Effective Date: 1 April 2026
Last Updated: 1 April 2026
These Terms and Conditions govern your use of the website www.expunge.co.za and the services provided by Criminal Record Expungement Services (Pty) Ltd (Registration No. 2023/754468/07), trading as CRES.
By accessing this website or engaging our services, you agree to be bound by these Terms. If you do not agree, please do not use this website or our services.
1. Important Disclaimer
Criminal Record Expungement Services (Pty) Ltd is a private company that provides professional assistance with criminal record expungement applications under Section 271B of the Criminal Procedure Act 51 of 1977 and the Judicial Matters Amendment Act 2023.
We are not:
- The South African Police Service (SAPS)
- The SAPS Criminal Record Centre
- The Department of Justice and Constitutional Development (DoJ&CD)
- A law firm or legal practice as defined by the Legal Practice Act 28 of 2014
- A government department, agency, or entity of any kind
Our services are administrative and facilitative in nature. We assist clients in preparing, compiling, and lodging expungement applications with the relevant authorities. No attorney-client relationship is created by using our services unless a separate written legal services agreement is entered into.
The company is owned by a practicing attorney with over 30 years of experience. However, the standard expungement facilitation services offered through this website are administrative services and do not constitute legal advice.
2. Services and Scope
CRES provides the following services:
- Free eligibility assessments for criminal record expungement
- Assistance with obtaining criminal record checks (SAPS 91(a) reports)
- Preparation and lodging of expungement applications with the Director-General of the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development
- Liaison with relevant government departments on your behalf
- Status tracking and updates throughout the process
No guarantee of outcome: While we apply our expertise to every application, the final decision on whether to grant an expungement rests solely with the Director-General of the Department of Justice. We cannot guarantee any particular outcome. Past results, testimonials, and estimated timelines do not constitute guarantees of future outcomes.
3. Fees, Payment, and Refunds
3.1 Fees
All fees are quoted in South African Rand (ZAR) and are payable in advance before work commences. Our current fee structure is published on our Pricing page. Fees are inclusive of all professional service charges unless otherwise stated.
3.2 Cooling-Off Period
In terms of the Consumer Protection Act 68 of 2008, you have the right to cancel this agreement within 5 (five) business days of making your first payment, provided no documentation has been submitted to any government authority on your behalf. A full refund will be issued in such cases.
3.3 Refunds After Cooling-Off
After the cooling-off period or once work has commenced (whichever occurs first), refunds will be assessed on a pro-rata basis, taking into account work already performed. An administrative fee of R850 per hour for work already completed may be deducted from any refund. No refund is payable once an application has been submitted to the Department of Justice.
3.4 Payment Methods
Payments may be made by EFT (electronic funds transfer) or through our secure online payment gateway. All online transactions are protected by industry-standard SSL encryption.
4. Client Obligations
As a client of CRES, you agree to:
- Provide accurate, truthful, and complete information at all times
- Submit all required documentation within 21 days of being requested to do so, failing which we reserve the right to close your file
- Respond to our communications in a timely manner
- Bear any costs associated with obtaining original documents, fingerprinting, courier services, or notarisation
- Not misrepresent your identity or criminal history
5. Intellectual Property
All content on this website, including text, graphics, logos, images, and software, is the property of Criminal Record Expungement Services (Pty) Ltd and is protected by South African copyright and intellectual property laws. You may not reproduce, distribute, or create derivative works from any content on this website without our prior written consent.
6. Limitation of Liability
To the maximum extent permitted by South African law:
- Our total liability to you shall not exceed the fees paid by you for the specific service in question
- We shall not be liable for any indirect, consequential, or special damages arising from the use of our services or this website
- This website and its content are provided “as is” without any warranty of any kind, whether express or implied
- We do not warrant that an expungement application will be successful, nor that it will be processed within any specific timeframe
7. Dispute Resolution
Any dispute arising from these Terms or our services shall be resolved as follows:
- Negotiation: The parties shall first attempt to resolve the dispute through good-faith negotiation within 14 days of written notice.
- Mediation: If negotiation fails, the dispute shall be referred to mediation under the rules of the Arbitration Foundation of Southern Africa (AFSA) in Pretoria.
- Arbitration: If mediation fails, the dispute shall be finally resolved by arbitration under AFSA rules, administered in Pretoria. The arbitrator’s decision shall be final and binding.
These Terms are governed by the laws of the Republic of South Africa, and the parties submit to the jurisdiction of the courts of the Gauteng Division, Pretoria.
8. ECT Act Disclosures (Section 43)
In compliance with the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act 25 of 2002:
- Full name: Criminal Record Expungement Services (Pty) Ltd
- Registration number: 2023/754468/07
- Physical address: Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa
- Email: hello@expunge.co.za
- Telephone: +27 12 883 6843
- Website: www.expunge.co.za
9. Changes to These Terms
We reserve the right to update or modify these Terms at any time. Changes will be effective immediately upon publication on this website. Your continued use of our website or services following any changes constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms. We encourage you to review this page periodically.
10. Severability
If any provision of these Terms is found to be invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect.
For questions about these Terms, please contact us at hello@expunge.co.za or call +27 12 883 6843.