What is a Standard DBS check?

A Standard DBS check will search for the criminal history of an employee or applicant. It will include spent and unspent cautions, warnings, reprimands and convictions held on the Police National Computer that aren’t subject to filtering.

Standard DBS checks provide certificates that contain details under the terms of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA) 1974. However, these checks can’t access the barred list vetting checks, such as the Children’s Barred List and the Adult’s Barred list.

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Eligibility for Standard DBS checks

Standard DBS checks are suitable for jobs in certain settings, such as working with children or vulnerable people. They are required for roles involving regulated activity. They are used across a number of industries, including (but not limited to):

Care
Education
Cleaning
Finance
Legal
Recruitment
Sport
Medical
Security

Standard DBS checks are only available to employers acting on behalf of their employee or applicant, who must give their consent. Also, this level of check is only available for people working in jobs that are exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA) 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975.

Individual people can’t apply for this check directly. If you’re self-employed, you need to apply through an association or organisation that uses your services.

As an employer, you’re legally responsible for making sure job roles are eligible for Standard DBS Checks or Enhanced DBS checks. You must select the relevant workforce during your application and have permission from the applicant or employee.

Our process

Our process is accessible and straightforward thanks to our bespoke system. As an umbrella body of the DBS, we provide a reliable and efficient service that can be tailored to your needs.

We go above and beyond to provide first-class customer care, and one-to-one expert advice is available every step of the way from our dedicated and accredited team.

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Register easily online for free

You can set up an account in a matter of minutes, submit applications on our user-friendly portal and manage checks on your dashboard.

Apply for checks

To ensure efficiency, our team will use their expertise to check your applications. We will make sure the information is accurate and valid.

Receive your results

You will be notified when the results are ready. Our fast turnaround provides confirmation of your checks and peace of mind.

Standard DBS check pricing

Our competitive pricing ensures organisations can maintain regulatory compliance and operational integrity without excessive costs. We offer transparent, cost-effective rates with no hidden fees, enabling you to conduct all necessary checks efficiently across your entire workforce.

No of Checks	Cost ex VAT	Cost inc VAT
Standard Rate	£31.33	£34.00
51 – 300	£30.50	£33.00
301 – 500	£29.25	£31.50
501 – 750	£27.17	£29.00
751 – 1000	£25.08	£26.50
1001+	£23.42	£24.50

Benefits of Standard DBS checks with us

Carrying out employment screening is important for safeguarding. We help you save time, money and resources. You’ll also enjoy a range of other benefits:

Safety
Make safer recruitment decisions and vet staff to a higher standard.

Trust
Build trust in your organisation and amongst your community.

Reassurance
Receive accurate reports and have peace of mind in your recruitment decisions.

Efficiency
Meet your resource demands with our fast-track vetting system.

Retention
Increase staff retention by appointing the right people in the right places.

Compliance
Receive advice to perform the right level of check and meet industry standards.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Regulated activity is work that a barred person must not do, outlined in the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 and amended by the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012. The DBS publishes guidance to determine what counts as regulated activity but there’s no definitive list.

Basic DBS Checks can be obtained for anyone; whereas Standard and Enhanced DBS Checks can only be obtained for certain roles. They also include different checks. Basic DBS Checks reveal unspent convictions and conditional cautions. Standard DBS Checks include both spent and unspent convictions along with cautions, reprimands, and warnings. Enhanced DBS Checks provide all the information from the Standard Check plus additional details from local police and checks against barred lists for roles involving regulated activities.

If you’ve checked the DBS eligibility criteria and you’re still unsure, contact us and we will be on hand to help. We can advise you through the options to help you apply for the right DBS Check for your specific compliance, regulatory or employment needs.

Standard DBS certificates can be signed up to the DBS Update Service and transferred between job roles as long as the level of check conducted meets the new job role’s requirements.

There’s no expiry date for a Standard DBS Certificate. However, the DBS suggest a renewal is carried out every three years. In some cases, this can differ according to an employer’s best practice or regulations set by external regulators.

The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (ROA), deems some offences as ‘spent’ after a specific period of time. ‘Unspent’ refers to offences that have not reached the time period required to become spent.

Standard DBS Checks can only be requested by employers or organisations.

An ID document must show an applicant’s name to be valid. The only exception to this is if the passport shows the applicants maiden name – in that case, a UK marriage certificate can be used to support the application. Applicants often use their driving license or passport for ID Checks.

If the document is out-of-date then it isn’t considered a valid form of ID and can’t be used. The applicant should renew the document at the earliest possible opportunity to process the application.