Previous filtering rules for DBS certificates (up to 27 November 2020)
Updated 28 October 2023
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For those 18 or over at the time of the offence
An adult conviction will be removed from a DBS certificate if:
- 11 years have elapsed since the date of conviction; and
- it is the person’s only offence, and
- it did not result in a custodial sentence
Even then, it will only be removed if it does not appear on the list of offences which will never be filtered from a certificate. If a person has more than one offence, then details of all their convictions will always be included.
An adult caution will be removed after 6 years have elapsed since the date of the caution – and if it does not appear on the list of offences relevant to safeguarding.
For those under 18 at the time of the offence
The same rules apply as for adult convictions, except that the elapsed time period is 5.5 years
The same rules apply as for adult cautions, except that the elapsed time period is 2 years.
Further information
The term ‘Caution’ includes reprimands and warnings.
A conviction is a determination of guilt by a court in relation to a specific offence. Multiple offences, whether arising from different occasions or from a single event, and in relation to which a court on one or more occasions reaches a determination of guilt, are to be treated as multiple convictions for filtering purposes.