How long a DBS check takes depends on the level of check requested. A Basic or Standard DBS check typically returns within 24 hours to 7 working days. An Enhanced DBS check takes longer, with a national average of 22 days as of March 2026, though delays caused by local police force reviews can extend this to 60 days or more in some cases. The comparison table below shows typical processing times across all four check levels.
Checks.co.uk is a UK Government-listed Responsible Organisation, authorised to process DBS applications on behalf of employers and individuals.
The table below shows typical processing times for each DBS check level, who processes the application, and which stages are involved.
| Check Level | Typical Time | Who Processes | Stages Involved |
| Basic | 24 hours to 7 working days | Disclosure and Barring Service | Stages 1, 2, and 5 |
| Standard | 24 hours to 7 working days | Disclosure and Barring Service | Stages 1, 2, and 5 |
| Enhanced | 10 to 22 working days average | Disclosure and Barring Service and local police forces | Stages 1, 2, 4, and 5 |
| Enhanced with Barred Lists | 10 to 22 working days average | Disclosure and Barring Service, local police forces, and barred list search | Stages 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 |
Times reflect DBS processing data as of March 2026. Individual results vary depending on address history, application accuracy, and local police force workload.
Processing time is determined by the check level, because each level goes through a different number of stages between submission and certificate issuance.
A Basic DBS check typically returns within 24 hours to 7 working days, though gov.uk states that most Basic checks are completed within 14 days as the official upper estimate.
Basic checks only require a search of the Police National Computer for unspent convictions and conditional cautions, with no local police force review at any stage. A Basic DBS check goes through Stages 1, 2, and 5 only.
A Standard DBS check typically returns within 24 hours to 7 working days, for the same reason as a Basic check: it does not go through Stage 4, meaning the application is never sent to local police forces for a review of locally held intelligence.
This is a common misconception; standard checks search the Police National Computer for both spent and unspent convictions but go through Stages 1, 2, and 5 only, with no local police involvement.
An Enhanced DBS check takes considerably longer than a Basic or Standard check, with a national average of 22 working days as of March 2026 and most completing within 10 to 20 working days, though delays at Stage 4 can extend this to 60 days or more in some cases.
Enhanced checks go through all five processing stages, including Stage 4, where the application is sent to every local police force covering addresses the applicant has lived at in the last 5 years.
If your Enhanced check has been in progress for significantly longer than 22 days, see the escalation section below.
An Enhanced DBS check with Barred Lists takes the same amount of time as a standard Enhanced check, with a national average of 22 working days as of March 2026 and most completing within 10 to 20 working days.
The barred list search runs as part of Stage 3 alongside other processing stages and does not add significant time in most cases.
The government fee is also the same at £49.50, confirmed in DBS fee guidance effective from 2 December 2024.
A DBS application is processed through up to five stages between submission and the issue of a certificate, with the number of stages depending on the level of check requested (GOV.UK, DBS checking process guidance).
The table below shows which of the five processing stages apply to each DBS check level, explaining why Enhanced checks take significantly longer than Basic or Standard checks.
| Check Level | Stages 1-2 | Stage 3 | Stage 4 | Stage 5 |
| Basic | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Standard | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Enhanced | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Enhanced with Barred Lists | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Stage 4 applies to Enhanced checks only and requires the application to be sent to every local police force covering each address the applicant has lived at in the last 5 years, with each force independently reviewing its own records for intelligence the chief officer considers relevant to the role.
Some forces carry higher application volumes than others, and applicants who have lived at multiple addresses will have their application reviewed by multiple forces simultaneously.
If one force takes longer than others to respond, the entire application is held until all forces have replied.
Several common factors can cause a DBS check to take longer than the typical timeframe, most of which relate to address history, application accuracy, or local police force workload.
Every address an applicant has lived at in the last 5 years must be checked against the relevant local police force records at Stage 4, meaning two or three addresses can add 1 to 2 weeks to the processing time, and four or more addresses can add 2 to 4 weeks.
Each police force must independently review and respond before the application can progress. Applicants should list all addresses completely and accurately on the application form, as incomplete address history causes both delays and integrity issues.
Name changes resulting from marriage or a deed poll require each previous name to be searched independently, adding time to the processing of Stage 2 and Stage 4.
Common names shared by a large number of individuals on the Police National Computer require additional verification steps to ensure the correct person’s record is disclosed.
Applicants must disclose all previous names on the application form, as omitting them causes greater delays than including them.
Incomplete or incorrect application forms are identified by the DBS at Stage 1 and returned to the Responsible Organisation within 24 hours, resetting the processing clock from the point of resubmission.
The most common errors are incorrect address dates, missing previous names, and incorrect date of birth formats. Online applications submitted through Checks.co.uk reduce this risk significantly through automated validation checks at the point of submission.
Different police forces process Stage 4 requests at different speeds, meaning an applicant who has lived at a single address may receive their Enhanced DBS certificate significantly faster than someone who has moved between multiple regions.
There is no published ranking of police force processing speeds, and the DBS does not release force-by-force performance data. If your application has been at Stage 4 for more than 14 days, you can monitor its progress using the DBS online tracking service.
The length of time a DBS check takes is entirely unrelated to whether anything will be disclosed on the certificate (GOV.UK, DBS checking process guidance).
Delays are caused by administrative processing factors, particularly Stage 4 police workload and address history, not by the content of the applicant’s criminal record. An application that takes 8 weeks to complete is no more likely to return a disclosure than one completed within 24 hours.
There is no official fast-track service for DBS checks, but applicants can take several practical steps to avoid avoidable delays from the point of application.
Online applications are validated automatically and submitted to the DBS immediately, removing the additional delay of postal delivery before the application even reaches the DBS.
Paper forms must be posted to the Responsible Organisation first, adding several working days to the minimum processing time before Stage 1 begins. Checks.co.uk processes all applications fully online.
Any error identified at Stage 1 returns the application to the Responsible Organisation within 24 hours and resets the processing clock.
To avoid this, applicants should provide their complete address history for the last 5 years with exact move-in and move-out dates, disclose all previous names, and confirm the date of birth format matches the required field exactly.
The most common errors are:
If the DBS or the Responsible Organisation contacts the applicant for additional information, the application is placed on hold until a response is received. Check email regularly throughout the application window and respond to any requests on the same working day where possible.
Two tracking systems exist for monitoring a DBS application, depending on the level of check. Both are available online and show which processing stage the application is currently at.
A Basic DBS check can be tracked at gov.uk/basic-dbs-check using the application reference number provided at the point of submission. Basic checks use a separate tracking system from Standard and Enhanced applications and are not visible on the main DBS tracking service.
A Standard or Enhanced DBS application can be tracked using the E0 reference number at the DBS online tracking service, accessible via GOV.UK.
The tracking service shows which of the five stages the application is currently at, allowing applicants and employers to identify whether the check is progressing normally or has stalled. If the application has been at Stage 4 for an extended period, see the escalation section below.
Two escalation routes exist for delayed DBS applications, each with different conditions and timeframes. Escalation does not guarantee faster completion but is the appropriate step when a delay is causing real-world consequences.
If a DBS application has been in progress for more than 28 days and the delay is causing financial hardship, such as a job offer being withdrawn or a start date being delayed, the applicant can contact the DBS directly on 03000 200 190 and request a review on hardship grounds.
The DBS may ask for evidence of the hardship before reviewing the case. This route does not guarantee faster processing but is the official channel for cases where a delay is having serious real-world consequences.
If an Enhanced DBS check has been at Stage 4 for more than 60 days, the employer or Responsible Organisation can raise a formal escalation request directly with the DBS.
Further escalation can be raised every 10 working days after the initial request if no resolution has been reached. Before the 60-day threshold, applicants can contact the relevant local police force directly to request an update. This route applies to Enhanced checks only.
A DBS certificate does not have an official expiry date. Most employers ask for a new check every 1 to 3 years, or when a person moves into a different role or workforce.
The DBS Update Service is the mechanism for keeping a Standard or Enhanced certificate current between applications, allowing employers to verify a certificate’s status online without requiring a new check.
Checks.co.uk is a UK Government-listed Responsible Organisation, registered in England and Wales (Company Number 15076484) and registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO Reference XB691512), authorised to process Basic, Standard, and Enhanced DBS applications online.
Applying online through Checks.co.uk reduces the risk of application errors and removes postal delays, meaning your application reaches the DBS at the earliest possible point.
A Basic DBS check typically takes between 24 hours and 7 working days to process. GOV.UK states that most Basic checks complete within 14 days, but in practice the majority return much sooner. Basic checks only require a search of the Police National Computer and do not involve a local police force review, which is why they are processed faster than Enhanced checks.
Whether you can start work before your DBS certificate arrives depends entirely on your employer. Some employers, particularly those in education, healthcare, and social care, require a DBS certificate before a start date. Others may permit a start under a risk assessment while the check is processed. Your employer or HR team will confirm their policy. Checks.co.uk cannot advise on individual employer requirements.
An Enhanced DBS check goes through all five processing stages, including Stage 4, where the application is sent to every local police force covering the addresses the applicant has lived at in the last 5 years. Local police forces search their own records for intelligence that the chief officer considers relevant to the role. Basic and Standard checks skip this stage entirely, which is why they are completed much faster.
There is no official fast-track service for DBS checks. However, applying online rather than by paper form, completing all details accurately on the first attempt, and responding immediately to any requests for additional information are the most effective ways to minimise avoidable delays. Online applications submitted through a Responsible Organisation, such as Checks.co.uk, are processed and submitted to the DBS immediately.
You can track a Standard or Enhanced DBS application using the E0 reference number at the DBS online tracking service via GOV.UK. Basic DBS checks can be tracked at gov.uk/basic-dbs-check using the application reference number. The tracking service shows which of the five processing stages your application is currently at.
No. The length of time a DBS check takes is unrelated to whether anything will be disclosed on the certificate. Delays are caused by administrative factors such as local police workloads or multiple previous addresses, not by the content of the criminal record. A check taking 8 weeks is no more likely to return a disclosure than one completed in 24 hours.
Processing times can be slower during periods when local police forces have higher workloads or increased application volumes. However, the DBS does not publish seasonal processing data. If your Enhanced check has been at Stage 4 for more than 60 days, your employer or Responsible Organisation can raise a formal escalation request with the DBS directly.
The processing time for a volunteer’s DBS check is the same as for any other applicant at the same check level. Volunteers qualifying for a free Standard or Enhanced check follow the same five-stage process. The only difference is that no DBS fee is charged. Processing time depends on the check level and address history, not on employment status.