Questions

The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) helps employers make safer recruitment decisions and prevent unsuitable people from working with vulnerable groups, including children. Therefore it replaces the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) and Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA)

The DBS also issue Basic DBS checks to individuals across the UK

DBS checks are required for many job roles, and the type of check your employee will need will depend specifically on the role they are applying for

Please visit https://dbschecks.org/which-dbs-check for a list of job roles that require DBS checks

You might need one to apply for licences, such as if you are looking to sell alcohol, or also to apply for visas when travelling overseas

Businesses can apply through our website for themselves and their employees, for Basic, Standard and Enhanced level DBS check. The role they will be employed for will determine if they will be checked against either, or both, of the barred lists.

The barred lists are:

The Children’s barred list

The Vulnerable Adult’s barred list

Individuals can apply for a Basic level DBS check only

A full list of acceptable means of identification is listed below

Route 1:

The applicant must be able to show:

• one document from Group 1, below
• two further documents from either Group 1, or Group 2a, or 2b, below

At least one of the documents must show the applicant’s current address.

If the applicant isn’t a national of the UK and is applying for voluntary work, they may need to be fingerprinted if they can’t show these documents.

Route 2:

Route 2 can only be used if it’s impossible to process the application through Route 1.

If the applicant isn’t a national of the UK and is applying for voluntary work they can’t use Route 2.

If the applicant doesn’t have any of the documents in Group 1, then they must be able to show:

• one document from Group 2a
• two further documents from either Group 2a or 2b

At least one of the documents must show the applicant’s current address. The organisation conducting their ID check must then also use an appropriate external ID validation service to check the application.

Route 3:

Route 3 can only be used if it’s impossible to process the application through Routes 1 or 2.

For Route 3, the applicant must be able to show:

• a birth certificate issued after the time of birth (UK, Isle of Man and Channel Islands)
• one document from Group 2a
• three further documents from Group 2a or 2b

At least one of the documents must show the applicant’s current address. If the applicant can’t provide these documents they may need to be fingerprinted.

Group 1 – Primary Identity Documents

• Valid passport (any nationality) up to 6 months after expiration
• Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) – UK issued
• Current Driving Licence Photocard (Full or Provisional) – UK, Isle of Man, and Channel Islands. From 8 June 2015, the paper counterpart to the photocard driving licence will not be valid and will no longer be issued by DVLA
• Original UK birth certificate (issued within 12 months of date of birth) – UK, Isle of Man, and Channel Islands – including those issued by UK authorities overseas, for example embassies, High Commissions and HM Forces Adoption Certificate (UK)
• e-Visa
• Application Registration Card (ARC)

Group 2a – Trusted Government Documents

Statements and bills need to be dated within 3 months of your application

• Current driving licence photocard – all countries outside the UK (excluding Isle of Man and Channel Islands)
• Current driving licence (full or provisional) – paper version (if issued before 1998)
  UK, Isle of Man, and Channel Islands
• Birth certificate issued after time of birth
• Marriage certificate/Civil Partnership Certificate – UK, Isle of Man and Channel Islands
• European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)
• Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC)
• HMRC self-assessment or tax demand letters
• Immigration document, visa, or work permit Issued by a country outside the UK. Valid only for roles whereby the applicant is living and working outside of the UK. Visa/permit must relate to the non-UK country in which the role is based
• HM Forces ID card (UK)
• UK Firearms license

• Mortgage statement – issued in the last 12 months
• UK Bank or Building Society statement – issued in the last 3 months
• Non-UK Bank or Building Society statement – issued in the last 3 months
• UK Bank or Building Society opening confirmation letter – issued in the last 3 months
• UK Credit card statement – issued in the last 3 months
• Financial statement, for example pension or endowment – issued in the last 3 months
• P45/P60 statement – issued in the last 12 months
• Council tax statement – issued in the last 12 months
• Non-UK letter of sponsorship from future employment provider – must still be valid
• UK Utility bill – not mobile telephone bill – issued in the last 3 months
• UK Benefit statement, for example Child Benefit, pension – issued in the last 12 months
• UK Central or local government, government agency, or local council document giving entitlement, for example from the Department for Work and Pensions, the Employment Service, HMRC – issued in the last 3 months
• EEA National ID Card – must still be valid
• Irish Passport Card – must still be valid
• Cards carrying the PASS accreditation logo – UK, Isle of Man and Channel Islands – must still be valid
• Letter from head teacher or college principal – UK – for 16 to 19 year olds in full time education – only used in exceptional circumstances if other documents cannot be provide – must still be valid

Cost: The service typically costs £12.75 for document certification 

The Process:

• 1. Print: Print off the Post Office letter we have linked you to
  2. Visit Branch: Take your original documents (not photocopies) and the letter to a participating Post Office branch.
  3. Verification: Staff will check your documents, take photocopies of them, and then stamp the letter and the photocopies
  4. Email: The easiest way is to take photos of the documents with your phone, and email them back to us, making sure to use your application reference number
     
     You must bring original documents

All documents have to be received electronically by us, and therefore if you post mail to us, we’re very sorry but it will be rejected and destroyed, and you will still need to send the documents electronically

We only need to see identity documents for Basic check applicants. Employers verify the identity documents of their employees themselves, and we don’t need sight of them

It takes anywhere between 3 and 14 days to get your certificate, with the average being 10 days. However, certificates are issued by Disclosure Scotland and The Disclosure & Barring Service England & Wales, and therefore the issue time is out of our hands. Also, please note that it could take longer if further information is requested by us and / or the Disclosure & Barring Service

The application will be thoroughly checked by our professional team of advisers. If there are any errors or omissions, we will email you and ask you to correct these. As you are the employer, you will be able to verify the documents on behalf of the employee. Once we have received all of the information required, we will process the application, and email you your 11 digit unique reference number

Track your Employers Standard & Enhanced DBS Checks here

Compensation order

On discharge of the order (i.e when it is paid in full)

The certificate is the property of the person named on it

I am afraid you cannot apply through this service. You need a current UK address to apply here

If you need a Standard or Enhanced Level DBS check, it would usually be your employer applying for it on your behalf. However, not everyone has an employer.

If you are self-employed, you can ask a fellow contractor, an employee, or someone you are collaborating with on a project, to verify your identity documents.

Please note that they will receive a copy of all email correspondence we have with you, as well as your result, but only you will receive the certificate itself

This service is classed as a Distance Contract under the Consumer Contracts Regulations, and you are entitled to a 14 day cancellation period, which starts on the day after you agree to our services

As the service that we carry out for you starts immediately we receive your application, when you submit the application and go through to payment, this assumes you have read this condition and therefore consent for us to start working for you within this cancellation period

If our service for you is completed in full within the 14 day period, these cancellation rights will not apply, and no refund can be given

If we have acknowledged your request for cancellation before any work has commenced on your application, a refund of your application fee minus £30 will be processed in 7 to 10 working days

Please note that if you haven’t provided us with the required information and documents within 6 months of your application date, no refund can be given and your application will have been deleted as we adhere to GDPR regulations

Please refer to our secure policy handling page

You can email our Customer Service department and we will reply promptly, during business hours. Please note that we WILL NOT accept identity documents posted to us. They will be immediately destroyed

This service is classed as a Distance Contract under the Consumer Contracts Regulations, and you are entitled to a 14 day cancellation period, which starts on the day after you agree to our services

As the service that we carry out for you starts immediately we receive the application, we need your consent to start working for you within this cancellation period. This consent is assumed when you submit an application and proceed to the payment stage

If you cancel after we commence the service for you, you will be liable to pay us for the work we have already carried out for you. If our service for you is completed in full within the 14 day period, these cancellation rights will not apply

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/474742/Code_of_Practice_for_Disclosure_and_Barring_Service_Nov_15.pdf