Updated 2026-11-14
SAPS recruits entry-level Police Trainees through a specific official advert and its eRecruitment portal. The latest official trainee advert available is TRA26/27 for the 2026-2027 intake. Its stated closing date was 13 November 2026, so it is not open on 14 November 2026. The SAPS vacancies portal also shows no active vacancy. Watch that portal for the next official advert rather than relying on social-media posts.
Never pay anyone to apply, be assessed or be recruited by SAPS. The TRA26/27 official advert expressly warns applicants not to pay a fee.
These are the requirements in the latest official TRA26/27 advert. A future intake can change them, so read the new advert in full before applying.
| Requirement | What the TRA26/27 advert says |
|---|---|
| Citizenship and age | You must be a South African citizen and be at least 18 and no older than 35 on the advert's closing date. Documentary proof is required. |
| Schooling and language | You need Grade 12 or an equivalent qualification, with proof. You must be proficient in English and one other official language. |
| Fitness and health | You must pass the physical and medical examination and be physically, medically and mentally fit. For the fitness assessment, the advert specifies BMI of 30 kg/m2 or below and waist circumference of 102 cm or below for males, or 90 cm or below for females. |
| Character and legal record | You must have no previous criminal convictions or pending criminal cases, must not have been declared unfit to possess a firearm, and must not have visible tattoo marks while in SAPS uniform. |
| Work and service commitment | You must be willing to take the oath of office, train where and when SAPS determines, undergo security vetting, and serve anywhere in South Africa. |
| Verification | You must allow a buccal sample, fingerprints and background enquiries. SAPS says vetting includes security screening, reference checks, social-media presence and fingerprint verification. |
The advert gives preference to applicants with a valid light motor vehicle driver's licence, relevant or other three-year NQF 6-or-higher qualifications, and Grade 12 results meeting bachelor’s-degree admission requirements. Preference is not the same as a minimum requirement. The full detail is in the official TRA26/27 police trainee advert.
For TRA26/27, SAPS used its online eRecruitment system. The official advert limited applicants to one application. The closing date in that advert has passed, but these are the steps to use when SAPS publishes another trainee vacancy.
| Step | What to do |
|---|---|
| 1. Find the official advert | Go to the SAPS eRecruitment portal and open the vacancy notice. Check the reference, closing date and requirements before starting. |
| 2. Register and complete your profile | Create an account, enter your profile details, sign in, find the trainee vacancy, complete the multi-step application and submit it. This was the procedure stated for TRA26/27. |
| 3. Submit truthful information | The application must be on the form set by the National Commissioner and affirmed under oath or solemn declaration. SAPS requires proof for key claims such as citizenship, age and Grade 12. |
| 4. Attend selection if invited | All applicants are subject to fitness, psychometric and integrity testing, a medical evaluation and an interview during recruitment, selection and enlistment. SAPS also verifies qualifications, citizenship, residential address and a driver's licence where applicable. |
| 5. Wait for an outcome | For TRA26/27, SAPS said it would correspond only with successful applicants. If you had not been contacted within three months after that advert's closing date, it said you should treat the application as unsuccessful. Being assessed does not guarantee appointment. |
Do not use the older general SAPS application-process page as the final age rule for a new trainee intake. It says younger than 30, while the newer TRA26/27 trainee advert sets 18 to 35. The vacancy-specific advert is the document to follow.
The TRA26/27 advert says successful candidates first complete a one-month induction at a designated police station. They then undergo the Basic Police Development Learning Programme or Introductory Police Development Learning Programme at a SAPS training academy chosen by the National Commissioner.
SAPS also has a general Basic Police Development Learning Programme page describing a 24-month programme with academy and workplace phases. The newer TRA26/27 advert describes an induction, basic training and a 12-month probation period but does not give a total programme length. For the next intake, follow the vacancy-specific notice and any appointment documents SAPS gives you.
No current trainee vacancy is shown on the official SAPS vacancies portal on 14 November 2026. The latest TRA26/27 advert states that it closed on 13 November 2026. Check the official portal for a new advert.
The TRA26/27 advert says applicants with a valid light motor vehicle driver's licence receive preference. It does not list a licence as a universal minimum requirement.
For TRA26/27, yes, if you were not older than 35 on that advert's closing date. Age rules must be checked against the specific new advert when recruitment reopens.
For TRA26/27, SAPS said it would correspond with successful applicants only. It said an applicant not contacted within three months after the closing date should accept that the application was unsuccessful.
No. The TRA26/27 advert says trainees who successfully complete basic training are considered for permanent appointment as constables, following the stated probation arrangement.