Enhanced DBS Check
The highest level of DBS background check, including spent and unspent convictions, police intelligence, and optionally a check against the barred list. Required for any regulated activity with children or vulnerable adults.
Enhanced DBS Check refers to the highest level of criminal record check from the Disclosure and Barring Service. It shows spent and unspent convictions and cautions, plus relevant information local police hold. For regulated activity with children or vulnerable adults, it can also cover the barred lists. Not every role qualifies.
In practice, the employer sets the recheck policy, because the certificate has no fixed expiry date. HR logs each certificate's issue date and level, then rechecks on a set cycle or through the Update Service. That matters. Knowingly employing a barred person in regulated activity is a criminal offence.
Quick Reference
What is an Enhanced DBS Check?
An Enhanced DBS check is the most comprehensive level of the Disclosure and Barring Service check. It includes everything in a Standard check (spent and unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands, and final warnings) plus any relevant information held by local police forces - information that does not appear on official criminal records but which the Chief Police Officer considers relevant to the role.
For roles involving regulated activity with children or vulnerable adults, the Enhanced check can also include a check against the DBS barred list - a register of people legally prohibited from working with these groups. This check is not optional for regulated activity; it is a legal requirement.
Unlike many professional certifications, the Enhanced DBS certificate does not have a fixed expiry date. The employer is responsible for setting and enforcing renewal policies.
What Happens If It's Missed?
Employing someone in regulated activity without a valid Enhanced DBS with Barred List check is a criminal offence under the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006. Organisations risk prosecution, mandatory referral to the DBS, loss of registration with the CQC or Ofsted, and severe reputational damage. Regulators explicitly check for lapsed DBS renewals during inspections - it is consistently one of the top compliance failures identified in care and education settings.
How Businesses Track & Manage This
Organisations with large regulated workforces (care homes, schools, hospitals, children's charities) may have hundreds of Enhanced DBS checks at different renewal stages. The DBS Update Service (£13/year subscription per employee) allows employers to re-check a certificate electronically without applying for a new one. For organisations not using the Update Service, tracking renewal dates individually - with automated reminders sent to HR 60-90 days before each renewal - is the only reliable approach at scale.
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Frequently Asked Questions
An Enhanced DBS shows criminal convictions and police intelligence. An Enhanced DBS with Barred List adds a check against the DBS barred lists - the registers of people prohibited from working with children and/or vulnerable adults. For regulated activity (teaching, nursing, personal care), the barred list check is legally required.
Typically 2-8 weeks for most applications. Where the check uncovers police intelligence that needs to be considered, processing may take longer. Online-assisted applications through registered umbrella bodies are generally faster than postal applications.
For regulated activity with children or vulnerable adults, employers must not allow unsupervised access until the Enhanced DBS with Barred List is returned clear. They may allow supervised working while the check is pending, but a specific risk assessment and supervision plan must be in place and documented.
The certificate can be shared with a new employer, but the employer must satisfy themselves it relates to the correct individual and is sufficiently recent. If the employee is registered with the DBS Update Service, the new employer can check the certificate's status online. Otherwise, a new application is typically required.
Only roles the law lists as eligible. These include work with children or vulnerable adults and many health and social care jobs. Some licensing purposes qualify too, such as taxi and private hire drivers. Before applying, the employer and the registered body processing the check must confirm the role is eligible.
No. An Enhanced check has to go through an employer or organisation, using a DBS registered body or umbrella body, and it must be for an eligible role. A candidate can't order one online the way they can a basic check. Individuals can only request a basic DBS check for themselves.
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