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Do DBS checks expire?
No. A DBS certificate has no official expiry date. It is accurate on the day it was issued, and anything that happens afterwards will not appear on it.
That is why organisations set their own re-check policy. Some roles and sectors have their own expectations, so check the guidance for your sector and write the interval into your safer recruitment policy.
The DBS Update Service
The DBS Update Service lets a person keep a standard or enhanced certificate up to date and take it from one role to the next. They must register within 30 days of the certificate being issued, and the subscription costs £16 a year, free for volunteers.
With the person's permission, and if you are legally entitled to check, you can carry out a free online status check. It tells you whether anything has changed since the certificate was issued. If it has, ask for a new check.
- For standard and enhanced certificates only
- The person must register and keep the subscription renewed
- Employers need the person's permission and legal entitlement to check
- A status check is free and gives an immediate result
When a new DBS check is needed
A certificate may not carry over to a new role. The Update Service guidance says a new certificate is needed when the organisation asks for one, when the role needs a different workforce (adult or child) or when it needs a different level of check.
- Your re-check interval has come round
- A status check shows the certificate has changed
- The person moves to a role needing a different workforce or level
- The person's Update Service subscription lapsed
What to record
Keep a clear record for each person so you can show which check you relied on and when the next one is due. Follow data protection law and your own policy on what you keep.
- Certificate level, workforce and issue date
- Certificate number, where your policy allows
- Whether the person uses the Update Service
- The date of each status check and who did it
- The date your next re-check is due
How SkillProof helps
SkillProof records each person's DBS check as a staff document requirement, with the level, issue date, Update Service use, the date of each status check and your re-check date. Reminders go out before a re-check is due, and the record sits with the person's training and other checks. SkillProof does not carry out DBS checks or status checks itself.
If you track several dated checks, such as right to work, DBS and driving licences, the expiring staff documents guide shows how to keep them all in one place.
Official guidance used for this guide
Checked
GOV.UK guidance used for this article. Check your sector's own expectations for re-check intervals.
Questions this guide answers
How long is a DBS check valid for?
A DBS certificate has no official expiry date. It is accurate on the day it was issued, so your organisation decides when to ask for a new check.
How often should DBS checks be renewed?
There is no single legal interval for most roles. Set a re-check period in your policy based on the role and any sector guidance, or use the Update Service for status checks.
What is the DBS Update Service?
A £16-a-year subscription that keeps a standard or enhanced certificate up to date. With permission, employers can run a free online status check to see if anything has changed.
Does SkillProof carry out DBS checks?
No. SkillProof records the check your organisation relied on, the dates and any status checks, and reminds you before a re-check is due.