Standard DBS Checks for Employers and Organisations
Request Standard DBS checks online through Employment Tools, a Government Registered Body trusted by thousands of organisations across the UK.
Manage applications, verify applicant identities and track progress in one place. Completed applications received before 4pm are checked and submitted to the DBS on the same working day.
What does a Standard DBS check show?
A Standard DBS check can show spent and unspent convictions and adult cautions that are not protected from disclosure under the current filtering rules.
More detail than a Basic DBS check
It can disclose relevant spent information as well as unspent convictions and cautions.
Only for legally eligible roles
A Standard DBS check cannot be requested for every job. Eligibility depends on the position and duties involved.
No local police or Barred List checks
These additional checks are only available through an eligible Enhanced DBS application.
What is a Standard DBS check?
A Standard DBS check is a criminal record check available for specific roles, professions and licences that are legally eligible. It provides more information than a Basic DBS check, but does not include the local police information or Barred List checks available through an eligible Enhanced DBS check.
A Standard DBS certificate can show spent and unspent convictions and adult cautions recorded on the Police National Computer, unless they are protected under the DBS filtering rules.
It can only be requested where an organisation is legally entitled to ask the applicant an exempted question about their criminal record. The check cannot be requested simply because an employer would prefer to see more information.
Unspent convictions
Convictions that have not yet become spent under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act.
Relevant spent convictions
Spent convictions may be disclosed unless they are protected by the current filtering rules.
Adult cautions
Adult cautions recorded on the Police National Computer may appear unless they are protected from disclosure.
Information subject to filtering
Protected cautions and convictions are not automatically disclosed on a Standard DBS certificate.
What does a Standard DBS check not include?
A Standard DBS check does not include additional information held by local police forces and cannot include a check of the Children’s Barred List or Adults’ Barred List.
Where the duties require local police information or an eligible Barred List check, the organisation may need to request an Enhanced DBS check instead.
Unsure whether the role qualifies?
Standard DBS eligibility depends on the position and duties involved. Check the role carefully before submitting an application.
Speed up DBS checks with Digital ID
Digital ID allows applicants to verify their identity online in just a few minutes, helping to avoid delays caused by arranging appointments, waiting for physical documents or sending copies by email.
It also provides a more secure and robust method of verifying identity. The technology can check identity evidence for signs of tampering, inconsistencies or attempted fraud, including checks against information held within a passport.
Once completed, your organisation receives a Digital ID PDF report to retain with its records, while the result is linked directly to the applicant’s Employment Tools profile.
Standard DBS check vs Basic and Enhanced DBS checks
Each level of DBS check can disclose different information and has different eligibility rules. The organisation must request the correct level for the role rather than simply choosing the most detailed check available.
The level of check must match the role
Standard and Enhanced DBS checks are only available where the position and duties are covered by the relevant legislation. Job titles alone do not determine eligibility.
Ready to Make Employment Checks Easier?
Register for free, book a demonstration or speak to our team about your organisation’s requirements.
Who is eligible for a Standard DBS check?
Standard DBS checks are only available for specific occupations, positions and licences covered by the relevant legislation. An employer cannot request one simply because it would prefer to see an applicant’s spent criminal record information.
The organisation must be legally entitled to ask the applicant an exempted question under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act. Eligibility depends on the exact position, profession or licence involved, rather than the organisation’s sector alone.
Two people working for the same organisation may therefore qualify for different levels of DBS check because their duties and legal status are different.
In simple terms: a Standard DBS check is only appropriate where the law specifically allows the organisation to consider both spent and unspent criminal record information for that position.
Positions that may be eligible include certain:
- Legal and judicial positions
- Accountancy and financial services roles
- Reception/Admin Roles in healthcare organisations
- Court, prison and enforcement positions
- Security Industry Authority licence applications
- Firearms and explosives licence applications
- Specified public and regulatory positions
- Other occupations named in legislation
These are broad examples only. Not every job within these professions or sectors will qualify, and some roles may instead be eligible for an Enhanced DBS check.
What happens if the role is not eligible?
Where the position is not legally eligible for a Standard or Enhanced check, an organisation can usually request a Basic DBS check instead. If the duties require relevant local police information or eligible Barred List checks, an Enhanced DBS check may be more appropriate.
Why use Employment Tools for Standard DBS checks?
Employment Tools gives organisations a clear, secure and cost-effective way to manage Standard DBS checks online, from creating the application through to tracking its progress.
Complete applications submitted to the DBS on the same working day
We check completed Standard DBS applications received before 4pm, Monday to Friday, and submit them to the DBS on the same working day where no corrections or further information are required.
This prevents completed applications from sitting in an internal queue unnecessarily and helps the official DBS process begin as quickly as possible.
Approved by the Government as a Registered Body
Employment Tools by Aaron’s Department is listed on the official DBS Registered Body directory and can process eligible Standard and Enhanced DBS applications.
No sign-up fees, monthly charges or minimum spend
Register your organisation free of charge and only pay for the Standard DBS checks you request. The service is suitable whether you process occasional checks or recruit regularly.
Affordable Standard DBS pricing
Standard DBS administration fees start from £5.83 plus VAT when using the highest level of free admin credit. Eligible volunteer checks do not include the government DBS fee.
Start processing Standard DBS checks online
Create your organisation account for free, or book a demonstration to see how the system works.
How much does a Standard DBS check cost?
A Standard DBS check includes the fixed government DBS fee of £21.50, plus an Employment Tools administration fee from just £5.83 plus VAT. There are no sign-up fees, no monthly charges and no minimum spend. You simply pay for the checks you need, making Employment Tools a flexible and affordable option for organisations of all sizes.
Eligible volunteer Standard DBS checks do not include the government DBS fee, so you only pay the administration fee. You can reduce this further with our free admin credit, with eligible volunteer Standard DBS checks starting from just £5.83 plus VAT.
| Disclosure Type | Standard Price |
With 10% Free Admin Credit |
With 20% Free Admin Credit |
With 30% Free Admin Credit |
With 40% Free Admin Credit |
With 50% Free Admin Credit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard DBS Check (DBS Fee: £21.50) | £30.25 | £29.45 | £28.79 | £28.23 | £27.75 | £27.33 |
| Standard DBS Check (Volunteer) (DBS Fee: £0.00) | £8.75 | £7.95 | £7.29 | £6.73 | £6.25 | £5.83 |
| Disclosure Type | Standard Price |
With 10% Free Admin Credit |
With 20% Free Admin Credit |
With 30% Free Admin Credit |
With 40% Free Admin Credit |
With 50% Free Admin Credit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard DBS Check (DBS Fee: £21.50) | £32.00 | £31.04 | £30.25 | £29.58 | £29.00 | £28.50 |
| Standard DBS Check (Volunteer) (DBS Fee: £0.00) | £10.50 | £9.54 | £8.75 | £8.08 | £7.50 | £7.00 |
How to apply for a Standard DBS check
Employment Tools allows your organisation to create, manage and track Standard DBS applications online, while giving each applicant a clear process to follow.
1. Register your organisation
Create your Employment Tools account free of charge. There are no monthly fees, sign-up charges or minimum spend.
Once registered, your organisation can begin creating Standard DBS applications for legally eligible roles.
2. Create the applicant’s check
Enter the applicant’s basic details, select the Standard DBS check and send them their secure login information.
Before creating the application, your organisation must confirm that the position is legally eligible for a Standard DBS check.
3. The applicant completes their online form
The applicant provides their personal details, address history, previous names and the other information required by the DBS.
Employment Tools automatically reminds applicants when an application remains incomplete, helping your organisation keep the process moving.
4. Verify the applicant’s identity
Your organisation checks the applicant’s identity using the appropriate DBS identity-checking route.
Where suitable, a Digital ID check can allow the applicant to verify their identity online and provides your organisation with a PDF report for its records.
5. Review and approve the application
Your organisation reviews the completed form and identity evidence before confirming that the application is ready to be submitted.
Taking a moment to check names, dates and address history can help prevent avoidable corrections and delays.
6. Employment Tools submits the application
Our team checks the application before submission. Complete applications received before 4pm, Monday to Friday, are submitted to the DBS on the same working day where no corrections are required.
Your organisation can continue to track progress through its Employment Tools dashboard.
7. The certificate is issued to the applicant
Once the DBS has completed its checks, the Standard DBS certificate is printed and sent directly to the applicant.
The organisation should ask the applicant to provide the original certificate so that it can be reviewed before making a recruitment decision.
Ready to process Standard DBS checks?
Register your organisation online and begin creating applications through your Employment Tools dashboard.
What happens after a Standard DBS application is submitted?
Once Employment Tools has checked and submitted the application, it moves through the official DBS process before the certificate is printed and sent to the applicant.
Application received and validated
The DBS receives the application and checks that the information has been supplied in the required format before processing begins.
Police National Computer search
The applicant’s details are checked against records held on the Police National Computer to identify information that may be disclosed on a Standard DBS certificate.
Disclosure information is prepared
The DBS applies the relevant disclosure and filtering rules before preparing the certificate.
The certificate is printed
Once the checks are complete, the Standard DBS certificate is printed and prepared for postage.
The certificate is sent to the applicant
The paper certificate is posted directly to the applicant. The organisation should ask to see the original certificate before making its final recruitment decision.
How long does a Standard DBS check take?
There is no guaranteed completion time for a Standard DBS check. Some applications are completed quickly, while others may take longer depending on the information supplied and the official DBS processing required.
Once an application has been submitted, Employment Tools cannot control how long the DBS takes to complete its checks and issue the certificate.
What can affect the completion time?
The most effective way to avoid preventable delays is to make sure the application is complete and accurate before it is approved for submission.
Employment Tools checks applications before sending them to the DBS, but information may still need to be corrected where the applicant has entered something incorrectly or left out required details.
- Missing address history: applicants should include their full address history for the required period without unexplained gaps.
- Incorrect names or dates: spelling mistakes or incorrect dates may need to be corrected before submission.
- Previous names not included: applicants should provide all previous names requested by the application.
- Identity verification still outstanding: the application cannot be submitted until the organisation has completed the required identity checks.
- Official DBS processing: once submitted, the remaining checks and certificate production are controlled by the DBS.
Track applications through your dashboard
Employment Tools shows whether an applicant has started their form, whether information or identity checks remain outstanding, and when the application has been submitted.
Standard DBS Check FAQs
Clear answers to common questions about Standard DBS checks, eligibility, costs, processing times, certificates and the DBS Update Service.
What is a Standard DBS check?
A Standard DBS check is a criminal record check available for specific roles, professions and licences that are legally eligible.
It can show spent and unspent convictions and adult cautions recorded on the Police National Computer, unless they are protected under the DBS filtering rules.
What does a Standard DBS check show?
A Standard DBS check can show unspent convictions, relevant spent convictions and adult cautions that are not protected from disclosure.
It does not include additional information held by local police and cannot include checks of the Children’s Barred List or Adults’ Barred List. Those additional checks are only available through an eligible Enhanced DBS check.
Who is eligible for a Standard DBS check?
Standard DBS checks are only available for roles, professions, positions and licences covered by the relevant legislation.
Eligibility depends on the actual position and duties involved, rather than the organisation’s sector or the applicant’s job title alone. An employer cannot request a Standard DBS check simply because it would prefer to see more information about an applicant’s criminal record.
Organisations can also use the official GOV.UK DBS eligibility tool to help identify which level of check may be appropriate.
What is the difference between a Basic and Standard DBS check?
A Basic DBS check shows unspent convictions and conditional cautions. It can be requested for any lawful purpose.
A Standard DBS check can also show relevant spent convictions and adult cautions that are not protected under the filtering rules. It is only available for legally eligible roles, professions and licences.
What is the difference between a Standard and Enhanced DBS check?
A Standard DBS check shows eligible information held on the Police National Computer, including spent and unspent convictions and adult cautions that have not been filtered.
An Enhanced DBS check includes the same information and may also include relevant information held by local police. Where the duties are legally eligible, an Enhanced check may also include the Children’s Barred List, Adults’ Barred List, or both.
How much does a Standard DBS check cost?
The government fee for a Standard DBS check is £21.50.
Employment Tools then charges an administration fee. With the highest level of free admin credit, the total cost starts from £27.33 excluding VAT, or £28.50 including VAT.
There are no sign-up fees, monthly charges or minimum spend.
Are Standard DBS checks free for volunteers?
The official DBS fee is waived where the applicant meets the DBS definition of a free-of-charge volunteer. The organisation still pays the Employment Tools administration fee.
Eligible volunteer Standard DBS checks start from £5.83 plus VAT when using the highest level of free admin credit. Only eligible Standard and Enhanced volunteer applications qualify for the waived DBS fee.
How long does a Standard DBS check take?
There is no guaranteed completion time for a Standard DBS check. Some applications are completed quickly, while others may take longer depending on the information supplied and the official DBS processing required.
Employment Tools checks and submits complete applications received before 4pm, Monday to Friday, on the same working day where no corrections are required. Once submitted, the remaining processing time is controlled by the DBS.
What documents are needed for a Standard DBS check?
Applicants must provide sufficient approved evidence to confirm their identity. This may include documents such as a passport, driving licence or other evidence accepted under the DBS identity-checking routes.
Where suitable, Digital ID verification can allow the applicant to confirm their identity online. Employment Tools also provides the organisation with a Digital ID PDF report for its records.
Who receives the Standard DBS certificate?
The Standard DBS certificate is printed and posted directly to the applicant.
The organisation should ask the applicant to provide the original certificate so it can check the details and consider the result before making its recruitment decision.
Can I track a Standard DBS application online?
Yes. Employment Tools allows organisations to see whether the applicant has started their form, whether any actions remain outstanding and when the application has been submitted.
Once the application has been accepted by the DBS, its progress can also be followed using the relevant DBS tracking service.
Can a Standard DBS certificate be used for another job?
An organisation may choose to accept an existing Standard DBS certificate, but it should confirm that the role is eligible for a Standard check, the certificate is for the correct workforce, the same level and type of check are required, and the information is sufficiently current for the new position.
The employer remains responsible for deciding whether a new application is needed.
Does a Standard DBS certificate expire?
A Standard DBS certificate has no official expiry date. The information shown is accurate at the time the check is completed.
It is up to the organisation to decide when a new check is required, taking account of the role, its safeguarding responsibilities and any applicable regulatory requirements.
Can a Standard DBS check be added to the Update Service?
Yes. Eligible Standard DBS certificates can be added to the DBS Update Service.
With the applicant’s consent, an organisation can carry out an online status check where it is legally entitled to request the same level and type of DBS check for the new role. The check must also relate to the same workforce.
Why use Employment Tools for Standard DBS checks?
Employment Tools by Aaron’s Department is approved by the Government as a Registered Body and can process eligible Standard and Enhanced DBS applications.
Organisations benefit from:
- Free registration
- No monthly charges or minimum spend
- Standard DBS administration fees from £5.83 plus VAT
- Same-working-day submission for complete applications received before 4pm
- Digital ID verification
- Automatic applicant reminders
- Online progress tracking
- Support from a real UK-based team