huduma Center. You can download your certificate of good conduct online.

How to download certificate of good conduct online

1. Log into your eCitizen account
2. Click on the Department of Criminal Investigations Get Service Now
3. Click on the menu at the top of the page.
4. Select Applications History
5. Click on the Ref No for your Police Certificate Application
6. Click on the downloads options at the top of the page
7. Select the Clearance certificate option
8. Once your Certificate of Good conduct loads, click Print. This downloads your good conduct certificate.

Now that you have your good conduct certificate, you can go ahead and confidently apply for any job that requires it, a governmental post and even try to get your hand on those lucrative tenders you were after.

But wait, how long is the Kenyan certificate of good conduct valid? 1 year. So continue being a good citizen because if you don’t, next year you might have to collect a certificate of bad conduct and doors will start closing slowly.