Singapore will not certify your record just because you ask — the COC exists only for overseas use, and only when a foreign authority's document says you need one.
Overview
Singapore's police certificate is the Certificate of Clearance (COC), issued by the Criminal Investigation Department of the Singapore Police Force to certify that a person has no criminal record in Singapore within a stipulated period. Its defining quirk: the COC is for overseas-related use only — emigration, foreign employment, overseas adoption or study — and every application must include documentary proof that a foreign authority or institution requires it and for what purpose. It is never issued for local purposes such as Singapore employment screening. Applications are exclusively online (the COC office accepts no walk-ins): Singapore citizens, PRs and current FIN holders apply with Singpass; former residents who once held a FIN but no longer qualify for Singpass use an alternate login and submit fingerprint impressions instead. Processing takes 7–14 days from complete documentation, and the approved COC is delivered digitally through the FileSG portal. Foreigners must have lived, worked or studied in Singapore continuously for at least six months to apply. Verified against police.gov.sg as of June 2026.
What the COC Is — and Is Not
- Issuing authority: the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Singapore Police Force, through the COC e-Service at eservices1.police.gov.sg.
- What it certifies: that the named person has no criminal records in Singapore within a stipulated period — it is a clearance certificate, not a full record extract.
- Overseas use only: SPF issues the COC for foreign-facing purposes — overseas migration, employment, business, further education, adoption. It is not available for local purposes such as Singapore job applications.
- The document-of-requirement catch: every application must include scanned documentary proof that a COC is required and its purpose — typically a letter or checklist from the foreign immigration authority, employer or institution. No requirement letter, no COC. Build this into your destination-country timeline.
- Digital delivery: on approval you are emailed a link to view and download the digital COC from the FileSG portal (Singpass login, or one-time PIN for those without Singpass).
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See Paid Plans →Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get a Singapore police certificate just to have one on file?
No. The Certificate of Clearance is issued only for overseas-related purposes, and the application requires scanned documentary proof that a foreign authority or institution needs it — a visa checklist, an official letter, an adoption agency requirement. Without that document the application cannot proceed, and SPF will not issue a COC for local purposes such as Singapore employment screening. So you cannot stockpile one in advance 'just in case': wait until your destination country's process generates the requirement document, then apply. Given processing is 7–14 days from complete documentation, this rarely delays a well-planned application.
I left Singapore years ago and need a police certificate for my new country — how do I apply from abroad?
Entirely online, in one of two ways. If you can still register for or use Singpass (current FIN holders can), log in to the COC e-Service normally. If you previously held a FIN but are no longer Singpass-eligible, use the alternate FIN login: complete the form with your previous FIN number, pay by Visa or Mastercard, then — when emailed — submit scanned fingerprint impressions to the COC office, quoting your name, FIN and application number; you may need to mail the original hardcopy if the scan can't be processed. The approved digital COC is delivered via the FileSG portal, with a one-time PIN option for authentication without Singpass.
Am I eligible for a COC as a foreigner, and how long must I have lived in Singapore?
Yes — Singapore citizens, PRs and non-citizens can all apply, provided you are at least 16 years old and resided, worked or studied in Singapore for a continuous period of at least six months before the application. Short stints below six months generally fall outside the scheme, which matters if a destination country asks for certificates from every country where you spent six-plus months — the thresholds happen to align. You also need a valid passport, an ID document, a compliant photograph, and the documentary proof of requirement. Applications are online only; the COC office accepts no walk-ins.
How long does the COC take and what does it cost?
SPF states 7 to 14 days from receipt of the application with full documentation to approval; incomplete or inaccurate submissions take longer, and if you fail to answer the COC office's clarification queries the application is closed six months after the application date. The online form itself takes an estimated 15–30 minutes. Payment is online by credit/debit card, Apple Pay, Google Pay or PayNow; the current fee is displayed in the e-Service at the payment step — verify it there, as SPF's public page lists payment methods rather than a fixed amount. On approval you download the digital COC from FileSG.
Does Singapore ask me for police certificates from my home country?
Generally not as a standing document requirement. MOM's Employment Pass and S Pass document lists centre on passport details, qualifications and company information — not police certificates — and ICA's PR process relies on your declared antecedents and its own verification rather than applicant-procured certificates; the current e-PR document checklist for your category is authoritative. The system's real character test is the declaration: immigration forms ask about criminal history, and a false statement is an offence under the Immigration Act that will follow you through every future application. Declare accurately, and if you have a record, take advice before applying rather than hoping it goes unnoticed.
My new country wants my Singapore certificate apostilled — is that possible?
Yes. The issued Certificate of Clearance is a Singapore public document, so the Singapore Academy of Law — Singapore's Hague Apostille authority since 16 September 2021 — can legalise it directly at its counter at 1 Coleman Street, The Adelphi, for S$10.70 (GST-inclusive), with the request submitted and paid online beforehand. A proxy can attend for you without an authorisation letter, useful if you have already left Singapore. Note the COC is now delivered digitally via FileSG; if the destination authority insists on a wet-stamped paper chain, clarify with them what they accept and check with SAL how the digital certificate is handled before booking flights or couriers.