Vehicle Police Clearance

Frequently asked Questions about Vehicle Police Clearances

Why is it unnecessary to obtain a Police Clearance after my vehicle was Stolen and Recovered?
Your vehicle will have the so called S mark on the system and you could be apprehended at a road block for driving a stole vehicle. You would also not be able to renew your licence or register your vehicle.
Why is it necessary to obtain a Police Clearance after a Engine Change?
Engine number is one of the identification marks on your registration documents. You will not be able to get a RWC or registration if the identification numbers on your vehicle and your registration documents does not correspond.
Why is it necessary that the identification numbers on my vehicle corresponds with my registration documents?
As the identification numbers are just what they say they are used to identify your vehicle and the legal owner. If they do not correspond you could face the following obstacles
" The vehicle could be impounded as a possible stolen vehicle
" You would not be able to cross any border.
" You would not be able to get a RWC or register the vehicle.

My Vehicle was Stolen - What now?
" Other than the fact that theft and robbery (hijacking) are common law offences, the National Road Traffic Act, 1996 (Act No 93 of 1996), states that the theft of a motor vehicle must be reported to the South African Police Service by the vehicle owner within 24 hours after he/she has become aware of such theft or robbery.
" Because of trauma or shock, complainants very often cannot remember the registration (licence) numbers of their vehicles. It is therefore advisable to take your vehicle registration document along or present it to the police as soon as possible. Many of these original documents are kept by the title holder (financial institutions) and a copy of it will be sufficient.
" At the Community Service Centre (police station) of the South African Police Service, a member needs to take down a very comprehensive statement from the complainant in order to register a case and is therefore authorized by the complainant to have the vehicle in question? s details circulated on the SAPS? s Circulation System (Vehicles). This is a computer system which is available to all SAPS members to enquire whether a vehicle has been reported as stolen. The SAPS? s Circulation System (Vehicles) is interfaced with the Department of Transport? s National Traffic Information System (NaTIS), the official vehicle registration system of the country. When the information is circulated on the SAPS? s system the vehicle? s record on NaTIS is automatically marked as stolen and the vehicle in question is marked as ? clearance required? .
" It is very important to mention distinguishing marks by which your vehicle can be identified later on while your statement is being taken down. The fact that your vehicle was fitted with a tracking device or things like the microdotting technology, is important to be stated, as these are excellent technologies assisting in the tracing or identification of stolen vehicles. Remember that you also have the responsibility to inform your tracking company of the theft in order to speedily activate the tracing devices fitted to your stolen vehicle.
" The National Road Traffic Act (hereafter referred to as the Act) requires that the owner of the vehicle must notify the appropriate registering authority of a theft within seven days after the date upon which the owner became aware of the theft.
" The Act also requires that the title holder (eg. bank) must notify the appropriate registering authority of a theft within three months after the date on which the title holder was notified of
My stolen vehicle was recovered - what should I know?
" You will be required to recognize the vehicle in the presence of a SAPS member and to submit a statement to this fact.
" The SAPS often identify stolen vehicles by other means if the criminals removed the original identification numbers. The SAPS member may then require that you submit a statement prior to identification in order to ensure that it coincides with the recognition of the vehicle that might follow.
" Report the recovery of your vehicle to the registering authority where the vehicle was registered within 24 hours after such recovery as required by the Act and furthermore to ensure that the stolen mark as indicated on the NaTIS, is removed as soon as possible. (In a lighter vein: Ensure that you are not arrested while driving your own vehicle which is still listed as stolen!) The registering authority could once again require you to complete certain prescribed forms.
" Enquire from the registering authority whether you must obtain the so-called CCL form which must be completed by the SAPS whereby you will be exempted from being liable to pay licence fees for the duration of the theft. According to the Act, exemption from paying licence fees is rendered during the period of theft or during the period a vehicle is impounded by the SAPS
" Enquire from the SAPS whether your vehicle should be fitted with the so-called SAPVIN number as required by the Act if the criminals have removed the original vehicle identification numbers, ie. chassis and/or engine number(s).
" As all vehicles are marked as ? clearance required? when reported as stolen, a Request for Police Clearance (RPC) document must be obtained from the registering authority where the vehicle in question is registered and the vehicle must then be taken to the SAPS Vehicle Clearance Office serving this registering authority. The SAPS will then examine the vehicle and complete the RPC after which the registered owner must return the RPC to the same registering authority. In cases where the vehicle? s identification numbers have been removed and replaced with a SAPVIN as stated above, the registered title holder must obtain a new registration certificate and the owner must obtain a new licence disc stating this SAPVIN.