FAQs

Please see our homepage and click on the level of check you want to read about, you will then be provided with a description of which job roles are eligible for that level of check.

If you are still unsure you can use the DBS eligibility checking tool. It will ask you a few questions about your job role and then let you know which level of DBS check you are eligible for.

Once an application form has been submitted to us we will check that it is filled in correctly and ask for any additional information if something has been missed off the application. As soon as the form is filled in correctly and we have received payment the form will be sent to the DBS for processing.

Once the DBS receive the application form it takes an average of three weeks for them to complete the check and post the disclosure certificate to the applicants home address. Some checks will come back sooner than this and some may take a little longer.

A DBS check can be carried out on anyone over the age of 16.

While there is no official expiry date for DBS Checks any information that is displayed on the certificate is only accurate at the time the check was carried out. There may have been changes to the individuals criminal record since their disclosure certificate was issued therefore we recommend that DBS Checks are carried out every three years to ensure that your records are up to date.

Unless the applicant is on the annual update service, please see below for additional information about this.

When applying for a DBS check you can also join the annual update service, this gives you portability on your disclosure certificate so that you can use it with different companies as long as you are in the same line of work.

It also means that you will not have to apply for a DBS check again as there will be an up to date copy available online that employers can check.

This costs £13 per year and you can register yourself on the update service up to 28 days after the date your certificate has been completed, if you wish to join this service please let us know and we will send you a list of instructions on how to register yourself.

Please note you must register yourself on the annual update service, it is not permitted for a third party such as an umbrella body or an employer to manage your subscription on your behalf.

You should ask the employee bring in their disclosure certificate. You would then go to the DBS website and fill in some information about yourself (company name and your name), you would then fill in the employees disclosure certificate number, surname and date of birth.

You will be provided with one of the following responses:

• This Certificate did not reveal any information and remains current as no further information has been identified since its issue. This means that the individual’s Certificate contains no criminality or barring information and no new information is available.
• This Certificate remains current as no further information has been identified since its issue. This means that the individual’s Certificate did contain criminality or barring information and no new information is available.
• This Certificate is no longer current. Please apply for a new DBS check to get the most up to date information. This means that the individual’s Certificate should not be relied upon as new information is now available and you should request a new DBS check.

You should print out this report and take a photocopy of the employees disclosure certificate to keep for your records.

Please note that an applicant has the right to refuse to show you their disclosure certificate however if you have not seen a copy of it this could put your organisation at risk so you should take this into consideration when deciding whether or not to recruit the individual.

The DBS will post the disclosure certificate directly to the applicant’s home address. As an employer you should ask the employee to bring in their disclosure certificate so that you can take a photocopy to keep for your records, you must not keep the original disclosure certificate as this belongs to the applicant.

Please note that an applicant has the right to refuse to show you their disclosure certificate however if you have not seen a copy of it this could put your organisation at risk so you should take this into consideration when deciding whether or not to recruit the individual.

The DBS will not print another copy of your disclosure certificate if you have lost it. You would be required to apply for a new DBS check as if you cannot find your disclosure certificate you are not covered by a valid DBS Check.