DBS Update Service guidance
A collection of guidance, news articles and promotional material for the DBS Update Service.
The Update Service is an online subscription that allows you to keep your standard or enhanced DBS certificate up to date and allows employers to check a certificate online.
At the moment, the Update Service is not available for basic checks.
Guidance for applicants
You can join the Update Service for standard and enhanced checks as soon as you have your application form reference number. You can request this number when you apply for your DBS check.
You can also join the Update Service with your certificate number when you receive your DBS certificate. If so, you must do so within 30 calendar days of the ‘date of issue’ which is printed on the certificate.
Applicants should always have control of their update service subscription. If this is not the case, please contact the organisation that arranged the subscription to find out how this has happened. If you are unable to resolve this, please contact customerservices@dbs.gov.uk
You can log in to the Update Service if you have already joined.
The Update Service is not available for basic checks.
Guidance for employers
As an organisation you can check someone’s DBS certificate status online and get a result straight away.
There’s no registration process or fee for you to check a certificate online, but you must be legally entitled to carry out a check and have the applicant’s consent.
Applicants should always have control of their update service subscription. If this has not happened, the subscriptions must be either transferred to the applicant by changing the contact email address to the applicant’s, or they must be cancelled.
Promotional material
Updates to this page
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Section added to explain that applicants should have control of their Update Service subscription, and what to do if they don't.
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Information updated in line with the DBS' new online application for basic checks.
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Added a link to the status check website for employers.
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Applicants now have 19 calendar to join the DBS update service with their certificate reference number.
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Added guidance about renewing your subscription to the update service.
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Added links to subscribe to the Update Service or log-in for existing members.
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Added the DBS application form insert to tell applicants about the Update Service and online tracking.
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First published.