Check someone's criminal record as an employer
Get a standard or enhanced DBS check for an employee
How you request a standard or enhanced check depends on how many checks you do a year.
If you do:
- fewer than 100 checks a year you must use a company known as an ‘umbrella body’
- 100 or more checks a year you can choose to register with DBS or use an umbrella body
How to do a check
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Ask DBS or your umbrella body for an application form.
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Give the form to the applicant to fill in.
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The applicant will return the completed form to you along with documents proving their identity.
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Send the completed application form to DBS or your umbrella body.
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DBS will send a certificate to the applicant. You must ask the applicant to show it to you so you can check it’s a genuine certificate.
How much it costs
How much it costs depends on the type of check.
| Type of check | Cost |
|---|---|
| Standard | £18 |
| Enhanced | £38 |
| Enhanced with barred lists | £38 |
Checks are free for volunteers.
How long it takes
It usually takes around 14 days but it can take longer if:
- the details given for the check are incorrect
- several police forces need to be involved in the check
You cannot pay more to get a faster check.
If you’re registered with DBS you can use the tracking service to track multiple applications.
Checks on carers
If you provide care services for adults (for example in a care home), you can use a service called DBS Adult First.
This will confirm, usually within 2 days, if the applicant:
- can start work, as long as they’re supervised
- should wait for the results of an enhanced check
The service costs an extra £6.