Certificates and documents
I need a certificate — not sure which one
A general certificate request — we ask one question so you get the right certificate instead of the wrong one.
Start here
For a police or character verification, apply to the police station of your residence; for a panchayat certificate, to the Gram Panchayat.
Who is responsible
A police verification is issued by the police station having jurisdiction over your residence, after checking the records, and is required for passport, certain jobs, licences and sometimes for a loan or a course admission. A panchayat or village certificate is issued by the Gram Panchayat for the same purposes where a police verification is not asked.
Important condition: Passport and government job applications have their own verification format and deadline, so follow the format given in that application rather than a general certificate.
The ladder to Patna
Set your district to see local office numbers
You
Your home, village, or ward — where the problem is.
Start here
For a police or character verification, apply to the police station of your residence; for a panchayat certificate, to the Gram Panchayat.
District
Station House Officer (SHO) / Police Station
Officer in charge of a police station in Bihar, responsible for FIR registration, investigation and first response.
State
Home Department, Bihar (Police)
Police administration, law and order, crime records, emergency response and citizen policing services in Bihar.
State
Government of BiharPatna · state headquarters
State government; departments deliver citizen services through ServicePlus and department portals.
If that does not work
- 1
Apply to the station house officer with the form of the application
Open official page - 2
Ask the Superintendent of Police if the station delays it
Open official page - 3
For a passport, use the passport office's own verification process
Open official page
Sources and evidence
- [1] Home Department / Police, BiharThe police department maintains crime records and issues certificates and verifications at station level in Bihar.
- [2] The Bihar Panchayat Raj Act, 2006The Gram Panchayat issues certificates for residents of its area under the Bihar Panchayat Raj Act.