Citizens in Bénin can now obtain their judicial record, or casier judiciaire, instantly through an online portal. The government launched this digital service on 1 November 2026 to streamline access for the public. Users may access the system by visiting the service-public.bj platform to complete their requests. This new digital infrastructure replaces manual procedures for retrieving official criminal history documents. The initiative marks a shift in administrative operations for the justice sector as the country moves toward digitizing state services. By utilizing this online tool, applicants avoid physical visits to court offices to secure their records. The platform is currently operational for all citizens requiring immediate access to their judicial documentation. The judicial record (casier judiciaire) can be obtained instantly online via the service-public.bj platform since November 1, 2026.
Accessing the Digital Platform
Users can access the digital service by providing their national personal identification number (NPI). The platform requires no additional supporting documents from applicants to verify their identity or process the request. The service is available to users with a national personal identification number (NPI) without requiring additional supporting documents. This verification method relies directly on the existing national identification database to confirm the status of the individual.
Applicants must pay a fee of 1,900 francs CFA to receive an instant copy of their judicial record. The cost for the instant delivery of the judicial record is 1,900 francs CFA. The payment system integrates with the portal to facilitate the delivery of the document immediately upon the completion of the transaction.
Automated systems handle the majority of record requests submitted through the portal. Officials send applications that cannot be processed automatically to the National Center for Judicial Records (CNCJ) for manual review. Requests that cannot be processed automatically are forwarded to the National Center for Judicial Records (CNCJ). Personnel at the National Center for Judicial Records (CNCJ) then verify the information before finalizing the issuance of the record to the applicant.
Government authorities first initiated the online service for judicial records through a dematerialization process in July 2020. The online service for judicial records was first initiated through a dematerialization process in July 2020. This earlier effort aimed to transition paper-based archives into a digital format to prepare for the current, fully automated platform. The initial stage of the project involved scanning and indexing existing records to ensure that the database could support instant digital retrieval for citizens. The digitization of the archives was a necessary precursor to the current instant-access system, ensuring that records previously held only in paper form could be accessed through the digital portal. By integrating these historical records into the new, centralized digital infrastructure, the government has ensured that all citizens, regardless of when their records were created, can benefit from the automated retrieval process. This systematic transition from physical archives to a digital database forms the backbone of the current service-public.bj platform, allowing for the rapid verification and issuance of documents that once required significant time to process manually.
