DBS checks

An annual online DBS status check is a pre-requisite to the renewal of any licence type granted by the council.

It is also a condition upon the grant of a licence that you subscribe to the DBS update service which allows officers to carry out a quick online status check to ensure your DBS certificate is up to date. Your licence may be suspended or not renewed unless we have this means of checking for criminal activity – convicted or otherwise.

How to enrol on the DBS update service

Log on​ and enrol using your e-reference number which you will get by email direct from the DBS. You can also enrol when your certificate arrives by using your certificate number.

It is compulsory to pay £13 online by credit or debit card to keep your DBS live and current for one year and you must renew with the Update Service every year at the same cost.

It is your responsibility to ensure that those payment details remain current and valid for example, if you change your payment card over the course of the year, the DBS will not be able to take your annual subscription. Where an annual subscription has not been renewed, we won’t be able to undertake the necessary checks for criminal activity at the time of your licence renewal. You would therefore be required to undertake a full enhanced disclosure prior to renewing your licence.

Once you have enrolled you will receive a reference number starting with C directly from the DBS. Please keep this reference number safe as this is your update service DBS reference.

Once you have received both your certificate and your C reference number you must bring them into the licensing office for us to update your file.

Renewing your subscription to the update service

Subscriptions last for 1 year from the date of issue on your DBS certificate - you can keep renewing to continue enjoying the benefits of the update service. Subscriptions to the update service expire 12 months after the issue date on your linked DBS certificate.

If you haven’t opted to automatically renew you will need to log in to your account and make a payment within 30 days before your subscription ends. You’ll get a reminder email 30 calendar days before your subscription is due to expire. The email will be sent from donotreply@dbs.gsi.gov.uk you should add this address to your safe senders or safe recipients list.

If your subscription has not been renewed 14 days before the expiry date the DBS will send you a reminder letter too. Your subscription must be renewed by the day before the subscription expiry date. You can’t renew on the expiry date because the account will be closed.

When you renew the next year’s subscription will start the day after your previous subscription expires.

Automatic renewals

Automatic renewals are set up when you first join the update service, unfortunately you can’t set this feature at any other point. If you haven’t opted to automatically renew you can do a manual renew, details below.

If you have opted to automatically renew you’ll get an email from the DBS to explain that your yearly subscription fee of £13 will be charged to the original payment details you gave them. If your payment details have changed you can update them by logging in to your account and selecting ‘Renew subscription’.

Any subscription that you have automatically opted to renew will continue to do so each year – you don’t need to anything else unless your payment details need updating. Once you select auto renewal for the update service it is not possible to switch it off unless you cancel your subscription because it is no longer needed.

Cancelling your update service account

DBS helpline: Telephone 03000 200 190

You can cancel your update service account at any time. DBS certificate(s) attached to the account will no longer be eligible to be checked online for status changes.

If you join the update service then wish to cancel your account the fee will be non-refundable. Your fee can only be refunded if you joined with your application form reference number and we didn’t receive your application form within 28 days or your DBS check application is withdrawn.

Your subscription will continue even if all DBS certificates are removed from the account. If the subscription is not renewed at the end of the subscription period the account will close.