What Documents Do You Need For A DBS Check Application?

When you apply for a DBS check, you need to provide certain documents as proof of identity. The documents that are acceptable as proof of identity vary depending on the type of check, whether it is Basic or Standard or Enhanced.

We have listed the documents that are provided for each DBS Check to support you when making your application for a DBS Check.

Documents for a Basic DBS check

Basic DBS checks are the lowest level of DBS check and only search an individual’s criminal record for unspent convictions. They tend to be used for jobs that require some kind of character check, but don’t involve working closely with vulnerable groups or in a position of high responsibility.

Basic DBS checks can be applied for online or on-paper (by post). Either way, for a basic DBS check application, you need to provide proof of identity documents as follows:

Documents for a Standard or Enhanced DBS check

Document requirements for standard and enhanced checks are more complicated than those for a basic check. Also, unlike the basic check, standard and enhanced checks cannot be applied for directly by the individual themselves. Instead, the employer or hiring organisation or body, must apply on the individual’s behalf.

There are three different ways a person can provide documents:

If the applicant doesn’t have any documents from group 1, then move onto option 2.

If the applicant cannot fulfil the requirements from option 1 or option 2, move onto option 3.

The final option which is rarely used if the applicant cannot meet any of the above requirements is to provide fingerprints in person at a police station.

Here are the document groups referred to above:

Group 1 – Primary ID documents

Group 2a – Government documents from trusted sources

Group 2b – Financial and/or local authority documents

Please note that for all non-UK or nationals outside of the EEA, you must provide the original documentation and not photocopies.

Summary

To apply for a DBS check you must provide certain identification documents. Make sure you have them all ready before applying to a job that requires a DBS check.

You can apply for a basic DBS check online to speed up the process, and we can provide results within 24 hours. You can upload your documents through our processing team online.

Employers can also apply for standard and enhanced DBS checks online on behalf of applicants, but will need to see documents first and photocopy them.

To find out more about online DBS checks, or anything else related to DBS checks, get in touch with one of our helpful team members today.