How To Recover A Lost Or Damaged Matric Certificate

If you lost or damaged your original matric certificate, you must apply for replacement at the Department of Basic Education (DBE) or Provincial Education Department (PED) by completing the Replacement application form.

You can request for the statement of results while waiting for the issue of your certificate. If the certificate is damaged, you must return the damaged certificate to the Department of Basic Education (DBE) or Provincial Education Department (PED).

What should you do?

• Pay the prescribed fee by postal order at the Post Office, cash at DBE / PED office or by cheque.
• Go to the nearest DBE/ PED offices with the following documents:
  • An affidavit stating what happened to your certificate (i.e. if it is lost or damaged)
  • the original national/ senior certificate (if it is damaged), this is not applicable if it is lost
  • The original identity document (ID) and a certified copy.
• Alternatively you can download form, Application for a Replacement Certificate Std’s 5,6,7,8,9,10 or Grade 12, fill it in and post it with the attached documents including the postal order to: Private Bag X895, Pretoria, 0001

Note: If you are abroad (outside South Africa), you can send someone to the Department of Basic Education to fill in the form for you and pay the prescribed fee.

How long does it take?

It takes between four to six weeks for a Replacement certificate to be issued (for records on the system). You can obtain your statement of results immediately.

For records not on the system, it will take longer as records needs to be retrieved from the Archives and loaded on the system.

How much does it cost?

• Replacement certificate: R80.00
• Statement of results: additional R34.00.
• These fees are valid from 01 April 2015 until 31 March 2016.

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