Do online tutors need a DBS check?
Do online tutors need a DBS check? Not every online tutor is legally required to hold one, but many tutors who teach children are eligible for an enhanced DBS check. If the tutoring is frequent and involves teaching, training or instruction of children, the tutor may be eligible for an enhanced DBS check with a Children’s barred list check.
This matters for self-employed tutors because parents cannot apply for an enhanced DBS check on the tutor’s behalf. Since 21 January 2026, eligible self-employed people have been able to apply for enhanced DBS checks through a DBS umbrella body. Self Employed DBS helps eligible self-employed tutors apply for the appropriate enhanced check.
The short answer for online tutors
An online tutor who works with children should usually expect parents, carers or agencies to ask about DBS checks. The fact that lessons happen by video call does not remove safeguarding considerations. A tutor can still be teaching, training or instructing a child, and that is the activity that matters for DBS eligibility.
For a tutor working only with adults, an enhanced DBS check will not normally be available just because the tutor wants one. Higher-level DBS checks are tied to eligible roles, not personal preference. If a tutor works with both children and adults, the children’s tutoring work should be assessed separately.
For a self-employed tutor teaching children directly, the most common outcome is an enhanced DBS check in the child workforce. Where the tutoring meets the regulated activity rules, the check can include the Children’s barred list. You can read more about the tutoring route on our Tutors page and our guide to whether private tutors need an enhanced DBS check.
When online tutoring can be regulated activity with children
DBS regulated activity with children is based on what the person does, how often they do it and, in some cases, where the work takes place. Teaching, training or instructing children can be regulated activity when it is carried out on more than 3 days in a 30-day period. A child means a person under 18, although there is a limited exception where the activity relates solely to the paid or unpaid employment of a 16 or 17 year old.
For online tutors, the frequency test is often the deciding point. A maths tutor who teaches a 14 year old every Tuesday evening is likely to meet the regularity requirement. A tutor who gives a one-off revision session may still be eligible for an enhanced check in some circumstances, but the Children’s barred list element is usually linked to regulated activity.
The tutor does not have to teach the same child each time for frequency to matter. Regular teaching across several pupils can still count. Tutors should look at their actual work pattern, including trial lessons, small group sessions and recurring online bookings.
Online delivery also creates practical safeguarding issues. Tutors should think about parental consent, lesson recording, one-to-one video calls, messaging outside lessons and how concerns will be reported. A DBS check is only one part of that wider safeguarding picture.
Which DBS check should an online tutor have?
There are several DBS check levels, but Self Employed DBS only provides enhanced DBS checks. For online tutors working with children, the two relevant outcomes are usually:
- Enhanced DBS check in the child workforce, for eligible tutoring roles where barred list information is not requested.
- Enhanced DBS check with Children’s Barred List information, where the tutor is carrying out regulated activity with children.
A basic DBS check can be used for any role, but it only shows unspent convictions and conditional cautions. It is not the same as an enhanced check and it does not include barred list information. A standard DBS check is for specific eligible roles and is not usually the right route for private tutoring.
The enhanced check currently has a DBS fee of £49.50, and umbrella bodies may add their own administration fee. The same DBS fee applies whether the enhanced check includes barred list information or not. If you are unsure whether the role is eligible, use our DBS Eligibility Check before starting an application.
How online tutors should approach DBS checks
Before applying, make sure the check matches the tutoring work. A higher-level DBS check can only be requested where the role is eligible.
Define who you teach
List whether you teach children, adults or both. For DBS purposes, a child is someone under 18, subject to the limited employment-related exception for some 16 and 17 year olds.
Check the frequency
Look at how often you teach, train or instruct children. More than 3 days in a 30-day period can be enough for regulated activity.
Choose the right workforce
Most child tutoring checks sit in the child workforce. If barred list information is requested, the role must meet the rules for regulated activity.
Prepare your identity details
Have your ID documents, previous names and 5 year address history ready. Accurate details reduce avoidable delays.
Plan how you will show the certificate
Clients should see the original certificate. If you join the Update Service, they can run a status check with your consent.
How self-employed online tutors apply
Self-employed tutors can now apply for an enhanced DBS check themselves if the role is eligible. The application must go through a DBS umbrella body. A parent, carer or private client cannot apply for the tutor’s enhanced check on their behalf.
The umbrella body checks the role, confirms the right level of check and verifies the applicant’s identity. Tutors should be ready to provide accurate personal details, previous names where relevant and a full 5 year address history. Mistakes in names, dates or addresses can slow the application down.
If the tutor is contracted by a school, college, tuition company or agency, that organisation may have its own recruitment and DBS process. The tutor should ask the organisation what it requires before paying for a separate check.
For tutors who work with several families, the DBS Update Service can be useful. It lets clients check whether an eligible standard or enhanced DBS certificate is up to date, as long as the certificate is for the same workforce and level of check. Our guide to the DBS Update Service for self-employed workers explains when it is worth considering.
What parents and clients should check
Parents should ask to see the tutor’s original DBS certificate, not a photo or scanned copy. They should check that the name matches the tutor’s ID, that the certificate relates to the child workforce and that the level of check is suitable for the tutoring arrangement.
The certificate date matters. A DBS certificate is a snapshot on the date it was issued unless the tutor has joined the Update Service and the client carries out a status check with the tutor’s consent. If the certificate is old and not on the Update Service, parents may want to ask for a new check.
Parents should also ask practical safeguarding questions. For online tutoring, these might include whether lessons are recorded, whether parents can be present, how the tutor handles direct messaging with pupils, what platform is used and what happens if a child raises a concern during a lesson.
If a certificate states that the person is barred from working with children, they must not be engaged for regulated activity with children. Serious safeguarding concerns should be reported to the police or the relevant local authority safeguarding route.
A DBS check is not the whole safeguarding answer
A clear DBS certificate does not prove that a tutor is safe in every respect. It means the DBS check did not disclose information at that point that prevents the person from presenting that certificate. Parents and clients should combine DBS checks with references, identity checks, qualifications where relevant and clear boundaries for online contact.
Tutors should have a simple safeguarding policy even if they work alone. It does not need to be complicated, but it should explain how the tutor keeps children safe, what behaviour is expected during online lessons and what the tutor will do if a safeguarding concern arises.
For tutors, being prepared can also reduce friction with new clients. A current enhanced DBS certificate, clear online lesson rules and a professional approach to parental questions all help clients make a more informed decision.
If your tutoring role is eligible for an enhanced DBS check, you can begin through our enhanced DBS checks for self-employed people.
This guide is for general information for England and Wales and is not legal advice. DBS eligibility depends on the exact role, duties, frequency and workforce. Self Employed DBS can only provide enhanced DBS checks where the role is eligible.
Apply for an enhanced DBS check as an online tutor
If you are a self-employed online tutor working with children, Self Employed DBS can help you apply for the appropriate enhanced DBS check where your role is eligible. Start your application and we will guide you through the next steps.