The Registration of Criminals Act is amended to allow the record of a conviction kept in the Register of Criminals for a less serious crime to be considered as spent if the person stays clean after a specified period. The purpose is to help such deserving ex-offenders put their past behind them and re-integrate into the society.

Police Records Office operates from 9 am to 5pm from Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays.

Under the Registration of Criminals Act, there are stipulated criteria to ensure that the need to provide a second chance to ex-offenders is balanced with the security of the rest of society. These criteria are listed in the new section 7B and 7C of the Registration of Criminals Act.

First, the person must satisfy a crime-free period. This is a period of 5 years starting from either the date of sentence (for cases where no term of imprisonment is imposed) or the date of release from legal custody. During the 5 years, the person must not be convicted of another crime, or be unlawfully at large for a crime. He must not be detained or placed under police supervision under the Criminal Law (Temporary Provisions) Act, and he must not be subject to supervision or admitted to a drug rehabilitation centre or other centre for drug or inhalant abuse.

Secondly, the person must not be disqualified from having his record spent on any of the grounds in section 7C , which are that -- 

1. his conviction was for any offence specified in the Third Schedule;
2. the sentence imposed on him for that conviction included- i a term of imprisonment exceeding 3 months; or ii a fine exceeding $2000;
3. that conviction was for a crime committed within 5 years after he had been released from-
   i) an approved institution under the Misuse of Drugs Act; or
   ii) an approved centre under the Intoxicating Substances Act;
4. he has been detained or subject to police supervision under the Criminal Law (Temporary Provisions) Act anytime before that conviction;
5. from the time being, he has a warrant of arrest for any offence issued against him which is outstanding ;
6. he has more than one criminal conviction in the register kept by the Police, whether or not those convictions arise from the same particular occasions; or
7. he has had any previous record in the criminal register being rendered spent

An electronic portal was launched by the Police to allow ex-offenders round-the-clock convenience to check whether their personal criminal records have been marked as spent.

The electronic portal may be accessed via the internet websites: http://www.spf.gov.sg or http://www.ecitizen.gov.sg , by using the NRIC number as the login ID and SingPass (Singapore Personal Access) as the authentication password. More information on SingPass can be found on the SingPass website at http://www.ecitizen.gov.sg/singpass/index.htm.

Persons who have no internet access or wish to clarify the contents of the information on the electronic portal may call the inquiry hotline at 6557 5700 during office hours, 9am – 5pm to make an appointment to meet the counter staff of the Police Records Office located at Police Cantonment Complex, in order for the Police to ascertain their identities and safeguard the confidential information.

Step 1

Access the electronic portal at
http://www.spf.gov.sg/epc/spent_enquiry.html

Step 2

Click on ‘Check Spent Criminal Record’ button at the bottom of the screen.

Step 3

Enter your NRIC number at the SingPass login page and enter the password at the next page.

More information on SingPass can be found on the SingPass website at http://www.ecitizen.gov.sg/singpass/index.htm .

For enquiries or clarifications on the Spent Status, please contact our counter staff at Police Records Office at:

Tel      : +65 - 6557 5700
Email : SPF_CID_CNCC@spf.gov.sg
Fax : +65 – 6223 6793