What Is a DBS Check? UK Guide to Basic, Standard & Enhanced Certificates 2025

In the United Kingdom, criminal records checks were formerly known as CRB (Criminal Records Bureau) checks or certificates. Since 1 December 2012, however, these have been called DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) checks or certificates.

DBS checks are criminal record checks. Criminal record checks are not only important when applying for certain job positions in the UK. Increasingly, due to the global mobility of the population, they’re required for job positions abroad, too. To take but one example, in China − a country where the British Council estimates around 1 million English language teachers are working, hundreds of thousands being expats − a police check is mandatory before being able to work in an educational environment.

Figures from the Disclosure and Barring Service also reveal the increasing need for DBS checks. In the year 2023-2024, some 7.37 million DBS certificates were issued (including Basic, Standard, Enhanced and Enhanced with Barred Lists checks, which will be explained later in this article). This is a significant increase from the average of four million DBS certificates purported to be issued annually on the GOV.UK website in 2021. 

In this article, we’ll outline the following DBS-related aspects:

• The types of DBS certificates, and when each type may be required;
• The procedure and processing time when obtaining a DBS certificate;
• The validity period of a DBS certificate;
• The information contained within a DBS certificate; and
• Steps for ensuring a UK-issued DBS certificate can be used overseas.

What Is a DBS Check and How Does It Work in the UK?

A DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check is a criminal background screening process used in the UK to help employers make informed recruitment decisions. It reveals information about an individual’s criminal history and, depending on the level of check, may include details about their suitability to work with vulnerable groups such as children or adults. Criminal record checks are now essential for many roles across various sectors, including education, healthcare, social care and security.

The DBS certificates differ from the ACRO Police Certificate in that DBS certificates are specifically designed for use within the UK, typically for employment and voluntary positions, while ACRO Police certificates are used predominantly outside of the UK for immigration, visa and foreign employment purposes.

How DBS Checks Work 

The Verification Process

The DBS check process follows a systematic four-stage verification procedure to ensure accuracy and security.

1. Identity verification − forms the foundation of every DBS check. Applicants must provide robust identity documentation, including multiple forms of ID such as passports, driving licences and utility bills. A complete address history for the past five years is also required to prevent fraudulent applications.
2. Eligibility Assessment − ensures the requested check level matches the specific job role requirements. Enhanced checks have strict eligibility criteria that must be met, and only registered organisations can request Standard and Enhanced level checks on behalf of applicants.
3. Application Processing − takes place through secure government systems where automated checks are conducted across multiple official databases. Complex cases or those with discrepancies require additional manual reviews by trained personnel.
4. Certificate Issuance − completes the process with certificates issued directly to applicants, while employers receive confirmation of the check outcome. All personal information is handled according to strict data protection standards throughout the entire process.

Database Searches Conducted

DBS checks involve comprehensive searches across multiple official databases to ensure thorough background screening. These include the Police National Computer (PNC), the Police National Database (PND), barred lists and local police records (both consulted for Enhanced checks only).

How Information Is Compiled

The compilation process follows strict protocols to ensure accuracy and fairness. Automated systems retrieve and cross-match relevant records from each database using personal identifiers.

Information is filtered based on the check level (explained below): Basic checks include only unspent convictions and conditional cautions, Standard checks add spent convictions, while Enhanced checks incorporate additional police intelligence reviewed for relevance.

For Enhanced checks, local police forces and Chief Police Officers determine what non-conviction information is proportionate and relevant to the specific role. Multiple quality assurance stages prevent errors, with senior officers reviewing contentious decisions and an appeals process available for disputed information.

Security and Data Protection

All data transmission is encrypted and secure, with information only shared with authorised parties. Strict GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018 compliance is maintained throughout the entire process.

Types of DBS Certificate

There are four types of DBS checks, and each type results in a DBS certificate being issued to an individual.

The four levels of DBS check are:

1. Basic DBS check
2. Standard DBS check
3. Enhanced DBS check
4. Enhanced with Barred List(s) DBS check

Basic DBS Check

A Basic DBS check is a check of any conditional cautions and unspent convictions, under the terms of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA) 1974.

A Basic DBS check can be obtained by anyone over the age of 16 living (or looking to live and work) in England and Wales.

An individual can apply for a Basic DBS check directly to DBS through the online application route, or an employer can apply for a Basic DBS check on an individual’s behalf through a Responsible Organisation (RO), if they have consent.

There are no legislative or eligibility requirements to have a Basic DBS check, so anyone aged 16 or over can apply at any time, and you can request this as part of your recruitment process.

What Information Does a Basic DBS Check Show? 

A Basic DBS check reveals only unspent criminal convictions and active conditional cautions. Spent convictions remain hidden under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, ensuring individuals can move forward from past mistakes. Unlike Enhanced checks (see below), Basic DBS certificates do not include police intelligence, non-conviction information, or any spent offences, making them the most limited form of criminal background screening available in the UK.

Standard DBS Check

A Standard DBS check will, in addition to the searches conducted through a Basic DBS check, include searches for information relating to any spent convictions, in addition to unspent convictions.

Standard DBS checks are used for a wide variety of occupations, particularly those not involving regular work with vulnerable groups, but requiring a higher level of trust, such as security guards, prison staff and positions in the financial or legal sectors. 

Enhanced DBS Check

An Enhanced DBS check will, in addition to the searches conducted through both a Basic and Standard DBS check, include searches for relevant non-conviction information from the police. 

These DBS checks are done for jobs where staff work with or have contact with children and vulnerable adults, such as teachers, nurses, social workers and carers. Enhanced checks are also required for specific licenses, like taxi licenses, or for roles such as those involving the Gambling Commission. Individuals can’t apply for an enhanced check themselves. Instead, a recruiting organisation must request it for a specific job role to determine eligibility.

Enhanced with Barred Lists DBS Certificate

This version of the Enhanced DBS check will further include a search of the Children’s and/or Adults’ Barred List check.

A check of the Children’s Barred List and Adults’ Barred List is part of this Enhanced DBS Check in the UK, which is used to determine if an individual is prohibited from working with children or vulnerable adults.

Understanding Your DBS Certificate: Example and Format

What Information Does a Basic DBS Check Reveal in the UK?

Examples of DBS certificates in the UK vary depending on the type of check conducted (Basic, Standard, Enhanced, or Enhanced with Barred Lists). Each certificate includes different levels of information, but generally shows:

• Personal details of the applicant (e.g., name, date of birth).
• The type of DBS check undertaken.
• Details of any convictions, cautions, reprimands, or warnings that are relevant to the check.
• For Enhanced and Enhanced with Barred Lists checks, it may include local police information and whether the individual is barred from working with vulnerable groups.
• The date of issue and unique certificate number.

DBS Certificate Examples and Format Guide

For more on what’s included in a DBS certificate, see the GOV.UK PDF “A Quick Guide to DBS Checks”. The governmental website also includes notes on the security features of a DBS certificate. 

How to Apply for a DBS Certificate: Procedure, Processing Times and Costs

Basic DBS Certificate

To apply for a Basic DBS certificate, you’ll be required to prove your identity using GOV.UK One Login. 

In addition, you’ll need to provide addresses for the last five years (including the dates you lived at each address), as well as your:

• Passport (if available)
• driving licence (if available)
• National Insurance number

Generally, a Basic DBS certificate will be issued in three working days.

Standard and Enhanced DBS Certificates

It should be noted that only employers can apply for Standard and Enhanced DBS certificates and not employees themselves.

How the employer applies for a standard or enhanced DBS certificate depends on the total number of DBS checks performed per year.

• If the employer performs fewer than 100 DBS checks per year, then the employer must use the services of an ‘umbrella body’. A list of current umbrella bodies can be found on the DBS website, here; and
• If the employer performs 100 or more DBS checks per year, then the employer – provided they are registered with DBS – can perform the DBS checks themselves or use the services of an umbrella body.

How long does an enhanced DBS take? Generally, 14 working days. 

Comparison of Processing Times and Fees According to DBS Type

The estimated timeframe and fees to obtain a DBS certificate depend on the nature of the certificate, as illustrated below:

Note: Additional handling fees may apply depending on whether a service provider has been used. Standard, Enhanced and Enhanced with Barred Lists DBS checks are free-of-charge for volunteers; however, the organisation that submits your application may still charge a fee for processing the check. Basic DBS checks always involve a fee, even for volunteer roles.

How to Apply for a DBS Check Online: UK Guide

This step-by-step guide applies to the Basic DBS check only:

Prepare Required Information and Documents

• Have your National Insurance number ready.
• Collect your address history for the last five years with dates.
• Gather valid ID documents such as passport, driving licence, or birth certificate.
• Have a debit or credit card to pay the fee (£21.50).
• Visit the GOV.UK DBS application portal. 

Verify Your Identity

• Use a secure identity verification service as part of the application. Options may include companies like Royal Mail, Experian, the Post Office, etc.
• This process usually takes 5-15 minutes.

Complete the Online Application Form

• Provide your full name, any other names you have been known by, and your address history.
• You will not be asked for any criminal record details.
• Choose where to send the certificate (your home address is recommended).

Submit and Pay

• Pay the fee online when applying via debit/credit card or other accepted methods.
• Submit your application.

Receive Your DBS Certificate

• The certificate is usually sent by post to the address you specified within about three working days, though timing can vary.

Share the Certificate if Needed

• If required, you can share the certificate with your employer or organisation.

Does a DBS Certificate Expire or Need Renewing in the UK?

A DBS certificate doesn’t have an expiry date per se, but the organisations that rely on the contents of a DBS certificate have their own internal renewal periods for employees’ DBS checks.

For example, in the teaching sector, a DBS may need to be renewed every three years or sooner, depending on the specific policy adopted by the educational institution.

Steps for Ensuring a UK-Issued DBS Certificate Can Be Used Overseas

As stated earlier, while DBS certificates are often used in the UK, foreign employers increasingly require foreign applicants to obtain and provide criminal records checks from their home country before accepting them to work in a particular profession.

For UK applicants, DBS certificates will be the relevant criminal records check to provide in this regard. For applicants in other countries, their own country’s equivalent form of a criminal records check would be required. 

In this instance, applying for the DBS certificate is but the first step in the process. This is because for the DBS certificate to be officially recognised outside of the UK, the original DBS certificate will need to be further:

• Notarised: This requires the services of a qualified and practising notary public who will certify that the DBS certificate is an original, authentic document. This certification is what the overseas recipient is looking to obtain from an independent officer, namely the notary; 
• Apostilled: This next stage requires the notarised document to be further apostilled by the United Kingdom Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). The apostille is a form of certification limited to confirming the name, title, signature and seal of a public officer who has signed and/or affixed their seal to a document (in this instance, that of the notary public); and
• Legalisation: Sometimes known as ‘Consularisation’, this typically applies to those countries that are not currently contracting parties to the Hague Apostille Convention. In such instances, the notarised and apostilled document must be further legalised/consularised by the destination country’s respective Embassy/Consular presence in the country in which the document is issued (in this instance, the United Kingdom).

Once the above steps are completed, the final document can then be submitted to the specific party requesting the same in the country of use.

For UK nationals wishing to work abroad, note that an ACRO Police Certificate is usually required for visa or work permit applications (although some countries still accept both DBS certificates and ACRO certificates). The original ACRO Police Certificate will need to be apostilled by FCDO and, in some cases, further legalisation may be required by the embassy/consulate of the receiving country’s presence within the United Kingdom.

Conclusion

Disclosure and Barring Service checks are a commonly required document for persons being employed in the UK or abroad, more generally.

The level of DBS certificate required in a particular instance depends much on the sensitivity of the job position vis-à-vis children and the vulnerable.

At Notary.co.uk, we can assist you in notarising, obtaining an apostille and (where necessary) legalising your DBS certificate for use outside of the United Kingdom.

To find out more about our notary services, please email us at info@notary.co.uk or call us on 020 7630 1777 today.