How to add a new DBS certificate to the Update Service
You can add a certificate to the DBS Update Service by signing in to your Update Service account and using the option to add or remove certificates. The certificate must be in your name. If you are joining the Update Service after your DBS certificate has already been issued, you must do it within 30 days of the date of issue printed on the certificate.
For self-employed people, the detail matters. The Update Service can make it easier to show future clients or organisations that an eligible standard or enhanced certificate is still current, but it does not make every certificate suitable for every role. The level of check, workforce and barred list information still need to match the work being carried out.
What the Update Service actually does
The DBS Update Service is an online subscription for standard and enhanced DBS certificates. It lets you keep a certificate up to date and allows an employer, organisation or private individual to run an online status check, but only with your permission and only where they are legally entitled to check that type of certificate.
For self-employed professionals, this can be useful when you work with more than one client. A private tutor, coach, carer or therapist may be asked by different people to show evidence of a suitable DBS check. If the certificate is on the Update Service, the person considering your services may be able to check whether the certificate is still current rather than asking you to apply again.
The Update Service does not replace the original certificate. You should keep the paper certificate safe, because the person checking your status must see the original certificate before using the service. Copies, screenshots and photographs are not a substitute for the original DBS certificate.
If you want a broader explanation before adding a certificate, read our guide to what the DBS Update Service means for self-employed workers.
When you can add a new certificate
You can add multiple DBS certificates to your Update Service account, provided the certificate is in your name. This is common when your work changes and you need a new certificate for a different workforce, a different level of check or a barred list check that was not included on an older certificate.
If you already have an Update Service subscription and receive a new certificate, sign in to your account and add the new certificate. There is not a separate Update Service subscription for every certificate, but you must keep the annual subscription active.
If you are not already subscribed and you want to join after your certificate has been issued, you need the certificate number and must join within 30 days of the date of issue shown on the certificate. A reprint does not restart that 30 day period. If the deadline has passed, you will normally need a new DBS check before you can subscribe with that certificate.
You can also join during the DBS application process by using your application form reference number or e-reference. In that case, DBS must receive the application within 28 days of you joining. Once the certificate is issued, it should be added to your Update Service account automatically.
Before you add it, check the certificate matches your work
Adding a certificate to the Update Service does not make it suitable for every self-employed role. A person checking your status still needs to be entitled to the same level and type of DBS information for the role they are considering.
Check these details before relying on a certificate with a new client or organisation:
- Level of check: standard, enhanced, or enhanced with barred list information.
- Workforce: child workforce, adult workforce, child and adult workforce, or other workforce.
- Barred list information: whether the certificate includes the children’s barred list, adults’ barred list, both or neither.
- Role wording: whether the position applied for is relevant to the work you now want to do.
- Your details: the name and personal details on the certificate must be correct.
For example, an enhanced certificate for adult workforce work will not usually be enough for child workforce tutoring. A certificate without barred list information may not be enough where the new role is eligible for a barred list check. If you are unsure what your role may be eligible for, use our DBS eligibility check tool before applying.
How to add a new certificate without avoidable delays
These five checks cover the main points that cause missed deadlines or unusable certificates.
Check the issue date
Use the date printed on the DBS certificate. If you are joining after issue, the 30 day limit runs from that date.
Sign in or join
If you already subscribe, sign in and add the certificate. If you are new to the service, join using the certificate number or application reference.
Use your own details
Use your personal email address and keep control of the subscription. Your account should not be controlled by a third party.
Match the role
Check that the certificate level, workforce and barred list details fit the work you want to do.
Keep the original certificate
Clients or organisations must see the original certificate before they can use the Update Service to check its status.
How self-employed applicants should approach a new DBS check
Since 21 January 2026, paid self-employed people and personal employees in eligible roles in England and Wales have been able to apply for enhanced and enhanced with barred list DBS checks through a DBS Umbrella Body. The private individual buying your services cannot apply on your behalf. If you contract your services to an organisation, that organisation may apply in line with its own policy.
Self Employed DBS helps eligible self-employed people apply for enhanced DBS checks. We do not provide basic or standard checks. If your role is eligible for an enhanced check, you can start with our self-employed DBS check service and consider joining the Update Service during the application or shortly after the certificate is issued.
Joining during the application can reduce the risk of missing the 30 day deadline after issue. If you wait until the certificate arrives, check the issue date as soon as you receive it and do not assume the deadline runs from the day it lands in the post.
What clients and organisations can check
A client, employer or organisation does not get open access to your DBS information through the Update Service. They need your permission, they need to have seen your original DBS certificate and they need to be legally entitled to check the level and type of certificate you are presenting.
For private individuals, such as a parent hiring a tutor or a person arranging care, GOV.UK guidance says they can ask to view the original DBS certificate as part of their recruitment considerations. If they use the Update Service, they can enter “private employer” as the organisation name when running the status check.
The result will not show a fresh copy of your certificate. It will say whether the certificate remains current or whether new information means a new DBS check is needed. If the details entered do not match, the checker may have used the wrong certificate number, surname or date of birth, or the certificate may not be on the Update Service.
If you want to show where your certificate is in the application process before it arrives, use our track or view your DBS certificate guide.
Common mistakes that cause problems
The most common problem is missing the joining window. The 30 day period runs from the date of issue printed on the certificate, not from the date you opened the letter and not from any later reprint.
Another mistake is removing a certificate without understanding the consequence. DBS guidance says that if you remove a certificate from your Update Service account, you cannot add it again or use it to create a new account. Only remove a certificate when you are sure you no longer need it on the service.
Payment details can also cause problems. The Update Service subscription lasts for one year and must be renewed to stay active. Paid subscriptions cost £16 per year, while volunteer subscriptions are free for people who meet the DBS definition of a volunteer. You cannot add a certificate for a paid position to a free volunteer Update Service subscription.
Name changes need care. If you change your name, you may need a new DBS check and can then link the new certificate to your Update Service account. If the name on a certificate is incorrect, the certificate is not valid.
This guide is for general information for England and Wales. DBS eligibility depends on the role, duties, setting and legal criteria. Self Employed DBS can help with enhanced DBS checks for eligible self-employed applicants, but we cannot guarantee that a client or organisation will accept a certificate or Update Service status check.
Need a new enhanced DBS check for self-employed work?
If your role is eligible and you need a new enhanced DBS certificate, Self Employed DBS can help you apply online and understand the next steps. Once your certificate is issued, you can decide whether to add it to the DBS Update Service within the required time limit.