What is a DBS Certificate? – Introduction
What is a DBS Certificate? A DBS certificate is a document that provides information about an individual’s criminal record. A DBS certificate is issued by the Disclosure and Barring Service, (DBS) after a DBS Check has been completed.
What is a DBS Certificate? The Three Types Of DBS Checks
There are three different types of DBS checks: Basic, Standard, and Enhanced:
– Basic DBS checks disclose unspent convictions and cautions, warnings, and reprimands.
– Standard DBS checks disclose all convictions, cautions, warnings, and reprimands, whether they are unspent or not.
– Enhanced DBS checks disclose the same information as Standard checks, as well as any additional information held by local police forces. When requested, Enhanced checks can also involve checks against the Adults’ and Children’s Barred Lists, disclosing whether the applicant is barred from working with those groups.
If you aren’t familiar with the terms Spent & Unspent, follow the link below for our guide:
Spent and Unspent: What is the difference?
It’s possible for very minor offences, or offences committed while under-18, to be ‘filtered’. This means that they will never be disclosed on any level of DBS certificate. Click the link below to read up on the filtering of convictions:
Guide to the Filtering of convictions
What is a DBS Certificate: What information is shown?
The information on a DBS certificate includes:
Personal Details
– Full name
– Other names & aliases
– Date of Birth
– Place of Birth
– Gender
– Position Applied For
– Name of organisation requesting the DBS check (the employer)
DBS Details
– DBS Certificate Number: 12-digit reference number, unique to your certificate.
– The organisation that facilitated the DBS application (for example, Aaron’s Department).
– The countersignatory working for that organisation who signed off the application.
Disclosure Details
– Does the applicant have any convictions, cautions, warnings, or reprimands? Remember, these will not always be disclosed, depending on the level of DBS check, and whether the offences are Spent, Unspent, or Filtered.
Basic DBS applications will only show unspent convictions, cautions, and reprimands, whilst Standard and Enhanced checks show both spent an unspent.
If you aren’t sure on the difference between spent and unspent convictions, you can read more here.
– For Enhanced checks where a Barred List check has also been requested, the results will be displayed on the certificate.
Additional Police Information
– For Enhanced DBS checks, additional police information may also be disclosed, although this occurs very infrequently. This is other information the police hold, that they think is relevant to be disclosed for the applicant’s job role.
Can I access my Certificate Online?
Basic Certificates can be, by logging into a government account, linked below:
Basic DBS Login
For Standard and Enhanced certificates, the result cannot be viewed online. Instead, a paper certificate will be sent to the applicant.
The only remotely similar alternative would be the DBS Update Service. This online government service proves to employers that DBS certificates are still current and legally useable. It does this by verifying that the applicant’s criminal record has not changed since their last DBS certificate was printed. If the Update Service detects a change in a subscriber’s criminal record, a new check must be applied for. This service costs £16 per year, but in industries that require regular DBS checks, this can prove to be very economical.
Please note that the employer needs to see the physical DBS Certificate, as well as the Update Service status.
While this isn’t as good as being able to download your certificate online, it’s the closest practical alternative. However, Update Service subscriptions must be created within 30 days of the certificate being printed, so plan for this in advance ideally.
The DBS does not issue reprints for lost or damaged DBS certificates, so if this is the case, a new application must be made.
Where Can I Find My DBS Number?
Another question that we get asked is ‘where can I find my DBS number?’ If you’re struggling to locate it, our quick guide is below:
Where Can I Find My DBS Number?
Summary: What is a DBS Certificate?
What is a DBS Certificate? A DBS certificate is a document that provides information about an individual’s criminal record, and is a legal requirement for anyone who wants to work or volunteer with vulnerable groups. The information on the certificate includes personal details, disclosure information, and additional information.
If you’re an employer needing DBS checks for your staff, as an Umbrella Body, we provide a fast and easy-to-use DBS application & checking service. Our error-proof system detects mistakes as they’re being made, giving you time to correct them, as well as every application being checked by one of our experienced countersignatories.
This, alongside our in-built tracking system, allows us to confidently send out any DBS application we get within the same day (before 4pm). If you want to find out more, you can use the buttons below to register for our services, or email us at contact@aaronsdepartment.com
Further Reading
We hope you have found our article, What Is A DBS Certificate, useful. For further information on DBS Checks, we have put some of our useful articles below.
The Difference Between CRB and DBS
The Most Common DBS Check Mistakes And How To Avoid Them
Understanding The Definition Of Vulnerable Adults
About The Author
John Schofield-Antoncich
John has processed more applications than days he has been alive, and has become the DBS expert. Got a question? He knows the answer!