How to Get a Police Clearance in the Philippines
Are you a recent graduate who is processing employment requirements? Or a foreigner who wants to be naturalized? Or a person who wants to own a firearm? If you are, you must secure a police clearance or police certificate. This article will walk you through the process of obtaining police clearance in the Philippines.
You might be asking yourself, “Why do I need a police clearance?” or “Is it any different than the clearance from NBI?” Well, we also asked ourselves those questions. While both clearances have similarities, there are distinct differences between them, which is why they are separate certificates.
Before you go and visit your local police station, you must know everything about police clearance in the Philippines.
What is a Police Clearance?
A police clearance is a document from the government that certifies you, as a Philippine citizen, that you are free from any criminal records. Employers require employees to submit this document to guarantee they do not hire someone with a criminal record. On the other hand, government agencies also request this document. For instance, if you are registering for a firearm, this document tells the government agency that they are not allowing a risky individual to own a gun.
Your local police station is responsible for giving you a police clearance. Therefore, you should be aware of your local police station and its location.
Fortunately, for those who require a police clearance, the PNP has simplified the process through the National Police Clearance System (or NPCS). When applying via the former approach, it might take up to an hour for PNP to consider your application. Requesting an appointment schedule will now just take a few minutes. It is now certainly more convenient and faster for Filipinos to acquire a police clearance.
Types of Police Clearance in the Philippines
There are two types of police clearance in the Philippines — local and national. To put it simply, their difference is their scope or coverage.
A National Police Clearance is a type of police clearance similar in scope to the NBI Clearance. It searches the PNP’s national database for criminal records but is not limited only to your city or municipality, as it searches anywhere in the Philippines. Moreover, like the NBI Clearance, you must set an appointment to acquire one.
Local Police Clearance is limited in scope as it only verifies criminal records in your city or municipality. It is the police clearance that perhaps you are already familiar with. While its coverage is limited, you do not need to set an appointment to acquire one. You can directly go to your local police station and request a walk-in application.
Why may you need a Police Clearance?
Aside from the uses we already discussed earlier, the following are the uses of a police clearance in the Philippines:
- NSO Requirement
- AFP Requirement
- Rehabilitation Requirement
- Adoption Requirement
- PNP Requirement
- Local Employment Requirements
- Requirements for International Travel
- Firearms Requirement
- For Reference
- Naturalization Requirement
- COMELEC Requirement
- SSS Requirement
You also need to secure a police clearance if you plan to take the annual civil service exam. Additionally, some credit card applications and several government-issued documents require a police clearance.
Police Clearance Requirements in the Philippines 2022
The Philippine National Police (PNP) only requires two valid IDs to get a police clearance. However, local police clearance may also require the following:
Requirements for a Police Clearance Application
- Personal Appearance (you will not be able to send a proxy in your place)
- Police clearance application form (you can acquire one from your local police station or online)
- Community tax certificate or cedula (only for local police clearance)
- Barangay clearance (only for local police clearance)
- 2 x 2 ID photo
- Birth Certificate (if you only have one (1) valid ID)
- The Police Clearance Fee (only for local police clearance)
- Reference Number (only for national police clearance)
- Official Receipt of Payment (only for national police clearance)
List of Valid IDs honored by PNP:
- AFP ID
- An Alien Certificate of Registration
- BFP ID
- BJMP ID
- Birth certificate
- GSIS UMID
- IBP ID
- LTO Driver’s License
- Marina ID
- OFW ID
- PCG ID
- PNP ID
- PRC ID/License
- PWD ID
- Pag-IBIG ID
- Passport
- PhilHealth ID
- Postal ID
- SSS ID/UMID
- School ID with the registration form
- ID for Senior Citizens
- TIN ID
- Voter’s ID
Notes for Police Clearance Requirements
- If you only have one (1) valid ID from the list, you can also use a certified true copy of your birth certificate from PSA to supplement your valid ID.
- Persons with disabilities (PWD) are also required to bring their PWD ID on the day of the appointment.
- If you need a police clearance for your first job, you can apply for a free police clearance. Please bring your First-Time Job Seeker Barangay Certificate.
- The provided identification documents must be current, clearly show the applicant’s full name, include an updated, clear photo, have the applicant’s signature, and be a certified true copy and not a photocopy.
How to Get a Local Police Clearance
While getting a police clearance via the NPCS website is convenient, most Filipinos only need the Local Police Clearance. Obtaining a local police clearance is actually simpler. Here are the steps to getting a local police clearance:
1. Go to your nearest police station, municipal hall, or city hall.
2. Obtain a police clearance form and complete it with the required information.
3. Pay the police clearance fee at the treasury department.
4. Take your biometrics, your signature, and a photo.
5. If you do not have a hit, wait for the release of your police clearance. Otherwise, stand by for the instructions of the verification officer. After your hit has been settled, the verification officer will release your police clearance.
How to Get a Police Clearance Online
The PNP’s modernized online services have made obtaining a police clearance easier than ever. The PNP launched the National Police Clearance System (or NPCS) in 2018. This service allows Filipinos to get a police clearance without all the waiting and long lines of yesteryear.
Before NPCS, Filipinos had to apply directly at their local police stations for clearance. It usually takes more than half an hour, depending on the traffic of people who are also getting their police clearances. With the NPCS, you can now book an appointment date that only takes a couple of minutes!
You only have to show up to your appointment for your picture taking and biometric scanning. If you need a step-by-step tutorial on how to get a police clearance online, follow these steps:
Account Registration
1. Go to the National Police Clearance System’s website. Click here.
2. Click “Register” to sign up for an account. If you are a first time applicant, account registration is a must.
3.Enter the required information.
Note! Remember your login credentials because you will use them later. You need to have an existing and active email account to proceed.
4. Fill in your email address.NPCS will send you a verification email. Hit the “Click here to verify” link. After clicking the link, you will be directed to the NPCS website.
Appointment Scheduling
5. Enter your login information.
6. Now, you are ready to apply for police clearance. Click the “Edit Profile” button.
7. Fill in the blanks with the necessary information.
Note! Review this for any misspelled information. You cannot apply for another police clearance once your police clearance is printed.
8. Hit the save button.
9. Click the “Clearance Application” button.
10. Choose the police station where you wish to get your police clearance.
11. Set the appointment date and time. Hit next to continue.
Payment of Police Clearance Fee
12. Pay the police clearance fee. For the table of fees, refer to the “How much is the Police Clearance Fee?” topic in the FAQs section.
13. Attend your scheduled appointment at the police station.
14. Take your biometrics, signature, and photo.
15. If you do not have a hit, wait for the release of your police clearance. Otherwise, stand by for the instructions of the verification officer. After your hit has been settled, the verification officer will release your police clearance.
How much is the Police Clearance Fee?
For the National Police Clearance, you will be asked to pay a total of 160 pesos (150 pesos for the police certificate and 10 pesos for the transaction fee). You can pay through LandBank or Bancnet.
The cost of the National Police Clearance with the payment method via 7/11 would be 180 pesos (150 pesos for the police clearance plus 30 pesos for the convenience charge).
For Local Police Clearance, the fee varies. For most applications, you only need to pay 100 pesos. However, for special cases such as naturalization requirements or firearms requirements, you have to pay 300 pesos and 500 pesos, respectively.
Available ways to pay the police clearance fee:
- LandBank ATM
- GCash
- Bancnet cards
- 7-Eleven convenience stores
Steps on How to Pay the Police Clearance Fee?
- Hit the “Land of the Philippines” button.
- Take note of the generated reference number.
- Click the “Pay to Landbank” button to proceed with the payment.
- You will be redirected to the LBP ePayment Portal.
- Follow the steps for the LBP payment process.
- Enter the account number and PIN; wait for the transaction details and payment summary.
Steps on How to Pay the Police Clearance Fee at a 7-Eleven Convenience Store?
- You need the CliQQ app to achieve this. If you do not have the app yet, download it from the Google PlayStore or Apple AppStore.
- On the LBP ePayment Portal, choose “Cash Payment” and then press “Submit.” The cost of the police clearance with this payment method would be 180 pesos (150 pesos for the police clearance plus 30 pesos for the convenience charge).
- You may pay for it using the 7-Eleven CLiQQ mobile app by copying and saving your payment reference number. Be aware that to continue, you must have a CLiQQ account.
- From the list of billers, choose “Government.”
- Select MYEGPH from the list of choices, then input the entire amount, your mobile number, and your payment reference number.
- Click “Confirm,” then use the bar code from your CLiQQ app to pay for your police clearance at the nearby 7-11 store.
How to Verify if My Police Clearance is Authentic?
If you are uncertain about the authenticity of your police clearance, NPCS’s website has a built-in verification for this case. Follow these steps to verify the authenticity of your police clearance:
- Go to NPCS’ website. Click here.
- Scroll down to the “VERIFY YOUR CLEARANCE!” section.
- Input your surname and the clearance number from your police certificate.
- Verify that you are a human via the Captcha.
- Click the “Verify” button.
Police Clearance Application FAQs
Where to Get Police Clearance in the Philippines?
For local police clearance, you must go to the police station responsible for the area of residence. For example, if you reside in Pasig, you may get a police clearance from any police station in Pasig.
On the other hand, you can only acquire a National Police Clearance from the branches specified on the NPCS’ website. However, PNP mentioned that they will soon include several SM malls as appointment locations.
When can I schedule to get a Police Clearance?
Like any government agency, the PNP only allows weekdays for scheduled dates. If you try to set an appointment via the NPCS website, the available days are only from Monday to Friday. There are no slots for a Saturday or Sunday appointment.
Moreover, you can choose whether you will go in the morning or afternoon. Although, in most cases, the time of your appointment is not honored. You can go at any time of the day. We recommend that you choose a date within the weekdays.
Can I renew my Police Clearance?
Like the NBI Clearance, the police clearance cannot be renewed. You have to apply for a new clearance if your old one expires. However, unlike NBI Clearance, PNP only allows one application at a time. Therefore, if you have an existing and valid police clearance, you are not allowed to apply for a new clearance. You will have to wait for your old one to expire.
Do I need a Cedula and Barangay Clearance for my Police Clearance Application?
When applying for a National Police Clearance, the PNP no longer requires the submission of a Cedula and a Barangay Clearance. The opposite is true for the Local Police Clearance. You still need to secure cedula and barangay clearance to acquire a local police clearance.
Is walk-in application allowed?
Walk-in applications are allowed for local police clearance. However, you need to set an appointment date for National Police Clearance.
Could I send a Proxy to get my Police Clearance?
No. The PNP requires your personal appearance to get your police clearance (both national and local). They will require you to take identification pictures and biometric scans on the day of application.
I missed my appointment schedule. What to do?
Your booked appointment time may be changed up to 15 days after that. So, you still have two weeks to appear on the scheduled appointment date. You can also reschedule your appointment within this time frame without any additional fees.
Your appointment will be accepted after this window of time, and your money will be considered invalid. You must also reapply in this situation.
Is Police Clearance Free?
No, police clearance is not free. However, if you are a first time job seeker, you may obtain a free police clearance via the First Time Jobseekers Assistance Act. Just present your First Time Job Seeker Baranggay Clearance. You can only avail of this benefit once. Moreover, the benefit is valid for up to a year from the date your First Time Job Seeker Baranggay Clearance is issued.
How much is the Police Clearance Fee?
For the National Police Clearance, you will be asked to pay a total of 160 pesos (150 pesos for the police certificate and 10 pesos for the transaction fee). You can pay through LandBank or Bancnet.
The cost of the National Police Clearance with the payment method via 7/11 would be 180 pesos (150 pesos for the police clearance plus 30 pesos for the convenience charge).
For Local Police Clearance, the fee varies. For most applications, you only need to pay 100 pesos. However, for special cases such as naturalization requirements or firearms requirements, you have to pay 300 pesos and 500 pesos, respectively.
Could you use GCash or other Digital Banks to pay the Police Clearance Fee?
Right now, only GCash is the digital bank that you can use to pay the police clearance fee. However, you can also pay via 7/11 if you do not have a GCash account.
What are the types of Police Clearance in the Philippines?
PNP can issue two types of Police Clearances – local and national. A National Police Clearance searches an applicant’s criminal records in ALL cities and municipalities in the Philippines, while a Local Police Clearance only searches his or her local area.
How long is the Validity of Police Clearance?
Like the NBI clearance, the police clearance has a validity of up to 6 months. Note that you can only apply for one police clearance at a time. So, if your current police clearance has not yet expired, you cannot acquire a new one.
What is the Difference Between a Police Clearance and an NBI Clearance?
Following the launch of the National Police Clearance System by the PNP, police clearances now cover the entire Philippines in order to determine whether an applicant has a HIT or a criminal record. As a result, the difference between clearances has now become vague.
The main difference between these clearances is how the hit is processed. Usually, NBI spends ten (10) days before they can verify and clear your hit. On the other hand, PNP can clear your hit on the day of your application.
Moreover, the data acquired by NBI is more comprehensive than that of PNP’s. Lastly, the PNP has been very clear that the National Police Clearance will not replace the NBI Clearance.
Final Thoughts
With the modernization of government services, Filipinos have an easy and hassle-free way of acquiring government documents. PNP is stepping their game up with the launch of NPCS, an online service where getting a police clearance is as easy as 1,2,3! Payments are also easier with the help of online banking. With this said, you can get a police clearance in the Philippines in no time!
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