Update Service and certificate
Your DBS certificate: what to do once it arrives
Count the days since the date printed on it: whether you can still add it to the Update Service.
Can you still join the Update Service with your certificate?
Yes, days left to subscribe
18
| Limit after the certificate date | 30 days |
| Subscription | £15 a year |
| Status checks by employers | Free |
Subscribe with the certificate number on GOV.UK.
A DBS certificate is the paper document DBS posts to the applicant, and only to the applicant, at the end of a check. It shows the level of check, the workforce for standard and enhanced checks, the role it was requested for, your details and either the records found or a statement that there are none. The employer does not receive a copy: it sees the outcome when you show the certificate, or online through a status check if you join the Update Service. Basic certificates can also be viewed in a DBS online account. A certificate has no expiry date, but it is a snapshot of the day it was issued. Once it arrives, you have 30 days from the date printed on it to add a standard or enhanced certificate to the Update Service, at £15 a year or free for volunteers. Keep it safe: DBS does not replace a lost or damaged certificate, so a new check would be needed.
Fees and rules checked by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · How the figures are built
What is on the certificate
| Section | Basic | Standard | Enhanced |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your name, date of birth, address | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Workforce and position applied for | No | Yes | Yes |
| Police records | Unspent only | Unfiltered spent and unspent | Unfiltered spent and unspent |
| Children's or adults' barred list | No | No | If requested |
| Other relevant police information | No | No | Yes |
The first 30 days
The window to join the Update Service with an existing certificate is 30 days from its issue date. A certificate printed on 1 October can therefore be added until 31 October 2026. If you joined during the application with your form reference, the certificate is added automatically once issued. The calculator above counts the days left. After the window, the subscription is only possible with a new check.
Checking the details
Read the certificate as soon as it arrives. If a name, date of birth or address is wrong, or a record is not yours, raise a dispute with DBS. Under the DBS dataset 1, DBS also publishes how many disputes it handles each quarter. If you used a basic check online account, the same certificate appears there and can be shared with an employer.
Showing it to an employer
The employer guidance asks the organisation to see the original, check its security features, confirm that it matches your identity and that its level and workforce fit the role. A certificate requested for another role can be accepted, but nothing obliges an employer to do so. The renewal page explains when a new one is required, and the filtering page what each level can show.
If something on it is wrong
Check every part of the certificate as soon as it arrives: names, date of birth, and any conviction or information listed. If you think something is inaccurate, contact DBS before you rely on the certificate; DBS publishes the number of disputes it handles in the same dataset as its checks. In Northern Ireland, nidirect sets out a dispute process for AccessNI certificates and offers a free reprint of a lost or damaged certificate within 90 days of issue. In Scotland, a Level 1 disclosure has no paper copy at all: you view and share it online through a secure link.