Government and NGO jobs · 6 min read
Z83 form 2026: how to fill it in, section by section, and where to download it
There is no 2026 Z83. Use the form effective 1 January 2021, one for each post, fill in every field you can, then sign and date it. Here is what goes in each section.
The Z83 is the application form for national and provincial government posts. Public Service Vacancy Circular 39 of 30 October 2026 still tells applicants to use the new Z83 effective 1 January 2021, so anything labelled Z83 2026 is just that same form. You can download it free from the DPSA, and you should never pay anyone for it. Each post needs its own form with its own reference number. If you leave it unsigned, a department can disqualify you.
Where do I download the right Z83?
Download it from the DPSA, not from a site that asks you to sign up or pay. There are two versions, and they're the same form. The first is the PDF to print and fill in by pen. The second is an editable PDF you can type into, and then print or sign. Look for Effective 01 January 2021 at the top right of page 1. An old form can sink your application: one advert in Circular 39 says applications on the old Z83 will not be considered.
Section A: the post
Copy the post title and the department exactly as the advert prints them, and don't shorten them. Then copy the reference number. The form also asks when you can start, or how much notice you must give. If you have a job, write your notice period. If you don't, write immediately.
A mistake here is costly, because the panel can't tell which post you mean. Check the reference again if you're applying for two similar posts.
Section B: personal information
Use your names and ID number exactly as they are in your ID. Foreign nationals give a passport number and answer the work permit question. Race and gender are there for the Employment Equity Act, and the form says it treats your details as confidential.
Then come the yes or no questions. Answer all of them honestly, and give details where you answer yes:
- Have you been convicted or found guilty of a criminal offence, including an admission of guilt?
- Do you have a pending criminal case?
- Have you been dismissed for misconduct from the Public Service?
- Do you have a pending disciplinary case?
- Have you resigned from a recent job pending a disciplinary proceeding?
- Have you been discharged or retired from the Public Service on ill-health grounds, or on condition that you can't be re-employed?
- Do you do business with the State, or are you a director of a company that does?
The form also asks for your total years of experience, split into private and public sector, and for your registration number if your job needs one, such as with the South African Nursing Council. If you have no experience, write 0 rather than leaving it blank. The Department of Employment and Labour's tips say to write N/A where a question doesn't apply to you, so that nothing is left empty.
A yes doesn't end your application. The form says a criminal record will be weighed against the job, but a false answer can get you disqualified or disciplined later.
Sections C and D: contact and languages
Section C asks your preferred language and how you want to be contacted, by post, email, fax or telephone. Give details you'll actually check for months, since panels can be slow. The Labour tips suggest telephone, as it's quick.
Section D asks you to rate each South African official language you use, for speaking and for reading or writing, as good, fair or poor.
Sections E, F and G: qualifications, work and references
Section E lists your qualifications from highest to lowest. Section F lists your jobs, with months and years and why you left, and says to attach a detailed CV as well. Section G asks for references, with the relationship and an office-hours phone number.
Departments differ here, and this is where people get confused. Sample wording in Circular 39 says all fields of Sections A, B, C and D must be completed in full, while E, F and G may say refer to CV or see attached, as space is limited. But the same wording says the question in Part F about conditions that prevent re-appointment must still be answered. The Department of Employment and Labour's older tips go further and say not to write attached CV at all.
Our advice is simple: fill in every field you can, even if it repeats your CV. A full form can't be rejected for being too complete. Use the references the tips suggest, such as previous supervisors, and not friends or family.
Sign, date and initial it
Sign the declaration, and date it. Initial both pages: there's a space at the foot of each page. The form's own note says failure to sign may lead to disqualification, and the Labour tips call an unsigned or undated form an immediate disqualification.
There's one exception we found. The Eastern Cape Department of Education says that the Z83 made by its e-recruitment system can't be signed yet, so it won't disqualify you for that, and you sign on or before the interview day. Read the note for your own advert.
How to send it
Read the Applications line in your advert. Departments in Circular 39 use different routes: provincial portals, email, walk-in boxes and web forms. Here's what different adverts in that circular asked for:
- A Z83 and a recently updated comprehensive CV as two attachments on a web form: leave one out and you're disqualified
- One single PDF by email, up to 15 MB, not encrypted
- The reference number in the email subject line
- A provincial e-recruitment system that creates the Z83 for you
Many adverts ask for certified copies only from shortlisted people, on or before the interview day, so don't send them unless your advert asks. The Z83 notes that departments must accept certifications up to 6 months old, unless the advert allows longer.
The next circulars are due on 6, 13, 20 and 27 November and 4 December 2026, according to the DPSA year programme. Use our application tracker to keep your references and closing dates in one place.
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Frequently asked questions
Is there a new Z83 for 2026?
No. Circular 39 of 30 October 2026 tells applicants to use the form effective 1 January 2021. That's the current one.
Can I use one Z83 for many posts?
No. Each post needs its own form with its own reference number, even at the same department and for the same kind of work.
Can I fill in the Z83 on my phone?
You can fill in the editable PDF on a phone with a PDF app, but check that it saved and that your signature is on it. Many people find it easier to print and fill it in by hand.
Do I need certified copies with the Z83?
Usually not at first. Many adverts in Circular 39 ask only shortlisted people for them. If your advert says something different, follow your advert.
Do I pay to apply with a Z83?
No. The form is free, and applying is free. If someone charges you for the form, or to send it in, walk away.