How to check if your DBS is on the Update Service
To check if your DBS is on the Update Service, sign in to your DBS Update Service account through GOV.UK and look for your subscription status and the certificates linked to your account. If the certificate is attached and your subscription is active, your DBS is on the Update Service. If you cannot sign in, cannot see the certificate or an organisation gets a details do not match result, you may need to check your details with DBS or apply for a new DBS check before joining again.
This guide is for self-employed professionals in England and Wales, and for people buying their services. It explains what to check, what the common status messages mean and when a fresh enhanced DBS check may be needed.
The quickest way to check your Update Service status
The most direct check is to log in to the official DBS Update Service account area. You can reach it through the DBS online services page on GOV.UK, then choose the Update Service sign-in option.
Once signed in, check two things. First, look at your subscription status. A live subscription should show that you are subscribed, rather than cancelled or expired. Second, check that the certificate you want to use is listed in your account.
DBS gives every Update Service subscriber a unique Update Service ID. It begins with the letter C followed by 10 numbers. This is different from the 12-digit DBS certificate number printed on your paper certificate. If you are asked for a number, check which number the client or organisation actually needs.
If you have forgotten your Update Service ID, DBS says you can call its customer services line on 03000 200 190. Do not share your Update Service ID with clients as a routine way of proving your status. A client or organisation normally carries out a status check using your certificate details, your consent and the original certificate they have seen.
What you need before you check
Before you sign in or ask someone to run a status check, gather the documents and details that remove most of the guesswork.
- Your original paper DBS certificate, not a scan or photograph.
- The 12-digit DBS certificate reference number.
- Your surname and date of birth as they appear on the certificate.
- Your Update Service ID, if you are logging into your own account.
- The email address used for the subscription, ideally your own personal email address.
For self-employed professionals, keeping the original certificate matters. DBS guidance says an organisation or private employer must see the original certificate in person before carrying out a status check. They do not need to see it before every later check, but they must have seen it first.
If you are preparing a new application, it also helps to have your identity evidence ready. Our guide to what documents you need for a DBS check explains the usual document planning points for applicants.
How to tell whether the correct certificate is attached
Being on the Update Service is not enough on its own. The certificate must also be suitable for the role in front of you. The Update Service can only help a client or organisation if the certificate is for the same level of check and the right workforce.
For example, a self-employed tutor working directly with children would normally need the certificate to be relevant to the child workforce, if the role is eligible. A certificate for a different workforce or a lower level of check may not be enough for that client or role.
The Update Service is only available for standard and enhanced DBS checks. It is not available for basic DBS checks. Self Employed DBS can help eligible self-employed people apply for enhanced DBS checks, including enhanced checks with barred list information where the role qualifies.
If you are unsure what an enhanced certificate can include, read our guide to what an enhanced DBS check shows. If you need a broader explanation of portability, our guide to the DBS Update Service for self-employed workers explains when reuse is more likely to work.
A five-step check for self-employed DBS users
If you are about to show a DBS certificate to a new client, work through these checks before the meeting or onboarding call.
Sign in to the Update Service
Use the official DBS Update Service sign-in route from GOV.UK and check that your subscription is active.
Find the certificate in your account
Make sure the certificate you plan to use is listed. If you have several certificates, match the 12-digit number carefully.
Check the role fit
Compare the certificate level, workforce and barred list information with the work you will be doing.
Keep the original certificate ready
The client or organisation may need to see the original paper certificate before using the Update Service.
Fix problems early
If the subscription has expired, the certificate is missing or your name has changed, deal with it before a client asks for proof.
What the status messages mean
When you log into your own account, you may see a subscription status and an update status. The subscription status tells you whether your Update Service subscription is live. The update status tells you whether the linked certificate remains current or whether DBS has found new information.
DBS guidance uses statuses such as subscribed, cancelled and expired for the subscription. If you joined using an application reference number, you may also see application progress terms such as received, not received or printed.
For the certificate update status, a no new information result means the certificate remains current for Update Service purposes. A new information result means the certificate is no longer current and a new DBS check is needed to see the updated information.
If a client or organisation carries out a status check and sees a details do not match result, it does not automatically prove there is a problem with your record. It may mean the certificate is not on the Update Service, the certificate was removed from the subscription or one of the entered details is wrong. Check the certificate number, surname and date of birth carefully before assuming the subscription has failed.
Why your DBS may not be showing on the Update Service
The most common reason is timing. If you join after your DBS certificate is issued, DBS says you must join within 30 days of the issue date printed on the certificate. If that window has passed, the usual route is to apply for a new DBS check and join the Update Service with the new application or certificate details.
Your certificate may also be missing if the subscription expired because it was not renewed, if it was cancelled, if the certificate was removed from the account or if it was a manual certificate that cannot be used with the online service.
Name changes can also affect what you can reuse. If your name has changed, DBS guidance says you need a new DBS check, then you can link the new certificate to your Update Service account and remove the old one. Address changes are different: DBS says a change of current address does not stop you using the Update Service for that certificate.
Another practical issue is third-party control. DBS says applicants should control their own Update Service subscription and use their own personal information, including their personal email address. If a previous organisation set up or controls the subscription, contact that organisation and ask for the subscription to be transferred to your email address or cancelled.
What clients and private employers can check
If you are buying services from a self-employed tutor, carer, coach or similar professional, you cannot apply for their DBS check on their behalf. Where the role is eligible, the self-employed person applies for their own enhanced DBS check through a DBS umbrella body.
You can ask to see the original DBS certificate as part of your decision-making. For a status check, you also need the person’s consent, you need to check their identity and you must be legally entitled to see that level and workforce of DBS information for the role.
When using the Update Service as a private individual, GOV.UK guidance says you can enter the phrase private employer in the organisation name box. You will need the DBS certificate number, the certificate holder’s surname and their date of birth as shown on the certificate.
A current Update Service result does not make the hiring decision for you. It tells you whether new information has been identified since the certificate was issued. You still need to consider whether the certificate is the right type for the role, whether it is genuine and whether the information on it is relevant to the work being offered.
This guide is general information for England and Wales. DBS eligibility depends on the role, duties, setting and workforce. It is not legal advice and does not guarantee that a particular check or Update Service status will be accepted by a client, employer, regulator or organisation.
Need a new enhanced DBS check?
If your Update Service subscription has expired, your certificate is not suitable for the role or you missed the 30-day joining window, you may need a new DBS check before you can use the Update Service again. Self Employed DBS helps eligible self-employed professionals understand and apply for the appropriate enhanced DBS check.
You can also read our guide on how to add a new DBS certificate to the Update Service if you are planning your next steps.