Police Clearance Certificate Fees, by Country
Singapore's S$55 is the most expensive standard police clearance certificate in this table; getting one costs nothing at all in Ireland, France and New Zealand. Figures are each country's own currency, at face value, not converted to a common currency.
Last updated 2 November 2026.
A police clearance certificate — proof you have no criminal record, or a record of what's on it — is one of the most commonly required documents for a visa application, immigration, or a job abroad, and nearly every country charges (or deliberately doesn't charge) a different amount for it. This table prices the standard, non-expedited certificate for checking your own record, via the normal domestic route.
Figures are each country's own currency, at face value, not converted to a common currency — see the methodology section for why a face-value ranking isn't a precise cost ranking once exchange rates are applied.
| Source | ||
|---|---|---|
🇨🇿 Czech RepublicVýpis z Rejstříku Trestů (criminal record extract), in-person or postal application. Free if requested electronically via the government's Portál občana portal; 200 Kč if applied for at a Czech embassy abroad. | 100 Kč | [11] |
🇸🇬 SingaporeCertificate of Clearance, issued by the Singapore Police Force's Criminal Investigation Department — the standard certificate for visa, migration, employment and education purposes. A further S$5 applies for overseas postage. | S$55 | [6] |
🇦🇺 AustraliaCommonwealth-legislated wholesale charge the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) levies on police forces and accredited bodies for a National Police Check — not the retail price an individual pays. Consumer-facing prices through an accredited provider (e.g. Australia Post) commonly run higher. | A$28+ | [5] |
🇨🇦 CanadaRCMP federal processing fee only — charged on top of whatever your local police service or an accredited fingerprinting company charges for the check itself. There's no single national retail price; the real out-of-pocket total is typically CA$50–100+ once local fees are added. | CA$25+ | [4] |
🇵🇱 PolandEstimateElectronic application via the eKRK system (National Criminal Register); 30 zł for a paper application. The official eKRK portal blocked direct access repeatedly; figure corroborated by several independent sources, including a Ministry of Justice letter to the Sejm (parliament), not read directly. | 20 zł | [8] |
🇬🇧 United KingdomBasic DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check — the standard tier available to anyone for any purpose, including visa applications; Standard and Enhanced tiers require a specific eligible role. Reduced from £21.50, effective 5 October 2026. | £20 | [2] |
🇺🇸 United StatesFBI Identity History Summary Check (federal), the standard route for immigration and visa purposes to other countries, requested directly by mail. Submitting through an FBI-approved electronic "Channeler" (most live-scan vendors) adds a separate $25–$50 service fee on top. | $18 | [3] |
🇩🇪 GermanyFührungszeugnis ("simple"/standard certificate), issued by the national Bundesamt für Justiz (Federal Office of Justice). The "European" version, listing convictions from other EU member states, costs €17. | €13 | [1] |
🇸🇰 SlovakiaVýpis z Registra Trestov (criminal record extract), issued by the Register of Criminal Records at the General Prosecutor's Office. Paid via revenue stamp. A further €7 applies only if an EU-translation form is also needed. | €6 | [12] |
🇪🇸 SpainCertificado de Antecedentes Penales, issued by the Ministerio de Justicia's Central Registry. The ministry itself warns that third-party commercial websites charge €60+ for the same certificate — only its own official domains should be used. | €3.86 | [9] |
🇳🇿 New ZealandCriminal Record Check on yourself, obtained online through the Ministry of Justice, free of charge. Requesting someone else's record costs NZ$13, but that's a different service. | Free | [13] |
🇫🇷 FranceBulletin n°3 of the Casier Judiciaire National (judicial record), the standard extract an individual can request of their own record, issued free of charge by the Ministry of Justice whether applied for online or by post. | Free | [10] |
🇮🇪 IrelandPolice Certificate, issued free of charge by An Garda Síochána, explicitly for purposes including foreign visa applications. Takes around 3 weeks to process. Distinct from "Garda Vetting," a separate employment-screening process. | Free | [7] |
What's included: the official government fee for a standard, non-expedited criminal record check on yourself, via the normal domestic route — the tier most commonly required for a visa, immigration or employment application, named per-country since the document goes by a different name almost everywhere.
What's excluded: fingerprinting costs where charged by a separate private or local provider, expedited/urgent processing surcharges, and any third-party service or "channeler" fee layered on top of a government fee (the US's FBI check, for example, costs $18 direct from the government, but $43–$68 through a common electronic submission vendor).
Why Canada and Australia show a "+". Both countries' national figures (Canada's RCMP fee, Australia's ACIC-legislated charge) are the federal/wholesale component only — neither sets one all-in national retail price. Local police services (Canada) or accredited providers (Australia) add their own fee on top, so the real out-of-pocket total in both countries is typically higher than the figure shown.
Why three countries show €0/NZ$0. Ireland, France and New Zealand all confirmed directly that the standard self-check certificate is issued free of charge — a genuine policy choice in each case, not a gap in this table.
Limits of this comparison. Figures are each country's own currency, face value, with no FX conversion — treat a 'cheapest/most expensive' ranking as directional, not exact, once exchange rates are applied.
Which countries issue a police clearance certificate for free?
Ireland, France and New Zealand all charge nothing for the standard certificate on yourself — confirmed directly against each government's own page. It's a genuine policy choice in each country, not a data gap.
Why does Canada show CA$25+ instead of one number?
Because Canada doesn't have a single national retail price. The RCMP's CA$25 is only the federal processing component; your local police service or an accredited fingerprinting company charges its own fee on top, typically bringing the real total to CA$50–100 or more depending on where you apply.
Is the US figure the same as a state-level background check?
No — $18 is the FBI's federal Identity History Summary Check, the standard product used for immigration and visa purposes to other countries. State-level checks (used for domestic purposes like some state licensing) are priced and administered separately and aren't covered here.
Why isn't the United Arab Emirates in this table?
No official Dubai Police or federal Ministry of Interior page could be reached to confirm a figure, and the secondary estimates that exist disagree sharply — anywhere from AED 50 to AED 300 depending on which authority and fee component is being cited. Excluded rather than published as an unverified guess, the same bar used elsewhere on this site.
Work Visa Fees by Country
Official work visa fees — a police clearance certificate is often a required supporting document.
Passport Fees by Country
Another official identity-document cost, from the same sourcing standard.
Driving Licence Fees by Country
Another official government document fee, from the same sourcing standard.
Notary Fees by Country
What it costs to certify a signature, often needed alongside other official documents.
- 1Führungszeugnis
Bundesamt für Justiz (Federal Office of Justice)
Standard ("einfaches") certificate: €13.00, under item Nr. 1130 of the JVKostG cost schedule. Fetched and read directly 2 November 2026.
- 2Basic DBS check: guidance for applicants
GOV.UK (Disclosure and Barring Service)
Basic check: £20, reduced from £21.50 effective 5 October 2026. Fetched and read directly 2 November 2026.
- 3Agency Information Collection Activities — Identity History Summary Request Form (I-783)
Federal Register (U.S. Department of Justice, FBI CJIS Division)
$18 fee per Identity History Summary copy requested via Form I-783. fbi.gov's own fee page blocked direct access; this official Federal Register notice was fetched and read directly 2 November 2026. A newer Federal Register notice on the identical form (2026-15914, published 5 August 2026, also independently fetched and read) doesn't contradict the figure; consistently corroborated by multiple 2025–2026 sources.
- 4Processing times and fees
Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP)
Federal processing fee: CA$25 per criminal record check, in addition to local police or accredited-company fees. Fetched and read directly 2 November 2026.
- 5Australian Crime Commission (National Policing Information Charges) Determination 2024 — Explanatory Statement
Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) / Attorney-General's Department
Legislated wholesale charge for a Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check: A$28.00, effective 1 July 2024 (up from A$21–23). Fetched and read directly 2 November 2026.
- 6Certificate of Clearance application form (CRO57)
Singapore Police Force, Criminal Investigation Department
Processing fee: S$55.00 (+S$5.00 overseas postage if mailed). Fetched and read directly 2 November 2026.
- 7Police Certificates
An Garda Síochána
"The Police Certificate is issued free of charge." Fetched and read directly 2 November 2026.
- 8Krajowy Rejestr Karny (eKRK) — opłaty
Ministerstwo Sprawiedliwości (Ministry of Justice), corroborated via multiple independent sources
Electronic application: 20 PLN; paper application: 30 PLN. ekrk.ms.gov.pl blocked direct access across two independent research passes; figure corroborated by several independent Polish sources including a Ministry of Justice letter to the Sejm, not read directly. Checked 2 November 2026.
- 9Nueva tasa desde enero 2015 (certificado de antecedentes penales)
Ministerio de Justicia
Administrative fee: €3.86, paid via Modelo 790 (código 006). Fetched and read directly 2 November 2026.
- 10Obtenir un extrait de casier judiciaire (bulletin n°3)
Service-public.fr (Ministère de la Justice)
"This approach is free of charge," whether applied for online or by post. Fetched and read directly 2 November 2026.
- 11Výpis z Rejstříku trestů fyzické osoby
Government of the Czech Republic (portal.gov.cz)
In-person/postal fee: 100 CZK. 200 CZK if applied for at a Czech embassy abroad; free via the Portál občana electronic route. Fetched and read directly 2 November 2026.
- 12Žiadosť o výpis z registra trestov pre fyzickú osobu
Generálna prokuratúra SR (General Prosecutor's Office of the Slovak Republic)
Criminal record extract: €6.00; a further €7.00 if an EU-translation form is also needed. Fetched and read directly 2 November 2026.
- 13Criminal Records — Frequently Asked Questions
Ministry of Justice, New Zealand
"This service will remain free of charge for individuals." Fetched and read directly 2 November 2026.