Graphic: The Philippines Web
To get a police clearance online in 2026, register at pnpclearance.ph, book an appointment at the police station you prefer, pay the ₱150 clearance fee (plus a small convenience fee) through the Landbank ePayment portal, then go to the station on your schedule with one valid ID for your photo, signature and fingerprints. If you already had your biometrics taken at an NPCS station within the last three years, you may be able to renew fully online and download the clearance without lining up at all.
The online system is the PNP’s National Police Clearance System (NPCS), and because it is a nationwide system, you choose the police station yourself when you book, so you can pick one near your work or your bahay. Below are the steps, the requirements, the fee and the mistakes that cost people a second trip.
How to get a police clearance online: 4 steps
These steps follow the PNP’s current “How to Apply for a National Police Clearance” guide on the NPCS site.
- Register an NPCS account. Go to pnpclearance.ph and click Register. You need an active email address. Confirm your account through the email NPCS sends (check your spam folder if it does not arrive), then sign in. Type your name, birth date and email carefully: the NPCS terms say these fields cannot be edited once the account is saved.
- Complete your profile and book an appointment. Click Edit Profile, fill in the rest of your details and save. Then click Clearance Application, choose the purpose, your preferred police station and an available date. Save the appointment and note the reference number it generates.
- Pay online. Click the payment button to go to the Landbank ePayment portal. Besides Landbank and BancNet cards, the guide says you can choose Cash Payment for partners such as GCash/PayMaya, 7-Eleven and Bayad Center. Keep the payment confirmation slip or electronic official receipt.
- Go to the station on your appointment date. Bring your valid ID, proof of payment and reference number. Staff will take your biometrics, photo and signature. If there is no “hit,” you wait for your name to be called and get your clearance. If there is a hit, a verification officer will tell you what to do next before the clearance is released.
Paalala on timing: the NPCS terms say an unpaid appointment is cancelled if you have not paid two banking days before your schedule, and your payment is forfeited if you cancel or do not show up. Pay early and only book a date you can really make.
Police clearance requirements 2026
For a first-time, in-person application, the NPCS guide lists:
- One (1) valid government-issued ID, original and not expired, with a clear photo, your signature and your full name.
- Proof of payment (payment confirmation slip or e-OR).
- Your NPCS appointment reference number.
- Personal appearance for photo, electronic signature and fingerprints. This is required for all first-time applicants.
The IDs NPCS accepts include the PhilID or PhilSys National ID, Philippine passport, LTO driver’s license, PRC license, GSIS or SSS UMID, SSS ID, Pag-IBIG ID, PhilHealth ID, TIN ID, postal ID, voter’s ID, PWD ID, senior citizen’s ID, OFW ID, school ID with registration form, birth certificate, barangay residence certification, IBP ID, Marina ID, LTOPF ID, Alien Certificate of Registration, and AFP, PNP, BFP, BJMP and PCG IDs.
One requirement is the official rule, but an older NPCS slide guide still asks for two IDs. Tip lang: bring a second ID just in case your station follows the old list.
Last checked: October 31, 2026, against the NPCS application guide and terms on pnpclearance.ph.
How much is a police clearance in 2026?
The NPCS guide says the clearance fee “is cost Php150 only,” plus a convenience fee that varies with the payment channel you choose. NPCS does not publish a fixed amount for that convenience fee, so check the total on the Landbank page before you confirm.
About the proposed increase: on May 29, 2026, the PNP posted an advisory proposing to raise the fee from ₱150 to ₱170, citing inflation, operating costs and the ₱30 documentary stamp tax (GMA News, Inquirer). Both outlets headlined the proposal as ₱200, but the PNP advisory they quoted says ₱170. Inquirer reported that the PNP had not said when it would take effect. As of our October 31 check, the NPCS guide still lists ₱150. We will update this page if the new fee is implemented.
First-time jobseekers: under Republic Act 11261 (First Time Jobseekers Assistance Act), you can get the clearance for free, but only once. Bring your First Time Jobseeker certification together with your valid ID to the station. The same law covers the NBI clearance; see our NBI clearance guide for how that one works.
Last checked: October 31, 2026.
Police clearance appointment: tips para hindi ka bumalik
- Use only pnpclearance.ph. Philippine embassies have warned about look-alike sites such as policeclearanceph.ph that collect personal data (Philstar; Philippine Embassy in Washington).
- Check your spelling before you save. The NPCS terms say the PNP will not reprint a clearance with errors you typed yourself. You would have to fix your account and apply again, with a new appointment, payment and biometrics.
- Pick a station you can reach on time. You choose the station when you book. Pick AM or PM based on when you can actually get there.
- A “hit” is not automatically a criminal record. It can be a name match. Follow the verification officer’s instructions; the clearance printout reflects any hit record and its status.
Renewing without appearance
NPCS says a clearance “may be” renewed without appearance for three years from your last in-person appearance. To use it:
- Log in to the same NPCS account you used last time. Do not create a new one.
- Choose the renewal application without appearance and update your profile.
- Upload a 2×2 photo with a white background and a selfie holding a valid government ID.
- Pay, wait for processing, then download the clearance from your NPCS account profile.
NPCS does not publish a processing time for non-appearance renewals.
If you are abroad, bedridden or cannot appear
NPCS issues a Clearance Certification for first-time applicants who cannot go to a station: Filipinos working or based in another country, bedridden applicants, petitioners applying for probation or bail, and deceased persons. The NPCS homepage links the tutorial for this process.
For questions, the NPCS One Stop Shop at Camp Crame, Quezon City lists (02) 8723-0401 local 7663 and +63 927 964 6657, Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
Frequently asked questions
How much is a police clearance in 2026?
The NPCS guide lists the clearance fee at ₱150, plus a convenience fee that depends on the payment channel you pick on the Landbank ePayment portal. In May 2026 the PNP proposed raising the fee to ₱170, but as of October 31, 2026 the NPCS guide still shows ₱150 and no effective date for the increase had been announced.
How long is a police clearance valid?
The NPCS terms say a National Police Clearance is valid for six months. After that you apply again, and if your last in-person appearance was within three years, you may be able to renew online without going to the station.
Can I renew my police clearance without going to the police station?
Possibly. NPCS allows non-appearance renewal for three years from your last in-person appearance, using the same NPCS account. You update your profile, upload a 2×2 photo with a white background and a selfie holding a valid government ID, pay, and download the clearance from your account once it is processed. NPCS says the clearance “may be” renewed this way, so it is not guaranteed.
Is a police clearance the same as an NBI clearance?
No. The police clearance is issued by the PNP through NPCS and checks PNP crime databases, while the NBI clearance is issued by the National Bureau of Investigation. Some employers and offices accept either, others ask for a specific one, so check with whoever is asking before you pay.
More step-by-step government guides are on our Explainers hub, including the NBI clearance, PhilSys National ID and passport guides.
Sources
- PNP National Police Clearance System, pnpclearance.ph: appearance, non-appearance and Clearance Certification options; One Stop Shop contact (checked Oct 31, 2026)
- PNP NPCS, “How to Apply for a National Police Clearance: A Simple Guide” (PDF): 4 steps, ₱150 fee plus convenience fee, one valid ID, first-time jobseeker and renewal notes (checked Oct 31, 2026)
- PNP NPCS, registration terms and conditions: six-month validity, three-year non-appearance renewal, valid ID list, payment and forfeiture rules (checked Oct 31, 2026)
- GMA News, “PNP proposes increasing police clearance fee to P200” (May 29, 2026): ₱150 to ₱170 proposal (checked Oct 31, 2026)
- Inquirer, “PNP proposes national police clearance fee hike to P200” (May 29, 2026): current ₱150 fee, no implementation date given (checked Oct 31, 2026)
- Philstar, “Beware of fake police clearance, e-travel websites” (Feb 28, 2025) and the Philippine Embassy in Washington advisory (Feb 21, 2025): pnpclearance.ph is the only official site (checked Oct 31, 2026)
Last checked: October 31, 2026.
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