Apply for a basic Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check to get a copy of your criminal record. This is called ‘basic disclosure’. It costs £23. It’s available for people working in England and Wales.
The check will only show convictions that are not ‘spent’, for example some types of caution will disappear after 3 months.
You must be 16 or over to apply.
It usually takes up to 14 days for you to receive your certificate.
The service is available from 8am to 11:30pm.
You can pay with a debit or credit card. You can also use Google Pay or Apple Pay.
What you will need
To apply for a basic DBS check you will need:
- all your addresses for the last 5 years and the dates you lived there
- your National Insurance number
- your passport
- your driving licence
Before you start
Make sure a basic DBS check is the correct one for you. For certain roles, your employer may need to apply for a higher level of criminal record check.
Find out if you need a basic DBS check or ask your employer if you’re not sure.
Get help to use the online service
If you need support to apply online, call the DBS helpline on 03000 200 190 and select option 2 and then option 1.
Other ways to apply
You can also choose to apply through other companies. DBS has a list of companies you can apply through.
Transgender applications
Contact the DBS transgender applications team if you’re a transgender applicant and you do not want to reveal details of your previous identity to a potential employer.
DBS transgender applications team
Telephone: 0151 676 1452
Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm
Requesting your police record
You will need to request a police record instead if:
- you are applying for certain visas
- you want to see your police file without receiving a certificate - this will show up any warnings or cautions that are not on your official criminal record