DBS checks explained: a guide for employers

A DBS check is a criminal-record check used in England and Wales to help employers make safer recruitment decisions. There are four levels, and the level a role can have depends on its actual duties, not the job title.

What “DBS” means

DBS stands for the Disclosure and Barring Service, the public body that processes criminal-record checks and maintains the barred lists for England and Wales. A “DBS check” is a criminal-record check carried out through the DBS. In Scotland these checks are handled by Disclosure Scotland, and in Northern Ireland by AccessNI — different systems with their own rules.

The four levels of DBS check

The eligibility principle

The single most important thing to understand is that eligibility depends on the role’s actual duties and setting, not the job title. There is no eligibility requirement for a Basic check; for Standard, Enhanced and Enhanced-with-barred-list checks the role must be legally eligible, and it is the employer’s responsibility to establish that before requesting the check. [GOV.UK] You cannot simply request a higher level “to be safe” — which DBS check do I need? explains why that is unlawful.

Regulated activity and the barred lists

A barred-list check is only available for roles that are regulated activity with children and/or adults. Regulated activity with children and regulated activity with adults are defined separately, and the barred lists (the Children’s Barred List and the Adults’ Barred List) are separate too. Our Enhanced with barred list & regulated activity guide explains both frameworks in detail.

What changed in 2026?

From 1 September 2026 the “supervision exemption” was removed from the definition of regulated activity with children in England and Wales (with a corresponding change in Northern Ireland), so some supervised roles working with children can now be regulated activity if the frequency or overnight conditions are met. [GOV.UK] The change applies to children, not adults — the full explanation is on the regulated activity guide.

The DBS Update Service

The Update Service lets a Standard or Enhanced certificate be kept up to date so employers can carry out an online status check instead of applying for a brand-new certificate (it does not cover Basic checks). It needs the individual’s consent and the employer’s legal entitlement to that level. Our Update Service employer guide covers exactly how it works.

Paid roles vs volunteers

Volunteers can be eligible for the same levels of check as paid staff where the role qualifies, and there is no DBS application fee for a volunteer who meets the DBS definition of a volunteer. The eligible level still depends on the duties, not on whether the role is paid.

A DBS check is one part of safer recruitment

A DBS check is an important safeguard, but it is not a complete decision about someone’s suitability. Safer recruitment also includes references, interviews, verifying identity and qualifications, right-to-work checks and ongoing management. A certificate reflects a point in time, so many organisations set a policy for when to review or re-check. Keeping that evidence organised is exactly where compliance software helps — see DBS record keeping & compliance.

Explore the DBS guides

• Which DBS check do I need?Basic, Standard, Enhanced or Enhanced with a barred-list check? Eligibility depends on the role's actual duties, setting and regulated-activity status — not the job title. A UK employer guide.
• DBS checks for employersHow UK employers establish eligibility, request the correct level of DBS check through the proper route, check identity, handle certificates lawfully and keep safer-recruitment records.
• Enhanced with barred list & regulated activityWhen a role needs an Enhanced DBS check with a children's or adults' barred-list check, what regulated activity means for each, and the 1 September 2026 change to regulated activity with children.
• DBS Update ServiceHow the DBS Update Service works for employers: it covers Standard and Enhanced certificates only, needs the individual's consent and your legal entitlement, and what a status check does and does not tell you.
• DBS record keeping & complianceOfficial rules mean you must not keep copies of DBS certificates — only limited record-of-check metadata. What to record, how long to keep it, and how compliance software helps you track it.
• DBS eligibility guidance checkerA free guided tool that helps UK employers work out which official DBS eligibility guidance to review for a role. Guidance only — it does not make a legal eligibility determination.