DBS Checks for Teachers
If you teach privately, tutor independently, or work as a supply teacher without an agency, you need your own DBS check. Schools and parents are asking for them more than ever, and since January 2026 you can finally get the right level of check without needing a school or agency to do it for you.
This is where you sort it.
What Is a DBS Check for Teachers?
A DBS check is a criminal record check. It tells the people you work with that you have been cleared to work with children. For anyone teaching or tutoring children, the check you need is an Enhanced DBS, not a basic one.
A Basic DBS only shows recent unspent convictions. An Enhanced DBS goes much further. It covers spent convictions, cautions, and police intelligence, and it checks whether you appear on the Children’s Barred List, the national register of people who are prohibited from working with children.
Schools, parents, tutoring platforms, and local authorities will ask for an Enhanced DBS. A Basic check will not satisfy them, and it should not.
If you teach in Scotland, your check is handled through Disclosure Scotland. In Northern Ireland, it is AccessNI.
Do Teachers Need a DBS Check?
The moment you are paid to work one-to-one with children in an unsupervised setting, you are in what the DBS classes as regulated activity. That applies to private tutors, music teachers, drama coaches, sports instructors, home educators, and supply teachers working directly with schools. Any of these roles requires an Enhanced DBS check, and most clients will ask to see it before they book you.
If your teaching work is entirely with adults, a Standard DBS may be more appropriate than an Enhanced check.
Your DBS certificate is yours. It belongs to you, not to any school, client, or platform you work with.
Here is something most self-employed teachers do not know yet: until 21 January 2026, you had no legal way to get an Enhanced DBS check without an employer or agency applying for it on your behalf.
If you were self-employed and working privately, the only check available to you was a Basic DBS. That check has no barred list. It would not show if someone was prohibited from working with children. That was a real gap in safeguarding, and it has now been closed.
A change in law came into force on 21 January 2026. It means paid self-employed workers in England and Wales can now access an Enhanced DBS check directly, without needing a school, agency, or employer involved at any stage.
We process these checks specifically for self-employed people. If you work independently, this is how you get the check you need.
You can read the full story of what changed, and why, in our guide to DBS changes in 2025 and 2026.
What Type of DBS Check Does a Teacher Need?
For teaching or tutoring children, you need an Enhanced DBS with a Children’s Barred List check. That is the full check. It covers everything schools and parents expect to see, and it confirms you are not on the national register of people barred from working with children.
If some of your work also involves vulnerable adults, such as adult learners with care needs, your check can include both the Children’s Barred List and the Adults’ Barred List together.
For teaching roles where all your students are adults and the regulated activity threshold does not apply, a Standard DBS is the appropriate level instead.
Not sure which level applies to you? Our self-employed DBS hub walks through the differences, and our Enhanced DBS page covers the full detail on the top-level check.
How to Get Your Teacher DBS Check
No school. No agency. No employer. You apply directly through us and we handle the rest
Check eligibility
You must be paid and in a qualifying role. Volunteers are not covered.
Register an account
Self-employed applicants cannot submit directly to the DBS.
Complete application
Personal details, 5 years of addresses, and your role information.
Verify your identity
Digitally via biometric passport or EU ID card, or with standard documents.
Receive certificate
Posted directly to you. Show the original to your client or parent.
How Long Does It Take?
Most Enhanced DBS checks come back within two to four weeks. A large number are returned within three to five working days once your identity is confirmed.
Timings depend on how many police forces need to be searched and whether anything in your application requires further review. There is no guaranteed fast-track for Enhanced checks.
One thing worth doing when you apply: add the DBS Update Service for £16 per year. It keeps your certificate active and lets any school or client verify it instantly online. That means no reapplying every time you take on a new placement or client.
Read more about how long a DBS check takes and how it works.
How Much Does It Cost?
| Check Type | DBS Fee |
|---|---|
| Enhanced DBS | £49.50 |
| Enhanced + Barred List | £49.50 |
| DBS Update Service | £16/year |
The DBS fee is VAT-exempt. Our processing fee is charged separately and is subject to VAT. You will not be asked to pay until your application is complete and ready to go.
Full pricing is on our DBS check costs page.
This guide applies to Self-employed teachers workers in England and Wales. Self-employed teachers in Scotland uses Disclosure Scotland. Northern Ireland Self-employed teachers Access NI. This page is for guidance only and does not constitute legal advice. If you have questions about your specific circumstances, contact our support team or consult a qualified legal adviser.
Ready to Apply?
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to the most popular questions we get about DBS Checks and our Platform
Can I get a DBS check as a self-employed teacher without a school or agency?
Yes, and this is exactly what we set up to do. Since January 2026, self-employed teachers in England and Wales can get an Enhanced DBS check without any employer or agency involvement. You apply directly through us and we handle the process from there.
I already have a Basic DBS. Is that enough?
For teaching children, no. A Basic DBS only shows unspent convictions and does not include barred list checks. Schools and parents will ask for an Enhanced DBS, which covers significantly more and confirms you are not prohibited from working with children. If you only have a Basic check, it is worth upgrading.
What type of DBS check does a self-employed teacher need?
If you teach or tutor children, you need an Enhanced DBS with Children’s Barred List check. That is the level that schools and parents require. We process this as the standard check for teaching roles involving children.
Do supply teachers need their own DBS check?
If you work through a staffing agency, your agency typically handles your DBS. If you contract directly with schools on a self-employed basis, without an agency in the arrangement, you need your own. We process Enhanced DBS checks for self-employed supply teachers directly, with no agency or employer involved.
Can I use the same DBS certificate with more than one school or client?
Yes. Your certificate belongs to you and you can share it freely but keep in mind that it’s a snapshot made at the time of processing. Adding the DBS Update Service for £16 per year when you apply lets anyone you work with verify your certificate online instantly, without you needing to apply again for each new role.
How long has this been possible for self-employed teachers?
Only since 21 January 2026. Before that date, self-employed teachers had no legal route to an Enhanced DBS check without an employer or agency. A change in law under the Police Act 1997 extended access to self-employed paid workers for the first time. We built this platform specifically to process those applications.