Report a problem about a criminal record check or barring decision

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Dispute a mistake on your DBS certificate

You can raise a dispute for a standard or enhanced check if you believe there’s been a mistake in either:

  • the records provided, like wrong or irrelevant information on convictions
  • personal information, like your name

There is a different process for disputing information on a basic check certificate.

The police may ask for fingerprints to prove your identity if there’s a mistake in the records.

How to raise a dispute

Report the mistake within 3 months of the date on the certificate.

For mistakes in records

Fill in the certificate dispute form.

For mistakes in personal information

Fill in Section A of the certificate dispute form, or call the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) customer services team.

Dispute a DBS update service certificate change

Call customer services if you subscribe to the DBS update service and want to dispute the status of a certificate. They’ll send out the forms you need to raise a dispute.

DBS customer services
Telephone: 0300 0200 190
Minicom: 0300 0200 192
Welsh: 0300 0200 191
International: +44 151 676 9390
Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm
Find out about call charges

Send the form to:

DBS
Disputes
Customer Services
FREEPOST RTHU-TRJY-KSHY
PO Box 165
Liverpool
L69 3JD

Independent Monitor review

DBS will work with the police to make a decision about your dispute. If the police do not agree there’s a mistake, the dispute will be referred to the Independent Monitor only if the objection is that information is:

  • not relevant to the position applied for
  • should not be included in the certificate

The enhanced certificate will be corrected if the Independent Monitor agrees with your dispute.

You must raise a dispute with DBS before a referral to the Independent Monitor is made.

Contact the Independent Monitor
IndependentMonitor@homeoffice.gov.uk

Independent Monitor
Home Office
3rd Floor Peel
2 Marsham Street
London
SW1P 4DF