What is a DBS Certificate and What Does It Show?
When an employer requests a Disclosure and Barring Service check, waiting for your DBS certificate to arrive can cause significant anxiety and confusion. A widespread misconception is that an applicant can “pass” or “fail” a DBS check. In reality, a DBS certificate does not contain a pass or fail grade; it simply provides an official statement of an individual’s criminal record history so employers can make safe, informed hiring decisions.
Whether you are an individual applying for a check or an employer reviewing one, the detail disclosed on a DBS certificate depends entirely on the level of check requested and how complex legal filtering rules apply. In this guide, DBS solicitor Latoya Atkinson explains in straightforward terms what each level of DBS check shows, what stays off your record, and why the outcome isn’t always as simple as people expect.
If you’re interested in a particular section, use the links below to navigate straight to it:
Do you need to challenge the information on your DBS certificate, or appeal a previous decision made by the DBS? Reach out to our DBS solicitors today for clear, practical advice.
What is a DBS certificate?
A DBS certificate is an official legal document provided by the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) following a criminal record background check. After a DBS check is completed, a physical document is sent directly to the individual as a record of the check. The exception to this is for Basic DBS checks, where applicants can choose between receiving a physical certificate or a digital notification of completion.
What does a DBS certificate look like?
An official DBS certificate is printed on secure paper featuring distinctive security marks and a watermark to prove authenticity. Every certificate displays a unique 12-digit DBS certificate number at the top, which employers use to log and verify the check.
If an individual has no criminal record history or relevant police intelligence disclosed, the certificate is often referred to as “clean” or “clear”. On a clear certificate, specific sections will state “None Recorded”, confirming that the search matched no relevant records held on the Police National Computer (PNC) or local police databases.
Note: While individuals receive a physical hard-copy certificate in the post, basic checks applied for online may also offer digital completion notifications.
What shows up on a DBS certificate?
The specific information revealed on a DBS certificate depends on which of the main levels of DBS check is carried out:
Basic DBS checks
A Basic DBS check is the lowest level of criminal record check and can be requested by anyone, including individuals for their own records. It displays only:
- Unspent convictions
- Unspent conditional cautions
Under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, minor or older offences become “spent” after a set timeframe (known as the rehabilitation period). Likewise, spent convictions and No Further Action (NFA) cases are not disclosed on a Basic certificate.
Simple police cautions become spent immediately and do not appear at all. Police conditional cautions are slightly different as they remain visible for 3 months, after which they become spent and no longer appear. For many standard roles, a Basic DBS check is the only level of check an employer is legally permitted to request.
Standard DBS checks
Standard DBS checks are available only for certain specified professions, involving positions of responsibility or public trust (e.g., legal professionals, financial services, or security personnel).
Unlike a Basic check, a Standard DBS check will automatically reveal both spent and unspent criminal record information. This means it may show:
- Convictions
- Police cautions
- Reprimands and warnings
However, this information is subject to automatic DBS filtering rules, which are designed to prevent minor or old records from being disclosed indefinitely.
Enhanced DBS checks
An Enhanced DBS certificate is the highest level of check available in the UK and is used for roles involving children, vulnerable adults or positions requiring a high level of trust (such as teachers, social workers, or healthcare workers).
An Enhanced certificate includes everything shown on a Standard certificate, but also includes an additional section known as “Other Relevant Information” (often referred to as discretionary disclosure).
Discretionary disclosure by Police
This section gives local police forces the power to disclose non-conviction information, whether or not it relates to a conviction or caution, if the Chief Officer reasonably believes it is relevant to the job role. Examples of records that may be disclosed include:
- Allegations of criminal behaviour
- Arrests where no further action was taken
- Background intelligence
- Conduct issues arising from employment
- Cautions and convictions that have been filtered.
Enhanced DBS check with barred list searches
For roles defined in law as “regulated activity”, an Enhanced check can also include searches against the DBS Barred Lists.
These lists identify individuals who have been legally prohibited from working in regulated activity with specific groups. Where eligible, the certificate explicitly confirms whether the individual is listed on the Children’s Barred List, the Adults’ Barred List, or both.
If you need help getting removed from the DBS barred list or want to find out how to avoid the DBS barred lists, check out these guides.
Youth cautions, warnings and reprimands
Youth outcomes are subject to specific disclosure rules:
- Basic & Standard certificates: Youth cautions, warnings, and reprimands are not automatically disclosed on Basic or Standard DBS certificates.
- Enhanced certificates: While youth outcomes no longer appear automatically, local police forces retain discretionary power to include youth record information on an Enhanced certificate if they consider it directly relevant to the role.
How long does a DBS certificate last?
A DBS certificate has no formal expiry date. It acts as an official snapshot of an individual’s criminal record history on the exact day it was issued. Most employers request a new check every 1 to 3 years or ask candidates to join the DBS Update Service.
Understanding the difference between filtering and deletion
A common misunderstanding is assuming that once information stops appearing on a DBS certificate, it has been deleted from police files entirely. This is not true.
DBS filtering
Filtering is an automatic process that hides eligible spent cautions or convictions from Standard and Enhanced certificates after a set timeframe:
- Adult cautions (18 or over): Filtered 6 years after the date of issue.
- Adult convictions (18 or over): Filtered 11 years after the conviction date (provided it did not result in a custodial sentence).
- Juvenile convictions (under 18): Filtered 5.5 years after the conviction date.
Specified Offences (never filtered)
Offences defined by law as ‘specified offences’, such as serious violent crimes, sexual assault, child exploitation, or offences resulting in a prison sentence, are never filtered and will remain on Standard and Enhanced certificates permanently.
Police record deletion
Filtering does not erase records from the Police National Computer (PNC). To remove arrest records, cautions, or convictions from police databases entirely, an individual must submit a separate legal application under the Police Early Deletion Process.
FAQs about DBS certificates
How far back does a DBS check go?
Central police databases (like the PNC) keep criminal records for an individual’s lifetime (usually up to age 100). While police systems store data indefinitely, what actually appears on your certificate depends entirely on the level of check requested and whether filtering rules apply.
Do pending cases or allegations show up on a DBS check?
Pending charges, open investigations, and past allegations do not show up on Basic or Standard DBS checks. However, they can appear on an Enhanced DBS check if the local police force deems the intelligence relevant to the safeguarding of the role.
How do I get a DBS certificate?
You can apply for a basic criminal record check directly through the GOV.UK Request a Basic DBS Check page.
What does it mean when a candidate is DBS cleared?
Being ‘DBS cleared’ is an informal term used when a final certificate contains no criminal convictions, cautions, or local police intelligence (“None Recorded”).
How we can help
DBS disclosures can be complex, and many people only become aware of potential issues once a certificate has already been issued or an employer raises concerns.
Our DBS solicitors advise clients on all aspects of DBS disclosures, including understanding what information may appear on a certificate and how the spent and filtering rules apply to their circumstances.
Where problems arise, we can assist by:
- Challenging information that should not have been disclosed;
- Making representations to contest proposed discretionary disclosures before a certificate is issued; and
- Escalating disputes where inappropriate disclosures have already been made
If you’re facing challenges related to a DBS check, don’t hesitate to contact our expert team of DBS solicitors for a free consultation. We can assess your situation and recommend the best course of action.
