Check your application.
Works for new licences, competency certificates and renewals. We ask the public SAPS enquiry page and explain the answer.
Your reference number is in the SMS SAPS sends once your application is captured.
Independent. Not SAPS. We read the public SAPS enquiry page for you. We never ask for your ID number.
The four legs of every application.
Your result will show one of these. Read what each status means.
Steps 1 to 3
Your police station
Payment is matched and the DFO checks your file. The only leg where you're likely to be contacted.
Steps 4 and 5
Provincial office
A quality check before the file goes to Pretoria.
Steps 6 to 10
Central Firearms Register
Verification, evaluation and the decision. Usually the slowest leg.
Step 11
Decision and collection
Collect your card at the DFO, or appeal a refusal within 90 days.
About checking a status.
How often does SAPS update the enquiry page?
The SAPS page shows the date its data was last refreshed. A status can sit on one step for weeks without anything being wrong.
Should I add my serial number?
Only if you're tracking a licence for a specific firearm and want the result narrowed to it. The reference number alone is usually enough. For competency certificates, leave it blank.
The status hasn't changed in weeks. Is something wrong?
Probably not. The Central Firearms Register and Licensing Section steps often take a month or more each. If it's been more than about 120 working days since your application was captured, it's reasonable to ask your DFO. How long each step takes
Do you store my reference number?
Not unless you save it to an account. A one-off check is passed to SAPS and the answer is shown to you. Privacy
The SAPS page is down. What now?
If it doesn't answer, wait a few minutes and try again. If you've saved your application, recheck it from your dashboard later.