The three levels — and who is allowed to order each
A DBS check (Disclosure and Barring Service — England & Wales) comes in three levels, and the single most useful thing to know is who can request each one:
| Level | Cost | Shows | Who orders it |
|---|
| Basic | £21.50 | Unspent convictions and conditional cautions only | You — direct on GOV.UK, for any purpose |
| Standard | £21.50 | Spent and unspent convictions and cautions | The employer, via DBS or a registered umbrella body |
| Enhanced | £49.50 | Standard + any local police information relevant to the role | The employer — roles like healthcare and childcare |
| Enhanced + barred lists | £49.50 | Enhanced + whether you are barred from the role | The employer — regulated activity with children or vulnerable adults |
So if a job asks you to “sort your own DBS”, that almost always means the basic check. For standard and enhanced checks the employer gives you the form, you return it with identity documents, and the certificate is posted to you — you then show it to them. Checks are free for volunteers at standard and enhanced level, so a charity or sports club should never pass a fee on to you.
Worried about your record? Read this first
A basic check shows
only unspent convictions and conditional cautions — GOV.UK notes some types of caution become spent after just
3 months. Even on standard and enhanced checks, filtering rules under the rehabilitation system mean
many old or minor records are removed and never appear. Before assuming the worst — or talking yourself out of applying — check what will actually show: the charities
Nacro and
Unlock give free, confidential advice on criminal records and job applications.
Getting the basic check — the £21.50 route
- Go direct: gov.uk/request-copy-criminal-record — the official service, £21.50, available 8am–11:30pm. You must be 16 or over.
- Sign in with GOV.UK One Login (create one free if you do not have it) and have ready: your addresses for the last 5 years with dates, plus your passport, driving licence and National Insurance number if you have them.
- Wait about 3 days. GOV.UK says processing usually takes up to 3 days, then a paper certificate is posted to you. Lost your NI number? Find it free.
The basic check is for people working in England and Wales — you can still use it if you live in Scotland or Northern Ireland but the job itself is in England or Wales. Employers can also get basic checks for staff through a separate responsible-organisation route — same £21.50 level.
The copycat trap — do not pay £40–£60 for a £21.50 certificate
Search “DBS check” and official-looking third-party websites appear above or beside GOV.UK, charging
£40–£60 or more for the same basic certificate — the extra is pure mark-up, sometimes dressed up as a “fast-track” or “checking service”.
You cannot pay to speed a DBS check up — GOV.UK says so in terms — so the premium buys nothing. Type
gov.uk directly, and if a site asking for your card and identity details feels off, run it through our
scam checker first. Already paid a copycat? Ask your card provider about a refund — our
ripped-off guide walks it through.
The Update Service — one certificate, every job
Standard and enhanced certificates have no official expiry date — it is up to each employer when they want a fresh one. That is where the DBS Update Service earns its keep:
- £16 a year — free for volunteers. Your standard or enhanced certificate stays “live”, and you can take it from job to job instead of paying for a new check each time.
- Employers check it free — online, instantly, with your permission. They see whether anything has changed since the certificate was issued.
- The deadline is the catch: register within 30 days of the certificate being issued — or during the application itself using your form reference number. Miss the window and you would need a whole new check to join.
- One year per subscription; you can renew up to 30 days before it ends (or set automatic renewal when you first register) — let it lapse and you start again with a new check.
Basic checks are different
The Update Service covers standard and enhanced checks only. For basic checks there is a separate free DBS online-services account instead — and since a basic check is £21.50 and quick, many people simply order a fresh one when asked.
Scotland & Northern Ireland — different systems
The DBS covers England and Wales. In Scotland criminal record checks run through Disclosure Scotland (basic disclosure you can order yourself via mygov.scot, plus the PVG scheme for regulated roles). In Northern Ireland it is AccessNI via nidirect. Both have their own current fees — check them on the official sites, and apply the same rule: go direct, never via a paid middleman.
Do this now
Been asked for a basic check? Order it tonight, direct: gov.uk/request-copy-criminal-record — £21.50, about 3 days, done. Need standard or enhanced? That is the employer’s job to arrange — chase them, not a website.
Just received a standard or enhanced certificate? Diary the 30-day Update Service window today — £16/yr (free as a volunteer) can save you a £49.50 check at every future job. Unsure about anything on your record? Nacro and Unlock are free and confidential. DBS helpline: 03000 200 190.