Criminal Record Expungement in South Africa
Remove an old conviction from your SAPS record and move forward.
A past conviction can block a visa, a job, a professional registration or a move abroad, long after the sentence is behind you. South African law allows qualifying convictions to be expunged. We check whether yours qualifies, prepare and submit your application, and stay on it until your record is cleared.
What is an expungement?
Expungement is the formal removal of a conviction and sentence from your criminal record. Once the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development approves your application and the SAPS Criminal Record Centre updates its records, the expunged conviction no longer appears on a Police Clearance Certificate.
It is not a pardon, and it is not the same as asking for a record to be ignored. It is a legal process with set requirements, and it is the only way to have an eligible conviction taken off your SAPS record.
Does an expungement apply to me?
Convictions are generally eligible when all of the following apply (the Criminal Procedure Act, as amended, sets the exact rules):
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At least 10 years have passed since the date of conviction
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The sentence was a fine of no more than R20,000, or another sentence that does not include imprisonment without the option of a fine
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You have not been convicted of another offence resulting in imprisonment without the option of a fine during those 10 years
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The conviction is not for a sexual offence against a child or a person with a mental disability, and you are not on the National Register for Sex Offenders
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You have not been found unsuitable to work with children and are not on the National Child Protection Register
Convictions that may qualify sooner: certain convictions for conduct that the law has since changed (and that would not be an offence today) can qualify without the 10-year wait.
Pending cases: an expungement removes convictions. It does not remove an open or pending case.
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Why people expunge their records
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Visa and immigration applications. Countries such as Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the UK and the USA require a clear police clearance.
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Emigration and work abroad
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Professional registration. Teaching, finance, security and healthcare bodies often screen for convictions.
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Employment where background checks are standard
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Peace of mind
How our expungement service works
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Free eligibility check. Send us your details. We tell you whether you qualify and what is needed.
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Get your SAPS record. We help you obtain a fingerprint-based record so the conviction details are confirmed. We can fast-track this through our 7-Day Police Clearance service.
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We prepare the application. We complete the application documents with you and make sure nothing is missing before submission.
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We submit and follow up. The Department of Justice assesses your application. If approved, a certificate of expungement is issued to the SAPS Criminal Record Centre, which notifies you in writing.
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Clean clearance. Once your record is updated, we can apply for a fresh Police Clearance Certificate that shows no expunged convictions, and apostille it if you need it for use abroad.
How long does an expungement take?
The Department of Justice sets the pace. Expungements are not instant and can take about two months or slightly more. We give you an honest timeline up front, we do not promise a fixed date, and we keep you updated at every stage. However, our average lead time is 9-10 weeks, though sometimes we have had expungements done earlier or slightly later than that mark.