How far back does a DBS check go?
A DBS check does not have one simple time limit. The answer to how far back does a DBS check go? depends on the level of check requested, whether the role is eligible, whether a conviction or caution is spent or unspent, and whether any information is filtered under DBS rules.
For a self-employed professional in England and Wales, the most practical answer is this: a basic check shows unspent convictions and conditional cautions, while a standard or enhanced check can show spent and unspent convictions and adult cautions from the Police National Computer if they are not filtered. An enhanced check can also include relevant information held by local police. If the role involves regulated activity, a barred list check may also be included.
Self Employed DBS helps eligible self-employed people apply for enhanced DBS checks. We cannot provide basic DBS checks, but this guide explains the difference so you can understand what clients, parents, families or organisations may reasonably ask to see.
There is no single DBS lookback period
A DBS check is not like a reference that covers the last five years. It is a criminal record disclosure system, and the information shown depends on the legal rules for the check level.
That means an old matter may still appear in some circumstances, while another old or minor matter may not. The main questions are:
- what level of DBS check is being requested
- whether the role is legally eligible for that level
- whether a conviction or caution is spent or unspent
- whether filtering rules protect the record from appearing
- whether local police hold relevant information for an enhanced check
For self-employed workers, eligibility matters. A client, parent or organisation may want reassurance, but that does not automatically mean the role qualifies for an enhanced DBS check. If you are unsure, start with the DBS Eligibility Check before applying.
What a basic DBS check can show
A basic DBS check can be used for any purpose by someone aged 16 or over in England and Wales. It shows unspent convictions and conditional cautions under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.
There is no neat number of years for a basic DBS check. Instead, a record stays visible while it is unspent. The rehabilitation period depends on the sentence or disposal, and some convictions never become spent. Serious violent, sexual or terrorism offences with prison sentences of more than four years, where listed in the relevant legislation, can always be disclosed on a basic check.
This is why two people with convictions from the same year may receive different DBS results. The date of the offence is only part of the picture. The sentence, later convictions and the applicable rehabilitation period can all affect whether the record is still unspent.
Self Employed DBS does not provide basic checks. If a basic check is the right level for your work, you should use the official DBS route or another appropriate Responsible Organisation.
What standard and enhanced DBS checks can show
Standard and enhanced DBS checks are different because they are only available for eligible roles. The law must allow the person or organisation to ask what is known as an exempted question, which can include spent convictions except those protected by filtering rules.
A standard DBS certificate can show spent and unspent convictions and adult cautions from the Police National Computer if they have not been filtered. An enhanced DBS certificate includes the same Police National Computer information as a standard check, plus a check of information held by police forces that is considered relevant to the role.
An enhanced with barred list check goes further. It includes the enhanced check information and a check against the relevant children’s and/or adults’ barred list, but only where the role is eligible, usually because it involves regulated activity or another listed position.
If you are self-employed and your work may qualify for an enhanced check, read our guide on how to get an enhanced DBS check for myself. It explains why eligible self-employed applicants usually need an umbrella body to process the application.
How to decide what may appear on your DBS check
Use this five-point check before you apply or before you ask a self-employed person to show a certificate.
1. Identify the role
Write down the actual work being carried out, who it is for and whether it involves children, adults receiving care, healthcare, education, transport, regulated activity or another eligible setting.
2. Check eligibility
Do not assume a higher-level check is allowed. Use eligibility guidance or a DBS eligibility check before requesting an enhanced or barred list check.
3. Match the check level
A basic, standard, enhanced and enhanced with barred list check can disclose different information. The right level depends on the role, not on what would feel most reassuring.
4. Look at the certificate context
Check the issue date, level, workforce, name details and whether the certificate was issued for work that matches the current role.
5. Decide the next step
If the role is eligible and a new enhanced check is needed, apply through a suitable umbrella body. If a certificate is already on the Update Service, check whether it can be used for the same type of work.
How filtering affects old convictions and cautions
Filtering is the DBS process that prevents certain protected cautions and convictions from appearing on standard and enhanced DBS certificates. It is not the same as a record being deleted, and it does not apply to every offence.
Filtering is one reason there is no reliable answer such as “a DBS check goes back seven years”. Some old or minor records may be protected and not disclosed. Other records may still appear because they are unspent, because the offence is of a type that is not protected, or because the sentence means disclosure rules treat it differently.
For applicants, the safest approach is to avoid guessing. If an application form asks about criminal records, the wording should match the check level and the current filtering rules. If you are unsure whether you need to disclose something, take independent advice from a suitable criminal records advice charity or legal adviser before answering.
What enhanced DBS checks mean for self-employed work
Self-employed people cannot simply choose an enhanced DBS check because it looks more reassuring. The role must be eligible. GOV.UK guidance for self-employed people says an eligible self-employed person can apply for an enhanced or enhanced with barred list DBS check through a DBS umbrella body.
Common self-employed roles that may need eligibility checks include private tutors, sports coaches, therapists, carers, childminders, contractors working on school or care sites, and some healthcare professionals. The detail matters. A private maths tutor working one-to-one with children may be in a different position from a tradesperson visiting a family home for a one-off repair.
If you buy services from a self-employed person, remember that a DBS certificate is only one part of safer decision-making. You can also check identity, qualifications, insurance, references, safeguarding policies and the date and workforce shown on the certificate.
For more role-specific guidance, see our pages for tutors and sports coaches.
Old certificates, the Update Service and fresh checks
A DBS certificate does not have an official expiry date. The information on it is accurate at the date of issue. That is different from saying it remains current forever.
If a client or organisation is deciding whether to accept an older certificate, they should consider the level of check, the workforce, the role it was issued for, whether the identity details match and whether anything may have changed since the issue date. Enhanced certificates can be role-sensitive because local police information is assessed in relation to the position applied for.
The DBS Update Service can help where the certificate type and workforce are appropriate. It allows an organisation to check whether a standard or enhanced certificate is still up to date, rather than relying only on the paper certificate. It is not available for basic DBS checks.
If you already have a new certificate or application reference, our guides explain what the DBS Update Service is and how to add a new DBS certificate to the Update Service.
This guide is for general information for England and Wales. It is not legal advice and does not guarantee what will or will not appear on any individual DBS certificate. DBS disclosure depends on the facts of the record, the role, the check level and the rules in force when the certificate is issued.
Apply for the right enhanced DBS check
If your self-employed role is eligible for an enhanced DBS check, Self Employed DBS can help you start the application online. We will guide you through the application route, but eligibility still depends on the work you do and the rules that apply to that role.