DBS checks for the self-employed & contractors
Two questions get tangled together: which check a self-employed role is eligible for, and who can apply for it. The rule to hold onto is that an application route does not make a role eligible — the role has to qualify first. This page keeps eligibility and the application route separate.
The core principle
Eligibility for Standard, Enhanced and Enhanced-with-barred-list checks comes from the role’s duties — regulated activity, a specified-place role carried out often enough, or a profession listed in law. Being self-employed does not create eligibility, and neither does simply entering a school, care home or hospital. [GOV.UK] Work out the level from the duties first (see which DBS check do I need?), then use the routes below.
What changed on 21 January 2026
From 21 January 2026, self-employed people and personal employees who are paid for their role can apply for their own Enhanced or Enhanced-with-barred-list check, provided the role is eligible, by using a DBS Umbrella Body. [GOV.UK] That route covers Enhanced checks only. A Standard check cannot be applied for by the individual at all: it is requested by an organisation that engages you and submitted through a Registered Body, or an umbrella body where the organisation carries out fewer than 100 checks a year. [GOV.UK] The January 2026 route also does not let a private individual (for example a parent hiring a tutor) apply on the worker’s behalf; the worker applies themselves via an umbrella body. [GOV.UK]
Employment status → duties → check → who submits → route
| Situation | Eligible check | Who submits | Route |
|---|---|---|---|
| Self-employed, no qualifying duties (ordinary trade) | Basic | You | Apply for a Basic check yourself |
| Self-employed, role eligible for Enhanced / Enhanced + barred list | Enhanced (+ barred list where the role is regulated activity) | You (since 21 Jan 2026) | Via a DBS Umbrella Body |
| Self-employed, role eligible for a Standard check | Standard | The individual cannot self-apply | Requested by the engaging organisation via a Registered Body / umbrella body |
| Contractor engaged by an organisation | Per the role | The organisation may apply on your behalf | The organisation’s own registered/umbrella route |
| Engaged by a private individual (e.g. a parent or client) | Per the role | The individual cannot apply for you | You apply yourself (Basic, or Enhanced via an umbrella body if eligible) |
Can I get this DBS check myself?
| Level | Self-apply? | Route |
|---|---|---|
| Basic | Yes | Apply for a Basic check yourself |
| Standard | No — the individual cannot self-apply | Requested by the engaging organisation via a Registered Body / umbrella body |
| Enhanced | Yes, if the role is eligible (since 21 Jan 2026) | Via a DBS Umbrella Body |
| Enhanced + barred list | Yes, if the role is eligible (since 21 Jan 2026) | Via a DBS Umbrella Body |
Worked examples
| The role | Likely direction (confirm) |
|---|---|
| Self-employed tutor teaching children one-to-one | Eligible for Enhanced + Children’s Barred List → self-apply via an umbrella body |
| Freelance sports coach working with children regularly | Likely Enhanced + Children’s Barred List → self-apply via an umbrella body — confirm |
| Self-employed care worker providing personal care to adults | Eligible for Enhanced + Adults’ Barred List → self-apply via an umbrella body |
| Independent healthcare professional | Depends on regulated activity; if eligible, Enhanced (+ barred list where it is regulated activity) — confirm |
| Subcontractor working in a school | Not eligible just for being on site — depends on contact/frequency; the engaging school usually arranges it. Confirm. |
| Maintenance/construction contractor entering regulated premises | Usually Basic; higher only if the regulated-activity or specified-place conditions are met — confirm |
| Ordinary self-employed tradesperson, no child/adult contact | No Standard/Enhanced from the trade → Basic available |
Not sure which level applies?
Our free DBS eligibility guidance checker walks you through the official criteria and points you to the guidance to confirm against. It is guidance, not a legal determination.
Open the DBS eligibility checker →Where Complys fits
Complys does not carry out DBS checks and is not an umbrella body. For firms that engage contractors it helps keep the record that each check was done, its level and date, and renewal reminders against each contractor record — within the official handling rules (see DBS record keeping & compliance). See also contractor compliance.
FAQs
Can I get a DBS check on myself if I'm self-employed?
You can always obtain a Basic check for yourself. Since 21 January 2026, if your role is eligible you can also apply for your own Enhanced or Enhanced-with-barred-list check through a DBS Umbrella Body. An individual cannot apply for a Standard check themselves; it must be requested by an organisation that engages you and submitted through a Registered Body (or an umbrella body for fewer than 100 checks a year). In every case the role itself must be eligible for the level; applying does not create eligibility.
Does working inside a school, care home or hospital make me eligible for an Enhanced check?
Not by itself. Eligibility comes from what you actually do — regulated activity, a specified-place role carried out often enough, or a listed profession — not from the premises you enter. A one-off or occasional contractor with no qualifying duties is usually limited to a Basic check. Confirm the specific role against the official eligibility guidance.
Related 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.
- 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.
Official sources and further guidance
- DBS checks for self-employed people and personal employees — GOV.UK / Disclosure and Barring Service
- Private individuals employing self-employed workers or personal employees — GOV.UK / Disclosure and Barring Service
- Check someone's criminal record — types of check you can make — GOV.UK
- Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 — legislation.gov.uk
- DBS eligibility guidance — GOV.UK / Disclosure and Barring Service
This guidance is maintained by the Complys team and reviewed against the primary DBS / GOV.UK sources listed above (last reviewed 24 September 2026). It is general information, not legal advice, and DBS rules can change — always confirm against the official sources.