How Much Does a DBS Check Cost?

Last updated: 5 October 2026

CBS is a DBS Registered Body and has been processing criminal record checks since 2005. This page is maintained by our screening team.

A Basic or Standard DBS check costs £20.00 and an Enhanced DBS check costs £41.00. These fees were reduced on 5 October 2026. Standard and Enhanced checks are free for eligible volunteer roles, although Basic checks are not. The fees are set by the Disclosure and Barring Service and are the same whoever you apply through.

DBS check fees at a glance

The main DBS check and subscription fees, including what eligible volunteers pay. No VAT is charged on the DBS fee itself.

An Enhanced check is £8.50 cheaper than it was before 5 October 2026, which is a real saving if you run them in any volume.

Are DBS checks free for volunteers?

Standard and Enhanced checks are free for eligible volunteer roles, including Enhanced checks with Barred Lists, and the Update Service is free for volunteers too.

Basic checks are not. The standard Basic fee applies whether the role is paid or unpaid, which catches a lot of organisations out when they are budgeting for a volunteer cohort.

DBS defines a volunteer as someone spending time unpaid, apart from approved travel and out-of-pocket expenses, doing something that aims to benefit people other than, or as well as, their close relatives.

An administration fee still applies to a volunteer application, so ask us for a quote before you set your budget.

Do more volunteer roles need an Enhanced check now?

On 1 September 2026 the definition of regulated activity with children widened in England and Wales, with corresponding changes in Northern Ireland. The supervision exemption was removed, so roles that previously fell outside regulated activity because the person was supervised may now fall within it, and may be eligible for an Enhanced check with a Children’s Barred List check.

Where those roles are voluntary there is no DBS fee to pay, but there is work involved in identifying who is affected and checking whether the certificates you already hold are at the right level.

How much is the DBS Update Service?

The DBS Update Service costs £15.00 a year, and it is free for volunteers.

The Update Service covers Standard and Enhanced checks only. It can allow applicants to reuse a certificate for another role in the same workforce, provided the check level and any Barred List checks are appropriate and the new employer accepts it. Employers can check its status online free of charge if they are legally entitled to request that check, have the applicant’s permission, have seen the original certificate and have verified their identity. Applicants can join during the application process or within 30 days of the certificate’s issue date.

Why is the price I pay more than the DBS fee?

The fees above go straight to DBS. Organisations can apply through an umbrella body like CBS. Employers that meet DBS registration requirements can register directly to submit Standard and Enhanced applications.

We submit the application, verify the applicant’s identity, chase progress and deal with anything that comes back. That work carries an administration fee on top of the DBS fee, and it is where prices differ between providers. No VAT is charged on the DBS fee; administration fees are subject to VAT. There are no long-term contracts and no monthly minimums with CBS. You pay for what you use. Get in touch and we will quote for your organisation.

Who pays for a DBS check, the employer or the applicant?

Who pays varies – some employers cover the cost, while others ask the applicant to pay. Individuals can apply directly for their own Basic check. Standard and Enhanced applications must be processed through a DBS Registered Body. Since 21 January 2026, eligible self-employed people and personal employees can apply for their own Enhanced or Enhanced with Barred Lists check through an umbrella body.

What affects the total cost of a DBS check?

  • The level of check the role is eligible for, whether Basic, Standard or Enhanced
  • Whether the role is paid or voluntary, and whether it falls within regulated activity
  • Whether the applicant has an appropriate certificate registered with the Update Service, which may avoid the need for a new check
  • How identity is verified, whether in person, digitally or at a Post Office
  • How many checks you run a year, since volume affects the administration fee
  • Whether an overseas criminal record check is needed as well

What about Scotland and Northern Ireland?

The fees above are DBS fees, which apply in England and Wales. Scotland operates a separate system through Disclosure Scotland and Northern Ireland through AccessNI, and each sets its own fees. We handle applications for both.

How much do overseas criminal record checks cost?

If an applicant has lived or worked abroad, a DBS check may not provide their complete criminal-record history. DBS cannot access overseas criminal-record systems, although some overseas records held on UK police systems may appear. An overseas criminal record check may therefore be needed alongside it.

Costs and turnaround times are set by the issuing authority in each country, so they vary a great deal. Some come back in days and others take considerably longer. We work with partner organisations worldwide, so tell us where the applicant has lived and we will come back with a price and a realistic timescale.

To apply for a DBS check, join the Update Service or talk through bulk pricing, get in touch with our team today.