DBS checks guidance for employers, voluntary organisations and third parties

If you are a private individual employing a self-employed person or a personal employee, see guidance on the Private individuals employing self-employed workers or personal employees GOV.UK page.

Any reference to an “employee” within this guidance should be taken to include volunteers and individuals engaged in unpaid work.

Eligibility is the same whether you are applying for a paid role or a volunteer position. Specific information for volunteers can be found here: DBS check application process for volunteers - GOV.UK

An employer may request a DBS check as part of their recruitment process (previously known as CRB checks). These checks are processed by the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).

For certain roles, the check will also include information held on the Children’s and Adults’ Barred Lists, alongside any information held by local police forces, that is considered relevant to the applied-for post.

DBS checks assist employers in making safer recruitment and licensing decisions. However, a check is just one part of recruitment practice. When a check has been processed by DBS, a DBS certificate is produced and issued to the applicant.

DBS is unable to access criminal records held overseas, so a DBS check may not provide a complete view of an applicant’s criminal record, if they have lived outside of the UK.

Employers should ensure that they have access to all of the information available to them to make safer recruitment decisions. You can find more information about how to get a criminal record check for overseas applicants, or those that have previously lived outside of the UK, on the Home Office website.

Eligibility to ask ‘an exempted question’