The government of Benin has introduced a new system for obtaining police records, also known as casier judiciaire, without requiring citizens to upload supporting documents such as birth certificates or identity cards. This new system, which came into effect on November 1, 2026, allows citizens who are already registered in administrative databases to request their police records online through the national public services platform, service-public.bj.
According to a communiqué from the Ministry of Justice and Legislation, the new system uses the citizen's personal identification number (NPI) and existing civil status data to verify their identity. This means that citizens who are already registered in the administrative databases can have their police records validated and delivered automatically without manual processing. The police record can be downloaded immediately after validation.
To use this service, citizens need to log in to service-public.bj with their NPI, select the "Instant Police Record" service, and validate their request. This process can be done from anywhere, including from abroad, making it convenient for Beninese citizens living in the diaspora or those who need the document for a competition, recruitment, or visa application.
The police record was already fully dematerialized in July 2020, and an improved version of the service was launched on March 6, 2026. With this new step, the Ministry of Justice is applying the principle of "Dites-le-nous une fois" (Tell us once), which aims to reduce the number of documents and information required from citizens. The Ministry claims to be the first department to implement this principle.
The cost of the police record remains fixed at 1,900 FCFA, and the Centre national du casier judiciaire (CNCJ) remains responsible for guaranteeing its authenticity. Requests that cannot be processed automatically are transmitted to the CNCJ for examination. The Ministry of Justice says that this simplification aims to limit intermediaries and the risk of extortion.
The new system is expected to benefit not only Beninese citizens but also the administration, which will be able to process requests more efficiently. The Ministry of Justice hopes that this new system will improve the quality of services provided to citizens and reduce bureaucracy.
The introduction of this new system is part of Benin's efforts to modernize its public services and make them more accessible and efficient. The government aims to continue improving its services and making them more convenient for citizens.
Key points
- The new system allows citizens to obtain police records without requiring supporting documents.
- The police record can be downloaded immediately after validation.
- The cost of the police record remains fixed at 1,900 FCFA.
