Justice/Criminal/Expungements (2024)

Expungement of a Criminal Record in terms of the Criminal Procedure Act, 1977 (Act 51 of 1977)

Applications for expungement of criminal records in terms of the Criminal Procedure Act, 1977, are to be submitted to the Directorate Legal Process, Department of Justice and Constitutional Development as prescribed in Part I of the relevant application form. (Postal address: Directorate Legal Process, Department of Justice and Constitutional Development, Private Bag X 81, Pretoria 0001. Physical address: Pretmed Building, 319 Pretorius Street, Pretoria.)

FORM: J744 Eng / Afr - Form A: Application for expungement of a criminal record (Section 271B(1) of the Criminal Procedure Act, 1977 (Act No. 51 of 1977)
(To be completed by a person who has a criminal record older than 10 years and whose sentences are listed in section 271B(1)). Follow this link to view additional information relating to the form and the regulations.

Please note the process takes 75 days to complete once the complete application is received.

ENQUIRIES BEFORE 75 DAYS HAVE LAPSED UNFORTUNATELY HAVE A TREMENDOUS DELAYING EFFECT ON THE COMPLETION OF APPLICATIONS.

Enquiries and application follow-ups can be emailed to expungements@justice.gov.za or you can call our Call Centre on 080 002 0007.

Expungement of a Criminal Record in terms of the Child Justice Act, 2008 (Act 75 of 2008) for children

87 Expungement of records of certain convictions and diversion orders

(1) (a) Where a court has convicted a child of an offence referred to in Schedule 1 or 2, the conviction and sentence in question fall away as a previous conviction and the criminal record of that child must, subject to subsections (2), (3) and (5), on the written application of the child, his or her parent, appropriate adult or guardian (hereafter referred to as the applicant), in the prescribed form, be expunged after a period of...read more

Form 13 (J763) - Application for Expungement of Records of Conviction and Sentence by the Director–General or Cabinet Member - Sections 87(1) and 87(3) of the Child Justice Act, 2008 (Act No. 75 of 2008), Regulations relating to Child Justice [Regulation 49]
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PLEASE NOTE: Applications for expungement of diversions in terms of the Child Justice Act, 2008 (Act No 75 of 2008), should be submitted to the Department of Social Development.

For further information please contact:
Mr Steven Maselesele
Director for Social Crime Prevention, Tel: 012 312 7065, Email : stevenm@dsd.gov.za

FACTSHEET: EXPUNGEMENT OF CRIMINAL RECORD

WHAT IS EXPUNGEMENT OF A CRIMINAL RECORD?

Expungement of a criminal record is a process by which a criminal record of a convicted offender is expunged from the criminal record database of the Criminal Record Centre of the South African Police Service.
This allows a person to carry on with life without a criminal record being an obstruction to employment opportunities.
IMPORTANT:
- THIS SERVICE IS RENDERED FREE OF CHARGE BY THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE AND CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT.
- MATTERS ARE DEALT WITH IN ORDER OF RECEIPT AND NO PREFERANCE WILL BE GIVEN BY MATTERS SUBMITTED BY AGENCIES/REPRESENTATIVES APPLYING ON BEHALF OF APPLICANTS.

WHEN CAN A PERSON APPLY FOR AN EXPUNGEMENT OF A CRIMINAL RECORD?

When a period of 10 years has lapsed after the date of the conviction for that offence;
when the person has not been convicted and sentenced to a period of imprisonment without the option of a fine during those 10 years; and
provided that the person was sentenced to any of the following sentences:
- Corporal punishment.
- Sentence was postponed or the person was cautioned and discharged.
- Fine not exceeding R20 000.
- Imprisonment with the option to pay a fine instead of serving the period of imprisonment.
- Imprisonment was suspended wholly.
- Correctional supervision in terms of section 276(1)(h) of the Act.
- Imprisonment in terms of section 276(1)(i) of the Act.
- Periodical imprisonment in term of section 276(1)(c) of the Act
If a person was convicted of a sexual offence against a child or a mentally disabled person proof must be provided that such a person’s name was not entered into the National Register of Sex Offenders or the National Child Protection Register, or if it was entered, proof that such a person’s name has been removed from the relevant Register.

A PERSON WILL NOT QUALIFY IF:

When a period of 10 years has not lapsed after the date of the conviction.
When a person was sentenced to direct imprisonment.
When a fine of more than R20 000 was imposed.
When a person was sentenced to direct imprisonment (the imprisonment was not suspended and there was not the option of a fine) during the relevant 10 year period.
His or her name is included in the National Register for Sex Offenders or the National Child Protection Register and his or her name has not been removed from the National Register for Sex Offenders or the National Child Protection Register.

IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS TO BE SUBMITTED WITH THE APPLICATION

A clearance certificate issued by the Criminal Record Centre of the South African Police Service issued on a date 10 years after the conviction(s) and sentence(s).
Confirmation stating that your name has been removed from the National Register for Sex Offences or the National Child Protection Register if your name has been included in any of these registers.

STEPS DURING AN APPLICATION

The completed application form (Part II and Part III), together with the attachments must be posted or delivered by hand to the Directorate Legal Process, Department of Justice and Constitutional Development: Postal Address: Private Bag X81, Pretoria, 0001. Street Address: Pretmed Building, 319 Pretorius Street, Pretoria, 0001
If a person meets the requirements, a certificate of Expungement directing that the conviction(s) and sentence(s) of the person be expunged will be issued - this process takes 75 days.
The certificate of Expungement will be submitted to the head of the Criminal Record Centre of the South African Police Service within 14 working days it has been issued.
If the application for Expungement is refused, the person will be informed by post of this decision and reasons for the decision.
The head of the Criminal Record Centre of the South African Police Service will, within 21 working days after his or her receipt of the certificate of Expungement, confirm to the person in writing that the conviction(s) and sentence(s) in question has/have been expunged.
FINALIZATION OF THE APPLICATION TAKES 75 DAYS FROM DATE OF RECEIPT OF ALL REQUIRED DOCUMENTS. ENQUIRIES BEFORE 3 MONTHS HAVE LAPSED UNFORTUNATELY HAVE A TREMENDOUS DELAYING EFFECT ON THE COMPLETION OF APPLICATIONS.

Updated: 15 February 2024

EXPUNGEMENT OF CRIMINAL RECORD VIDEOS

Expungement of criminal records: "What you need to know…", SAfm, The Talking Point, 08 Nov 2023