A character certificate in Punjab, also called a police character or police clearance certificate, tells an employer or embassy whether the police hold any criminal record against you. This guide explains where to apply, what is and is not online as of September 2026, the documents, the fee and how long it takes.

The good news is that you no longer have to travel to your home district. The bad news is that fees and times differ between official pages, so it helps to know both before you go.

What a character certificate in Punjab is

The certificate is issued by the district police: the e-Khidmat Markaz says the relevant District Police Officer (DPO) or Capital City Police Officer (CPO) issues it. Before it is issued, the police check their records for your name and address. It is commonly asked for when you travel abroad, take a job overseas or apply for immigration.

Most people apply through a Police Khidmat Markaz (PKM), the Punjab Police citizen facilitation centres built with the Punjab Information Technology Board. The official portal is pkm.punjab.gov.pk, which lists 43 centres in 36 districts. For everything else these centres do, see our Police Khidmat Markaz guide.

character certificate Punjab: GoPunjab key facts card
Apply at any Police Khidmat Markaz in Punjab. The certificate is sent to you by courier.

Where to apply in Punjab

1. Any Police Khidmat Markaz. Lahore Police says you can now apply for a character certificate at any PKM in Punjab, instead of going to the district where your address is. You pay at the counter, get a receipt, and the certificate comes to you by courier.

2. An e-Khidmat Markaz. The e-Khidmat Markaz also takes character certificate applications. Its page lists a TCS envelope with a Rs 500 ticket, and delivery within 18 working days.

3. At home, through Dastak. The Dastak Citizen App lists Character Certificate among its Punjab Police services, as a doorstep service. A facilitator comes to you and handles the application, for a service charge. See our Maryam Ki Dastak guide or call 1202.

4. From abroad. If you are out of the country, Lahore Police says any blood relative (father, mother, brother or sister) can submit the form with your authority letter, stamped by the relevant embassy.

You can also apply at a Pakistani embassy or consulate under PKM Global. For a character certificate, the PKM portal’s embassy page asks for:

  • Your original valid NICOP or CNIC, with a front and back photocopy
  • Your previous passport, with copies of its first four pages
  • A NOC from your head of department, if you are a government or semi-government employee
  • A copy of your foreign passport, PR card or other proof of status abroad, if you have one
  • A self-addressed express or registered post envelope

The same page lists the embassies that offer this service.

What is online, and what is not

As of September 2026, this is what we could confirm:

  • Booking a doorstep visit in the Dastak Citizen App: yes.
  • The Punjab Police Pakistan app (by PITB, on Google Play and the App Store) lists Character Certificate among its services. We could not confirm whether you can finish and pay for the whole application in the app, so check it before you rely on it.
  • Tracking your application on pkm.punjab.gov.pk with your tracking number: yes.
  • A national online system: Dawn and ProPakistani reported on 4 and 5 August 2026 that the federal government had approved a nationwide online police clearance system run by the National Police Bureau. We found no live portal for Punjab applicants yet, and the Bureau’s own clearance page currently covers applicants for Spain only.

Documents you need

Lahore Police lists these for a PKM application:

  • Your original CNIC (or B-Form) with a photocopy
  • Your original passport with a copy
  • An affidavit
  • An authority letter stamped by the embassy, if you are abroad and a relative applies for you
  • A photograph, when a blood relative applies on your behalf

The e-Khidmat Markaz list adds an application form, CNIC and passport copies attested by a district gazetted officer, one unattested passport-size photo, and a departmental NOC for government officers. Take originals of everything.

The fee and how long it takes

Two official police and Punjab government pages give different figures:

SourceFeeTimeDelivery
Lahore Police (lahorepolice.punjab.gov.pk)Rs 350, paid at a PKM counter3 working days after you applyCourier
e-Khidmat Markaz service pageRs 500 TCS envelopeWithin 18 working daysTCS courier

The difference is partly the route and the courier. Fees can change, so confirm the amount at the counter, and pay only against a receipt. A Dastak facilitator adds a service charge.

After you apply: track and verify

Keep your receipt and tracking number. You can check progress on the PKM portal’s Track page. Once you have the certificate, an employer or embassy can check that it is genuine: Punjab Police has a Character Certificate Verification page on punjabpolice.gov.pk, and the PKM portal has a document Verify page.

If you face a problem with the police while applying, the PKM portal says complaints against the police can also be submitted at a Police Khidmat Markaz. You can also use the Pakistan Citizen’s Portal.

Stay safe from fraud

  • Apply only at a Police Khidmat Markaz, an e-Khidmat Markaz, through a facilitator booked in the Dastak Citizen App, or at a Pakistani embassy.
  • Pay only the official fee, and always get a receipt. Nobody can “clear” your record for money.
  • Never share an OTP or password, and ignore websites or agents offering certificates without a police check.
  • Report bribe requests on the Pakistan Citizen’s Portal or to the Punjab Anti-Corruption Establishment.

To see which Punjab and federal programs your household may qualify for, try our free eligibility checker.

GoPunjab is an independent information website. We are not Punjab Police, the e-Khidmat Markaz or Dastak. We cannot issue a certificate or run a police check. We only explain how the official process works so you can do it yourself.