The certificate of good conduct will soon be available in digital form under legislation approved by the federal cabinet on Wednesday. The certificate, commonly referred to as a police clearance certificate, shows whether a person has any prior convictions and is required for various professional and volunteer roles, including work with children and young people. In the future, it will be issued both as a paper document and as a digital PDF.
Although the certificate has been available for online application since 2014, it is still printed exclusively on paper and delivered by post. That process is now set to change. “The digital certificate will save citizens time and nerves in the future,” said Federal Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig (SPD). Its introduction, she added, is “a prime example of successful state modernization.”
According to the Justice Ministry, German authorities issue around five million certificates each year. After ID cards and birth certificates, it is one of the most requested official documents. A certificate may be required when applying for a new job or for volunteer work, such as coaching children in sports clubs.
There are different types of certificates, standard, extended, and European, each defined by the scope of entries they include. All three versions are to be digitalized. The draft law will now go to the Bundestag for consideration. Although Bundesrat approval is not required, the upper house may request mediation through the conciliation committee.
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