Sooner or later a job offer abroad, a visa application or a professional licence asks for the one document most Malaysians have never heard of: a Certificate of Good Conduct. It is Malaysia's police clearance certificate, it is issued by Wisma Putra rather than the police station down the road, and the single most useful thing to know is that it takes months, not days.
Start early. That is the whole advice, and the rest is mechanics.
What a Certificate of Good Conduct actually is
The Certificate of Good Conduct — CGC, or Sijil Kelakuan Baik — is a document issued by the Consular Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Wisma Putra), confirming the outcome of a criminal records check conducted by the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM).
Foreign employers, immigration authorities and some regulators ask for it under different names: police clearance certificate, police check, criminal record certificate. In Malaysia's case they all mean the CGC. It is not issued over the counter at a balai polis, and it is not the same as a letter of good conduct from an employer.
Who can apply
Two groups qualify.
Malaysian citizens, wherever they currently live.
Foreign nationals and permanent residents who have resided in Malaysia for at least six months under a long-term pass — an employment pass, student pass, or a spouse-of-Malaysian pass, for example. Short tourist stays do not qualify.
Applications are submitted by the individual concerned. A third party cannot apply on your behalf as a convenience.
What you need before you start
Have these ready as scans before opening the portal — the form will ask for them and a half-finished application is a waste of an evening.
- MyKad, or passport for non-citizens
- A passport-sized photograph meeting the portal's specifications
- Your Malaysian address history
- The purpose of the application, stated specifically — employment, migration, study, licensing
- The country and authority the certificate is being submitted to
- Supporting proof of purpose where you have it: an offer letter, a visa application reference, a university letter
- For non-citizens: your pass details and evidence of at least six months' residence
- An online payment method
The purpose field matters more than people expect. A vague entry is a common reason an application comes back for clarification, which resets your waiting time.
Step by step through e-Konsular
Since 2013, applications have been online only. Everything happens through the e-Konsular portal, reachable directly or through kln.gov.my under the services menu.
- Register an account on e-Konsular using your own identity details. Use an email address you will still have access to in six months.
- Select the Certificate of Good Conduct module and start a new application.
- Complete the form, including purpose, destination country and receiving authority.
- Upload your documents. Check file size and format limits before you start rather than after a rejection.
- Submit and pay online. The fee is RM20 per copy.
- Wait for vetting. PDRM conducts the criminal records check. This is the long part.
- Collect. Since 01/03/2025, approved applicants can download and print a digital CGC from the portal, within seven days of the online payment being made. A physical certificate can also be collected at the Consular Division at Wisma Putra in Putrajaya, at consular counters in Sabah and Sarawak, or at a Malaysian mission abroad.
Wisma Putra publishes a user guide for the CGC module with the current screen-by-screen flow, which is worth skimming before you begin.
How long it takes, and how much
The fee is RM20 per copy. That part is simple.
Timing is not. Official guidance places the PDRM security vetting at 30 to 90 working days before an approval decision is reached — and working days exclude weekends and public holidays, which in Malaysia is a meaningful gap between the number on the page and the date on the calendar.
Ninety working days is roughly four and a half months of real time. Applicants going through overseas missions should allow for mission-side handling on top of that.
Two implications worth acting on. If your deadline is inside three months, apply today and tell the receiving party the application is in progress. And if you might need more than one copy, order them together rather than starting a second application later.
Where applications get stuck
Most delays are self-inflicted and avoidable.
- Vague purpose. "Personal" is not a purpose. Name the employer, the visa class or the regulator.
- Name mismatches. Your application must match your identity document exactly, including spelling and sequence.
- Address history gaps. Incomplete residence history slows the police check.
- Expired supporting documents. A pass or offer letter that has lapsed will draw a query.
- Dead email address. Notifications go to the address on the account, and a missed request for clarification adds weeks.
- Missing the seven-day download window. Diarise it.
If something stalls, the Consular Division publishes a contact email, [email protected], and telephone lines at Wisma Putra. Have your application reference ready before calling.
Worth doing at the same time
If you are assembling documents for a move abroad, this is the natural moment to check everything else with an expiry date. Passport validity is the usual trap — most destinations want six months' remaining validity, and renewing a Malaysian passport online is far faster than a CGC, so people leave it too late by assuming it is the slow one.
Bookmark the portals while you are at it. Our list of Malaysian government portals worth bookmarking covers the official addresses, which is the simplest defence against the copycat sites that charge a fee to submit a free-to-submit form on your behalf.
FAQ
How much does a Certificate of Good Conduct cost in Malaysia?
RM20 per copy, paid online through the e-Konsular portal at the point of application.
How long does a CGC take to process?
Official guidance places PDRM security vetting at 30 to 90 working days before an approval decision. Working days exclude weekends and public holidays, so allow up to four to five months of real time and apply as early as you can.
Can I apply for a Certificate of Good Conduct at a police station?
No. Since 2013 applications are submitted online through e-Konsular, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs portal. PDRM conducts the records check, but the certificate is issued by Wisma Putra.
Can foreigners in Malaysia apply?
Yes, if they have resided in Malaysia for at least six months under a long-term pass such as an employment pass, student pass or spouse pass. Tourist visits do not meet the residence requirement.
How do I collect the certificate?
Since 01/03/2025 approved applicants can download and print a digital CGC from e-Konsular within seven days of online payment. Physical collection is available at the Consular Division at Wisma Putra in Putrajaya, at consular counters in Sabah and Sarawak, or at a Malaysian embassy, high commission or consulate abroad.
Does the certificate expire?
The CGC itself carries an issue date rather than a fixed expiry, but the authority receiving it usually sets its own limit — commonly three or six months from issue. Check the receiving authority's requirement before applying, so you do not get a valid certificate that arrives outside their accepted window.
