Looking for a CRB check? The current service is called a DBS check
The Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) no longer operates as a separate criminal-record checking service. On 1 December 2012, the CRB and Independent Safeguarding Authority were merged into the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). People still commonly search for “CRB checks,” “Criminal Records Bureau checks” and “CRB certificates,” but new checks are now processed through the DBS system.
What happened to the Criminal Records Bureau?
The Criminal Records Bureau was a UK government body that processed criminal-record disclosures for employment and safeguarding purposes.
On 1 December 2012, the CRB merged with the Independent Safeguarding Authority. Their functions transferred to a new organisation called the Disclosure and Barring Service.
CRB check
Historical name still commonly used by employers, applicants and searchers. New applications are no longer made to a separate Criminal Records Bureau.
DBS check
Current criminal-record checking service provided by the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Basic, Standard and Enhanced DBS checks compared
| DBS level | What it can show | Who can request it? | Eligibility |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | Unspent convictions and conditional cautions. | Individuals aged 16+ or an organisation with consent. | Available for any purpose. |
| Standard | Spent and unspent convictions and cautions held on the Police National Computer, subject to filtering. | Requested through an eligible recruiting organisation / Registered Body. | Only legally eligible roles. |
| Enhanced | Standard-level information plus relevant local police information where legally appropriate. | Usually through an employer or Registered Body; eligible self-employed/personal employees have a specific route. | Only legally eligible roles. |
| Enhanced with Barred List(s) | Enhanced information plus Children’s and/or Adults’ Barred List status where the role qualifies. | Through the appropriate eligible application route. | Restricted to legally eligible roles, often regulated activity. |
Basic DBS check: the check most individuals can request themselves
A Basic DBS check is the closest current equivalent when someone simply wants a copy of the criminal-record information that can be disclosed at basic level.
It shows convictions and conditional cautions that are unspent under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.
A Basic check:
- is available to people aged 16 or over
- can be requested directly by an individual
- does not require the job to meet special eligibility rules
- uses GOV.UK identity verification
- can be requested for employment or another legitimate purpose
- does not show the same depth of information as Standard or Enhanced checks
Standard DBS check
A Standard DBS check can disclose spent and unspent convictions and adult cautions held on the Police National Computer when they are not protected by the statutory filtering rules.
Individuals normally cannot simply order a Standard check because they want a more detailed criminal-record search. The job or position must be legally eligible.
DBS updated its Standard-check eligibility guidance in September 2026. Employers should use the current official eligibility guidance rather than assuming an older job description still qualifies.
Check Standard DBS eligibilityEnhanced DBS checks
An Enhanced DBS check contains the information provided at Standard level and can also include information held by local police where the police consider it relevant to the role and appropriate for disclosure.
Enhanced checks are commonly associated with eligible work involving children, adults in specified circumstances, healthcare, education and other legally defined positions.
A 2026 change for self-employed workers
From 21 January 2026, eligible paid self-employed workers and personal employees became able to apply for Enhanced or Enhanced with Barred List checks through an appropriate DBS Umbrella Body.
The role must still meet the legal eligibility requirements. This did not create a general right for anyone to purchase an Enhanced DBS check.
Enhanced DBS with Children’s or Adults’ Barred List checks
DBS maintains barred lists covering people prohibited from carrying out specified regulated activity with children and/or adults.
An Enhanced check can include a search of one or both barred lists only where the role is legally eligible for that check.
Children’s Barred List
Relevant to eligible roles involving regulated activity with children and certain other legally specified positions.
Adults’ Barred List
Relevant to qualifying regulated activity involving adults and other roles specifically provided for in law.
CRB / DBS check fees in 2026
Because this article is being checked shortly before a scheduled fee change, it is important to separate the fee payable now from the fee that begins in October.
| Service | Through 4 October 2026 | From 5 October 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Basic DBS | £21.50 | £20.00 |
| Standard DBS | £21.50 | £20.00 |
| Enhanced DBS | £49.50 | £41.00 |
| Enhanced with Barred List(s) | £49.50 | £41.00 |
| Update Service annual subscription | £16.00 | £15.00 |
| Qualifying volunteer checks | Free | Free |
How to apply for the correct DBS criminal-record check
Find out which level you actually need
If an employer requested the check, ask whether it is Basic, Standard, Enhanced or Enhanced with a Barred List check.
Check legal eligibility
Basic checks do not require special role eligibility. Standard and Enhanced checks do.
Use the correct application route
Apply directly through GOV.UK for a Basic check. Standard and Enhanced checks normally proceed through the employer and a Registered Body or appropriate Umbrella Body.
Prove your identity
Applicants must provide the identification required for the chosen DBS application route.
Check the application carefully
Incorrect names, addresses or identity details can delay processing and can complicate criminal-record matching.
Track the application
DBS provides online tracking for qualifying applications.
How long does a DBS check take?
GOV.UK currently says a Basic DBS check can take up to around 14 days, although many are completed much sooner.
Standard and Enhanced checks can take longer. General GOV.UK guidance says these checks can take around 8 weeks, although the actual time varies.
Processing can be affected by:
- type of DBS check
- accuracy of the application
- number of police forces involved
- local police enquiries for Enhanced checks
- identity or address issues
- information requiring further review
Why an old conviction or caution may not appear on a DBS certificate
Criminal-record disclosure in England and Wales is affected by both rehabilitation and filtering rules.
Basic DBS checks show unspent convictions and conditional cautions. Standard and Enhanced checks can reveal more information, but some old or minor records can become protected and are not automatically disclosed.
Current filtering principles
DBS guidance updated in September 2026 explains that certain records must always be disclosed on Standard and Enhanced certificates, including:
- convictions for specified offences
- adult cautions for specified offences
- convictions resulting in a custodial sentence
- unspent convictions and conditional cautions
Other non-specified adult cautions and convictions can be filtered after the applicable period. Youth cautions, warnings and reprimands are treated differently under the current rules.
Who is allowed to request each type of DBS check?
Anyone aged 16+
An individual can request a Basic check for themselves. An employer can also arrange one through a Responsible Organisation with consent.
Eligible roles only
The applicant normally cannot order it independently. The recruiting organisation must be legally entitled to request that level of criminal-history disclosure.
Specific eligible work
Used for qualifying positions and safeguarding contexts. Eligible paid self-employed workers and personal employees have a specific Umbrella Body route from 2026.
The DBS eligibility guidance applies primarily to England and Wales and also covers specific arrangements involving the Channel Islands and Isle of Man.
Check current DBS eligibilityDBS Update Service: keeping Standard and Enhanced checks current
The DBS Update Service allows an applicant to maintain qualifying Standard or Enhanced certificates and allows an authorised employer to check whether the certificate’s status has changed.
It is not available for Basic DBS checks.
Keep qualifying certificates updated
An applicant can register qualifying Standard or Enhanced certificates and move them between suitable roles where the workforce and level remain compatible.
Check certificate status
An employer can perform an online status check with the applicant’s consent after viewing the original DBS certificate.
The current subscription is £16 per year and falls to £15 per year from 5 October 2026. Qualifying volunteers do not pay the Update Service subscription fee.
Open DBS Update ServiceDoes a CRB or DBS check expire?
A DBS certificate has no official expiry date.
The certificate records the information available when it was issued. An employer can decide that a newer check is needed, and some sectors have their own rules requiring periodic rechecking.
What to do if a DBS certificate contains the wrong criminal record
DBS has a formal dispute process for incorrect information.
For Standard or Enhanced certificates, a person can challenge:
- criminal-record information that is incorrect
- information that belongs to another person
- irrelevant police information on an Enhanced certificate
- incorrect name or personal details
GOV.UK currently says a dispute should normally be raised within 3 months of the certificate date.
Police may request fingerprints where identity needs to be established.
Certificate dispute help
Telephone:
03000 200 190
International:
+44 (0)151 676 9390
Published hours:
Monday–Friday, 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m., excluding public holidays
Want your actual police records? Use a Subject Access Request, not DBS
A DBS certificate is designed for criminal-record disclosure and safeguarding decisions. It is not the same as obtaining a copy of all personal police information held about you.
A person has the right to request their own police records through a Subject Access Request.
For records held on the Police National Computer by police forces in England, Wales, Guernsey, Jersey, the Isle of Man and British Transport Police, GOV.UK directs individuals to ACRO Criminal Records Office.
Need a criminal-record certificate for a visa or emigration?
A DBS check is not always the correct document for immigration or overseas visa applications.
GOV.UK directs people to ACRO Criminal Records Office for police certificates used for immigration, residency or visa purposes in many countries.
Examples can include applications connected with:
- United States visas
- Canadian immigration
- Australian immigration
- New Zealand visas
- South African immigration
- other countries requesting a UK police certificate
CRB / DBS checks in Scotland and Northern Ireland
DBS is not the universal criminal-record checking body for every part of the UK.
Disclosure Scotland
Criminal-record and safeguarding checks for roles based in Scotland are generally handled through Disclosure Scotland and the applicable Scottish disclosure / PVG system.
AccessNI
Criminal-record checks for jobs in Northern Ireland generally use AccessNI rather than DBS.
Someone living in Scotland or Northern Ireland but applying for a job in England or Wales may still need a DBS check depending on the role and application route.
Important employer rules when requesting criminal-record checks
Employers should request only the level of DBS disclosure the position is legally entitled to receive.
For Basic checks, an employer can ask the applicant to obtain their own certificate or can use a Responsible Organisation with the applicant’s consent.
Standard and Enhanced checks require legal eligibility and ordinarily use a Registered Body.
Protected records
Where a caution or conviction is protected under the filtering rules, an employer generally should not ask the applicant to disclose it or use it in a recruitment decision where the filtering rules apply.
Discussing a Basic DBS result
DBS processing standards say Responsible Organisations should ensure applicants understand the possible impact of criminal-history information and that relevant information should be discussed with the applicant before a job offer is withdrawn.
CRB and DBS criminal-record checks: frequently asked questions
1. Can I still get a CRB check?
No new check is issued by a separate Criminal Records Bureau. The CRB merged with the Independent Safeguarding Authority on 1 December 2012 to form the Disclosure and Barring Service. The current product is called a DBS check.
2. Is a CRB check the same as a DBS check?
“CRB check” is the old terminology. DBS is the current organisation and criminal-record checking system used for relevant checks in England and Wales.
3. Can I apply for my own DBS check?
You can apply directly for a Basic DBS check if you are aged 16 or over. Standard and Enhanced checks usually require an eligible role and an application through the appropriate organisation.
4. What does a Basic DBS check show?
A Basic DBS check shows unspent convictions and conditional cautions under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act rules.
5. What is the difference between Standard and Enhanced DBS?
A Standard check can include qualifying spent and unspent convictions and cautions held on the Police National Computer. An Enhanced check includes that information and may also contain relevant local police information. Barred List checks can be added only for eligible roles.
6. How much does a DBS check cost in 2026?
Until 4 October 2026 the government fees are £21.50 for Basic and Standard checks and £49.50 for Enhanced checks. From 5 October 2026, DBS has announced reduced fees of £20 for Basic and Standard checks and £41 for Enhanced checks.
7. Does a DBS certificate expire?
No. DBS certificates have no official expiry date. They reflect information available on the date the certificate was issued, so an employer may decide that a newer check is required.
8. Can I see all police information about myself with a DBS check?
No. If you want your own Police National Computer records, a Subject Access Request through ACRO may be the appropriate route. It is different from a DBS employment check.
9. What should I do if my DBS certificate is wrong?
Use the DBS dispute process. For Standard or Enhanced checks, GOV.UK currently advises raising the dispute within three months of the certificate date. DBS or police may request fingerprints where identity is disputed.
10. Is DBS used in Scotland and Northern Ireland?
Different systems generally apply. Disclosure Scotland handles Scottish checks, while AccessNI handles Northern Ireland checks. DBS is primarily the criminal-record checking service for eligible roles in England and Wales.