DBS Checks for Tutors
Join thousands of self-employed tutors across England and Wales who have used our platform to get their Enhanced DBS certificate. Registration takes under five minutes
What Is a DBS Check for Tutors?
A DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check is a criminal record check that reveals whether someone has convictions, cautions, or other information that could make them unsuitable to work with children or vulnerable adults.
For private tutors, it is the most widely recognised way to demonstrate to parents and families that you have been vetted and are safe to work with their child. It is not a badge — it is a standard expectation, and one that is increasingly being requested before tutoring work begins.
There are three levels of DBS check. Most self-employed tutors working regularly with children will need an Enhanced DBS check, often with a check of the Children’s Barred List.
Do Self-Employed Tutors Need a DBS Check?
There is no single law that requires every private tutor to hold a DBS certificate. However, the practical reality is that most parents will ask for one, most tutoring agencies require one, and most schools that allow external tutors onto their premises will expect to see one.
Beyond client expectations, if you are working regularly and unsupervised with children, which describes the vast majority of private tutors, then you are almost certainly carrying out what is legally defined as regulated activity with children. That means you are eligible for, and arguably obligated to obtain, an Enhanced DBS check with Children’s Barred List.
Get your Enhanced DBS check as a self-employed tutor fully online, digital ID verification, e-Bulk submitted today from self-employed-dbs.co.uk.
Until 21 January 2026, self-employed tutors faced a significant and largely unknown problem: they could only apply for a Basic DBS check.
A Basic check only shows unspent criminal convictions. It does not reveal spent convictions, cautions, local police intelligence, or whether someone appears on the Children’s Barred List. For a parent trying to make a genuinely informed decision about who they are letting into their home to teach their child, a Basic check offered very little reassurance.
Worse, the legal barrier was invisible. A self-employed tutor could be on the Children’s Barred List, meaning the DBS had formally concluded they should not work with children and still have no route to an Enhanced check without an employer to sponsor their application.
A Statutory Instrument laid before Parliament on 20 November 2025 closed that gap. From 21 January 2026, self-employed individuals in paid regulated activity can apply for Enhanced DBS checks including Barred List checks through a registered DBS Umbrella Body, without needing an employer.
For private tutors, this is a significant change. You can read the full story of what changed, and why, in our guide to DBS changes in 2023 and 2026.
What Type of DBS Check Does a Tutor Need?
This depends on how often you work with children and in what context.
Enhanced DBS with Children’s Barred List is the appropriate level for most private tutors. You qualify if you are teaching, training, or instructing children and you do so on more than three days within any 30-day period or if you work with children overnight between 2am and 6am (relevant for residential tutoring or educational stays).
This is the check that reveals the full picture: spent and unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands, relevant local police intelligence, and whether you appear on the Children’s Barred List. You can read more about what an Enhanced DBS check includes and how to apply for one as a self-employed person.
Enhanced DBS without Barred List applies if your tutoring with children is more occasional typically less than three days in any 30-day period. You are still eligible for an Enhanced check, which includes the local police intelligence check, but without the Barred List component.
Basic DBS is available to anyone, but for a working tutor it provides limited reassurance to parents and does not demonstrate the level of vetting that is now possible and expected. Basic checks are handled directly through GOV.UK and do not require an Umbrella Body.
If you work with both children and adults for example tutoring A-level students and also providing adult literacy support then you may need checks against both Barred Lists.
Not sure which level applies to your situation? Our DBS checks for self-employed people guide walks through the eligibility criteria in plain English.
How to Get a DBS Check as a Self-Employed Tutor
The process is straightforward, though it differs from the route an employed teacher would take.
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 a DBS Check Take for Tutors?
Standard Enhanced DBS checks typically complete within 14 days, though timelines can vary depending on the complexity of the check and whether police forces require additional time to process their portion of the application.
We use e-Bulk submission, which means your application is sent electronically to the DBS and processed faster than paper-based applications. If you need your certificate urgently for example, to start work with a new family, this means our platform is designed to move as fast as the DBS process allows.
How Much Does a DBS Check Cost for a Tutor?
The DBS statutory fee for an Enhanced check is £49.50. This is set by the government and is the same regardless of which Umbrella Body you use.
On top of this, our administration fee is £19.50, covering the full application process, digital ID verification, and e-Bulk submission. The total cost for most self-employed tutors through our platform is £69. There are no setup fees and no charges until your application is ready to submit.
You can see a full breakdown of all fees, including the Basic and Standard DBS costs on our DBS check costs for self-employed page.
This guide applies to self-employed tutors in England and Wales. Scotland uses Disclosure Scotland; Northern Ireland uses 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.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to the most popular questions we get about DBS Checks and our Platform
Do I need a DBS check if I only tutor one child?
Eligibility is based on what you do and how often, not on the number of children. If you tutor one child regularly — more than three sessions within any 30 days — you are likely carrying out regulated activity and are eligible for an Enhanced check with Children’s Barred List.
Can I get a DBS check without an employer?
Yes — since January 2026, self-employed tutors can apply for an Enhanced DBS check through a registered DBS Umbrella Body without needing an employer to sponsor the application. Our platform is built specifically for this. Start your application here →
How long is a DBS certificate valid?
There is no official expiry date on a DBS certificate. However, a certificate is only accurate on the day it is issued. Many parents and agencies expect a certificate to be no more than two or three years old. Subscribing to the DBS Update Service means your certificate can be checked in real time, which effectively removes the expiry concern. See our DBS FAQs for more detail.
What is the Children's Barred List?
The Children’s Barred List is a register maintained by the DBS of individuals who have been formally barred from working with children. It is a criminal offence for a barred person to work in regulated activity with children. An Enhanced DBS check with Children’s Barred List reveals whether someone appears on it. You can read a full explanation on our FAQs page.
Will my certificate show old or minor offences?
Some older or minor convictions and cautions are filtered from DBS certificates under rules updated in October 2023. Whether a specific item is filtered depends on its nature, your age at the time, and how long ago it occurred. Serious offences — including all sexual offences and offences against children — are never filtered and will always appear.
Can parents check my DBS certificate online?
Only if you have subscribed to the DBS Update Service. With a subscription, a parent can run a free, instant status check online with your consent and your certificate number. Without it, the only option is for them to view your original certificate in person. Our guide to the DBS Update Service explains how to subscribe and how the status check works.
Do I need a new DBS check for every tutoring client?
Not if you are subscribed to the Update Service. One certificate, kept current through the Update Service, can be checked by multiple clients. Without it, most agencies and parents will expect a certificate issued within the last two to three years. We recommend subscribing at the point of application — you can do this through our platform.
I tutor 16 and 17 year olds — do the same rules apply?
Not quite. The legal definition of regulated activity with children treats 16 and 17 year olds in an employment context differently. If you are teaching or instructing 16 and 17 year olds in a paid employment context, that activity is not classified as regulated activity with children. However, if your work also extends to younger children, the standard rules apply for those sessions.
What does the Enhanced DBS check actually include?
An Enhanced DBS check includes a search of the Police National Computer (all spent and unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands and warnings) plus a check of information held locally by police forces across England and Wales — which can include soft intelligence and non-conviction information that a chief officer considers relevant. With Barred List inclusion, it also checks whether you appear on the Children’s Barred List. You can read more in our Enhanced DBS check guide.