A criminal record certificate is a document that certifies whether or not you have a criminal record. If you need to prove whether or not you have a criminal record, you can apply for a criminal record certificate.
There are the following types of criminal record certificates:
- Basic criminal record certificate
- extended criminal record certificate
- Certificate of Good Conduct for submission to a government agency
- European criminal record certificate
If you need the certificate of good conduct for personal purposes, you’ll need a standard certificate of good conduct. This is used, for example, for submission to your employer.
You’ll need an extended criminal record check if you
- plan to work with children and youth, for example at a school or a sports club, or
- plan to work with people who require care or with people with disabilities.
The certificate of good conduct for official purposes is intended exclusively for submission to a government agency, for example, if you need a driver’s license. The certificate is then sent directly to the agency that requested it from you. In addition to criminal court decisions, it also includes certain decisions by administrative authorities, such as the revocation of a professional license. If you suspect that the certificate contains entries, you can request that it first be sent to a local court of your choice so that you can review it there.
If you hold citizenship of one or more other EU member states or the United Kingdom in addition to German citizenship, you will receive the requested document as a European Certificate of Good Conduct. In addition to the German certificate of good conduct, it includes information about entries in the criminal record of the home Member State in the language in which it was transmitted, provided that the home Member State requires such transmission under its law.
You can apply for all types of certificates of good conduct online, in person at your local registration office, and—under certain conditions—in writing to your local registration office.
If you would like to apply for a criminal record certificate online:
- Go to the website for applying for a certificate of good conduct and follow the instructions.
- You will then need an electronic ID card, an electronic residence permit, or an eID card—each with an activated PIN—as proof of identity, a compatible smartphone or card reader, the AusweisApp2, and, if necessary, a digital capture device (such as a scanner or digital camera) to upload supporting documents.
- The certificate of good conduct you applied for will then be mailed to your home address.
- If the application was not successful, you will receive a notification either immediately online or at a later date.
If you wish to apply for the certificate of good conduct in person or in writing:
- Submit an application for a certificate of good conduct at the registration office or citizens’ service center responsible for your area. You must prove your identity there. An official identification document is required for this purpose.
- If necessary, you may need to prove that you are a citizen of another EU member state.
- The authority will then forward the application to the Federal Office of Justice.
- If you are applying from abroad, you can submit the application in writing directly to the Federal Office of Justice. To do so, your personal information and signature must be officially certified.
- The certificate of good conduct you requested will be mailed to your home address.
If you are requesting the criminal record certificate for submission to a government agency, it will be sent directly to that agency. If you suspect that the criminal record contains entries, you can request that it first be sent to a local court of your choice. You can then review it there. You can then decide whether it should be forwarded to the government agency or destroyed.
