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Guidance

DBS Update Service: applicant guide

Updated 6 January 2026

漏 Crown copyright 2026

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This publication is available at /government/publications/dbs-update-service-guide-for-applicants/dbs-update-service-applicant-guide

About the DBS Update Service听

A subscription to the Update Service costs 拢16 per year,听it鈥檚听free听if听you鈥檙e听a volunteer.听

The Update Service听allows you to:听

  • keep your听DBS听certificate up听to听date听

  • take your DBS certificate from role to role听鈥� the roles must be in the听same workforce听and the same听level听of听DBS听check听

  • add听multiple听DBS certificates to your account听

  • see which听organisations听use听the service to听check听your DBS certificate听status听

It allows your employer to:听

  • quickly听check听your DBS听certificate听status听online, with your consent听

The听Update Service is for standard and enhanced鈥疍BS鈥痗hecks only. You cannot subscribe with a basic DBS check听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听

To use the Update听Service听you need your DBS certificate.听听

You听should听keep your听DBS听certificate to听show听future听employers. They must see it听before they听can听start听checking听your听certificate听status听using听the Update Service.听They do not need to see your certificate every time they听check your status.听

Learn more听by watching听our听.听

Joining the听Update听Service听

You can听听during听your听application for a DBS check, or听after your听DBS check听certificate is issued.听

Make sure the email address听you use听for your subscription is your personal听email听address.听

Joining after your certificate is issued听

You can join the Update Service after your DBS check is completed using your DBS certificate number.听听

You must join within 30 days of the date of issue on your certificate.听

If you do not join within 30 days,听you will need to听get听a new DBS check听via the organisation you are working for听to be able to join the Update Service.听

Joining during听your听application听

You will need your DBS application听form reference number. You can get this from either:听

  • the front page of the paper application form听

  • asking the person who听submitted听your application for it听

  • phoning听us on 03000 200 190听-听if we have received your application form听

If you applied for a DBS check through an e-bulk Registered Body, you听can听use your听e-reference. The Registered Body will be able to give you this.听

We must receive your听DBS check听application within 28 days of you joining听the Update Service.听When your DBS certificate is issued,听we will automatically add it to your听Update Service听account.听

If your DBS check application is鈥痺ithdrawn, we will cancel and refund your Update Service subscription within 31 days.听

Transgender applicants听

If you are transgender and used the听sensitive applications听route听for your DBS check,听your听previous听sex听and identity will听not be shown to others if you join the Update Service.听听听

You can contact the sensitive applications team if you need advice by phoning 0300 131 2784 or emailing听sensitive@dbs.gov.uk.听

Paying for your subscription听

The subscription听starts from the date your DBS certificate was issued.听We only accept payment听by debit or credit card.听听

Paying with someone else鈥檚 card听

You can use someone else鈥檚听debit or credit听card with their permission.听听

If you听select the听鈥榓uto renew鈥櫶齩ption,听we听will听attempt听to take听future payments听from the card听details saved to your subscription.听听

If you pay with someone else鈥檚 card and there are听any issues, we听may听not be able to link听the payment to听your account.听This could lead to your subscription being cancelled.

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Subscriptions to the Update service are free for听people who听meet the听DBS definition of a volunteer.听

You cannot听add a DBS certificate for a paid position to a free听volunteer听Update Service subscription.听

听If you move from a volunteer position to a paid position you need to:听

  • apply for a new DBS check听via the organisation you are working for听

  • join听the Update Service听again听

  • pay the annual fee of 拢16 by credit or debit card听

You can add a DBS certificate for a volunteer to a听paid听Update Service account.听

Your Update Service ID听

When you join the Update Service,听we will give you a unique ID听that听begins with the letter C followed听by听10 numbers.听听

To keep your account secure, you must:听

  • make a note of your ID and keep it safe 鈥� you will need it to access your account听

  • not听share it with anyone else听

If you forget your听Update Service听ID听you can听call us on 03000 200 190.听

Renewing your subscription听

You must renew听your subscription听to the Update Service听each year to听keep听it听active. Subscriptions for the following year will start the day after your current subscription expires.听You set up automatic or manual renewals when you first join.听

If you do not renew听before the deadline,听we will cancel your subscription. To听rejoin听you will need to apply for a new DBS check,听via the organisation you are working for,听and register听for the Update Service听again.听

Emails about your subscription will come from 鈥榙onotreply@dbs.gov.uk鈥�.听You can add this email address to your 鈥榮afe senders鈥� list to make sure you receive the emails.听

Automatic renewals听

If you choose听automatic听renewal,听we will email you听each year听when your subscription is due.听

We will听attempt听to take the yearly fee of 拢16听using听your saved听card听details.听听

You do not need to do anything unless you听need to update your听payment details.听

Updating your payment details听for听automatic renewal听

If your payment details have changed, you can update them by鈥�痑nd selecting 鈥楻enew subscription鈥�.听听

You can only update your payment details if your renewal is due in the next 30 days.听

Failed payments听for an automatic renewal听

If your automatic renewal fails, we will email you and try to take the payment again.听

If your renewal fails because your card details have changed, you must听鈥齛nd update your card details.听

If your payment fails again,听we will cancel your subscription. You听will need to听apply for a new DBS check,听via the organisation you are working for,听and register听for听the Update Service again.听

Changing from automatic to manual renewals听

You can turn off automatic renewals by听鈥� and updating your card details. You can then听select the听option听to not save your card details for future payments.听

Manual renewals听

If you choose to manually renew your subscription,听we will send you an email reminder 30 calendar days before your subscription is due.听听

If you do not renew your subscription 14 days before the expiry date, we will also send you a reminder letter.听You must keep your address up to date in your account to听ensure you receive your reminder letter.听

You will need to鈥�痑nd make payment within听the听30 days before your subscription ends.听

If you do not make payment听before the expiry听date,听we will cancel your subscription. You will need to听apply for a new DBS check,听via the organisation you are working for,听and register听for听the Update Service again.听

Changing from manual to automatic renewals听

When you renew manually you can choose to change to automatic renewals. To do this, select the听option听to save your card details for future payments.听

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Subscriptions to the Update Service for volunteers are free. You still need to renew each year.听

We will send you an email reminder 30 days before your subscription is due to expire, you must听confirm if you want to听renew听or we will cancel your subscription.听听

Make sure the email address听for听your听subscription is your personal email address.听You can update your email address by听听听

Changing your personal information or contact details听

You can听听to update your:听

  • email听听

  • phone number听

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If your current address听changes听your DBS certificate is still valid and you can continue to use the Update Service.听

If the names on a certificate in your account are incorrect, the certificate is not听valid听and we will cancel it.听

If you change your name听you must apply for a new DBS check听via the organisation you are working for.听You can then link your new certificate to your听Update Service听account and remove your old one.听听

Cancelling your Update Service account听

You can cancel your Update Service account at any time. Any certificates attached to the account will no longer be checked for status changes.听

To cancel you must听听select 鈥榗ancel subscription鈥� and follow the instructions.听

We will not refund the annual subscription fee听unless you have paid for a renewal and then cancelled before your renewal date.听听

Removing your DBS certificates from your Update Service account will not cancel your subscription听

Adding听and removing听certificates听in听your account听听

To add a certificate to your account, it听must be in听your name.听You can听add听multiple certificates to your account.听

If you remove a certificate from your Update Service account, you听can鈥檛听add it听 again or use it to create a new account.听

Monitoring your听DBS certificate听status听

When you add your DBS certificate to the Update Service, we regularly search to see if there is any听new information.听听

We check:听

  • criminal record conviction and barring information听weekly听听

  • police听information听for enhanced checks听every nine months听-听it听isn鈥檛听released on many DBS certificates and听doesn鈥檛听change very often听

You can鈥�痑nd check the status of your certificate at any time.听

If听there is听new听information,听we will send you听a letter听telling you what has听changed听and what to do next.听We will send the letter to the address on your DBS certificate.听

Your DBS certificate status will change if听any of the following are听identified:听

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  • new听convictions,听adult听cautions听and unspent conditional cautions听

  • any change to a听conviction,听adult听caution听or听unspent conditional caution听

For Enhanced certificates:听

  • new听convictions,听adult听cautions听and unspent conditional cautions听

  • any change to a听conviction,听adult听caution听or听unspent conditional caution听

  • any new, relevant police information听

For Enhanced with Barred List(s)听certificates:听

  • new听convictions,听adult听cautions听and unspent conditional cautions听

  • any change to a听conviction,听adult听caution听or听unspent conditional caution听

  • any new, relevant听police information听

  • you are added to the听relevant听barred list(s)听

If your certificate status changes and you听don鈥檛听think it should have, phone us on 03000 200 190 and听we鈥檒l听investigate.听听

Certificate status changes听

If something on your certificate changes you should consider if you need to听discuss听this听with your employer or volunteer organisation.听

Your employer or volunteer organisation may:听

  • ask you to听get a new DBS check听

  • withdraw their offer of employment听

  • terminate your employment听

  • move you to another role that does not need a DBS check听

If you听are placed on a barred list or convicted of an offence听and this is removed after听appealing,听the status change will remain on your Update Service account.听You will need to听apply for a new DBS check,听via the organisation you are working for,听because your certificate is no longer valid.听

Employers and organisations checking the status of your certificate(s)听

Employers and organisations can only check the status of your DBS certificate using the Update听Service if听all听the following apply:听

  • they听could legally request a DBS check for the role听you鈥檒l听be working in听

  • they have your permission听

  • they have听seen your听original DBS certificate听in person听鈥� they do not need to see it every time they check your status听

  • they have checked your ID to confirm your identity听

If you听don鈥檛听want an employer or organisation to continue checking the status of your certificate(s), contact them and听tell them you听withdraw your consent.听If they听fail to听stop, they are breaking the law by accessing data that they are not entitled to see.听

To check the status of your certificate using the Update Service, the employer or organisation will need听your:听

  • DBS certificate 12-digit reference听number听

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  • date of birth听in the format DD/MM/YYYY - if the听day or听month is a single digit do not use a zero, for example 1/7/1980听

When an employer听or听organisation checks the status of your DBS certificate using the Update Service,听they will see one of the following results:听

This DBS certificate did not reveal any information and听remains听current as no further information has been听identified听since its issue.

This means:听

  • the DBS certificate when issued was blank听and听there is no听new information听-听it听can be accepted as听current and valid听

This DBS certificate听remains听current as no further information has been听identified听since its issue.

This means:听

  • the DBS certificate revealed information,听but听there is听no听new information听- it can be accepted as current and valid听

This DBS certificate is no longer current. Please apply for a new DBS check to get the most up-to-date information.

This means:听

  • there is听new information听- you will need to apply for a new DBS check to see this听new information听

The details entered do not match those held on our system. Please check and try again.

This means either:听

  • the person听is听not subscribed to the Update Service听

  • the DBS certificate has been removed from the Update Service听

  • you听haven鈥檛听entered the correct information听

Update Service statuses听

Subscription status听

New When you apply with an application form reference number
Subscribed When your DBS certificate is attached to your subscription
Cancelled If you cancel your subscription
Expired If you听fail to听renew your subscription

Application status (if you subscribe with a DBS check application form)听

Received We have received听your DBS check application form
Not received We are waiting听to receive you听DBS check application form
Printed We have printed your听DBS certificate

Update status听(this听shows the听status of听your听DBS certificate)听

Non-blank/No New Info Still current
Blank/No New Info Still current
New Info No longer current听鈥� there is听new information

Early confirmation checks听

If the status of your certificate changes, your employer听can听submit听an early confirmation check. This check tells them if听you have been barred from working with children or adults.听

Your employer can only听submit听an early confirmation check if听all the following apply:听

  • you are subscribed to the Update Service听

  • a status check听shows听there is听new information听on your certificate听

  • your听certificate included a check of at least one barred list听

  • they听have听your听permission to do the check听

If you have been barred听and need advice,听you can call our barring helpline on听03000 200 190.听

Why you might need multiple DBS checks听

If you are asked to get more than one than one DBS听check, it could be because:听

  • your employer has decided not to use the Update Service听听

  • information on your DBS certificate has听changed -听your听old听certificate听will then be听removed from the Update Service听

  • your role听may need a听different听type听of DBS check听than听the one you have听

  • you听work in a听home-based position听

Home-based positions听

When you apply for a DBS check for a鈥�home-based position, we carry out checks on the address as part of the application. The Update Service will not continue to carry out checks on the address as part of your subscription.听

You听should听discuss this with your employer or the person requesting the certificate.听

Manual certificates听

Sometimes it is not possible听for us听to produce a system generated DBS certificate. When this听happens, we听issue a manual DBS certificate. Manual DBS certificates cannot be used to join the Update Service.听

Contact DBS听

DBS helpline 03000 200 190听

Email听customerservices@dbs.gov.uk听

If emailing us, please provide 5 pieces of information, this must include:听

  • full name 听

  • address declared on the application form (including house number and postcode)听

  • date of birth听

听And two of the below:听听

  • DBS application reference number听
  • National Insurance Number听
  • position applied for听 -employer Name听 -place of Birth (town听or听city and country)听
  • DBS certificate reference number听
  • Passport Number听

  • Driving听Licence听number听

  • previous address
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