DBS Checks for Volunteers: The Complete 2026 Guide

DBS checks for volunteers are required for many roles involving children or vulnerable adults — but not for every volunteer, and not at every level. If you are organising volunteers, or signing up to volunteer yourself, this guide covers everything you need to know: when a check is needed, which level applies, who pays, and how to apply.

What Is a DBS Check?

A DBS check — short for Disclosure and Barring Service check — is an official criminal record check issued by the Disclosure and Barring Service, a non-departmental public body sponsored by the UK Home Office. It helps organisations make safer recruitment decisions and protect vulnerable people from harm.

The DBS replaced the former Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) and Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) in 2012. If you have heard someone refer to a “CRB check,” they are almost certainly referring to what is now called a DBS check.

There are four levels of DBS check:

Level	What It Shows	Who Can Apply
Basic	Unspent convictions and conditional cautions only	Any individual or organisation, for any role
Standard	Spent and unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands and warnings	Organisations only, for eligible roles
Enhanced	Everything in Standard, plus relevant police information held locally	Organisations only, for eligible roles
Enhanced with Barred List	Everything in Enhanced, plus whether the person is on the Children’s and/or Adults’ Barred List	Organisations only, for regulated activity roles

For volunteers, the most relevant levels are Standard, Enhanced, and Enhanced with Barred List — and as we will explain below, these are free of charge when the role qualifies.

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Do Volunteers Need a DBS Check?

Not every volunteer needs a DBS check — and it is actually unlawful to request a Standard or Enhanced DBS check for a role that is not eligible for one. Whether DBS checks for volunteers are required depends entirely on what the volunteer will be doing, not on their job title or the organisation they are joining.

A DBS check for volunteers is typically required where the role involves:

• Regular, unsupervised contact with children or young people
• Regular contact with vulnerable adults, including those receiving personal or healthcare support
• Working in a regulated activity, such as teaching, coaching, caring, advising, or supervising children
• Positions of trust within schools, hospitals, care homes, youth groups, charities, or sports clubs

Common examples of volunteer roles that are eligible for a DBS check include:

• School reading mentor or classroom helper
• Youth group leader (Scouts, Guides, sports clubs)
• Hospital or hospice visitor
• Care home befriender or activity volunteer
• Charity worker supporting children or vulnerable adults
• Sports coach working with under-18s

Volunteers in roles with no regular contact with vulnerable groups — such as general administrative tasks, fundraising, or retail — would not typically be eligible for a Standard or Enhanced DBS check.

Important: If you are uncertain whether a specific volunteer role requires a DBS check, contact the DBS helpline directly or check the official DBS eligibility guidance. Applying for an ineligible check can result in the DBS recovering the full application fee retrospectively.

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Who Qualifies as a Volunteer for DBS Purposes?

The DBS has a specific legal definition of a volunteer under the Police Act 1997 (Criminal Records) Regulations 2002. Getting this right matters because it determines whether the volunteer fee exemption applies.

To be treated as a volunteer for DBS purposes, the individual must:

• Give their time unpaid (receiving only approved out-of-pocket expenses such as travel)
• Be working to benefit a third party, not a close relative
• Not benefit directly from the position (for example, they must not be gaining a qualification or a guarantee of future employment through the role)
• Meet the eligibility requirements for a Standard or Enhanced DBS check based on the nature of the role

The following individuals do not meet the DBS definition of a volunteer, even if they are technically unpaid:

Category	Why They Don’t Qualify
Work placement students	Considered an employment situation, not voluntary service
Trainees gaining a qualification	Directly benefiting from the position
Those on a course requiring the role	The role is part of a curriculum, not voluntary
Foster carers and members of their household	Fostering involves a paid allowance, so it fails the unpaid test (they are still DBS-checked, but not via the volunteer route)
Anyone receiving payment beyond approved expenses	Treated as an employee rather than a volunteer

If there is ambiguity — for instance, where a role involves both paid and unpaid responsibilities — it is worth seeking clarification before submitting the application, as the DBS may not treat the person as a volunteer and the fee exemption may not apply.

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What Level of DBS Check Does a Volunteer Need?

The correct level of DBS check for volunteers depends on the specific activities involved in the role. Here is how to determine which level is appropriate:

Standard DBS Check

A Standard check is appropriate for volunteer roles that meet the eligibility criteria under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 but do not involve regulated activity. It reveals spent and unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands, and warnings.

Enhanced DBS Check

An Enhanced check is appropriate where the volunteer role involves frequent or intensive contact with children or vulnerable adults, even if it does not technically constitute regulated activity. In addition to everything on a Standard certificate, it may include relevant information held by local police forces.

Enhanced DBS Check with Barred List

This is the highest level of check and is only legally available for roles that constitute regulated activity. It includes everything in an Enhanced check, plus a check of the Children’s Barred List and/or the Adults’ Barred List — confirming whether an individual is prohibited from working with those groups.

Regulated activity with children includes teaching, supervising, advising, caring for, or driving children on a regular basis without supervision. Regulated activity with adults includes providing personal care, healthcare, or certain social work services in specific settings.

Rule of thumb: If a volunteer works unsupervised and regularly with children or vulnerable adults, an Enhanced DBS check with Barred List is usually required. If the contact is supervised or less frequent, an Enhanced check without the barred list may be sufficient. If in doubt, always seek guidance from the DBS or a qualified umbrella body.

Note: Basic DBS checks are not subject to the same eligibility restrictions and can be used for any volunteer role — but the fee is not waived for volunteers at this level.

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Is a DBS Check Free for Volunteers?

Yes — with an important caveat. The Disclosure and Barring Service waives its own fee for Standard, Enhanced, and Enhanced with Barred List DBS checks for eligible volunteers. However, Basic DBS checks are not free for volunteers, as the Basic check carries no role-based eligibility requirement and the DBS does not apply a fee exemption to it.

Here is a summary of volunteer costs (current as of 2026 — these fees have applied since December 2024):

Check Type	DBS Fee (Volunteer)	Admin Fee (Umbrella Body)
Basic	£21.50 (not waived)	Varies by provider
Standard	Free	Small admin fee may apply
Enhanced	Free	Small admin fee may apply
Enhanced with Barred List	Free	Small admin fee may apply

The DBS fee exemption applies only to the check itself. If the organisation uses an umbrella body — a registered intermediary that submits applications on behalf of organisations — the umbrella body will typically charge a small administration fee. This fee is separate from the DBS fee, is not shown on the certificate, and varies by provider. At APCS, we keep our admin fees competitive so that volunteer organisations can process checks without unnecessary cost.

Find out about our DBS checking services →

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How to Apply for a Volunteer DBS Check

Individual volunteers cannot apply for their own Standard or Enhanced DBS check — the application must be submitted by the organisation they are volunteering for. Here is how the process typically works:

1. The organisation assesses the role — determining whether a DBS check is required and at what level, using the DBS eligibility guidance.
2. The organisation registers with or uses an umbrella body — organisations must be registered with the DBS, or use an umbrella body such as APCS, to submit Standard and Enhanced applications.
3. The volunteer completes an application form — providing personal details and five years of address history.
4. Identity documents are verified — the volunteer must present acceptable identity documents in line with the DBS identity checking guidelines.
5. The application is submitted — the umbrella body submits the application to the DBS on behalf of the organisation, indicating that the applicant is a volunteer.
6. The certificate is issued to the volunteer — the DBS sends the certificate directly to the applicant. The organisation can only see the result if the volunteer shares it.

Processing times vary, but Enhanced DBS checks for volunteers typically take around 10–14 days, and sometimes longer where a local police force needs to review information. Basic checks, which can be applied for directly, are often returned more quickly.

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The DBS Update Service for Volunteers

The DBS Update Service is an online subscription that allows volunteers and employees to keep their DBS certificate up to date, and enables organisations to carry out instant status checks online.

Key points for volunteers:

• The DBS Update Service is free for volunteers (it costs £16 per year for those in paid employment)
• Volunteers must register within 30 days of their certificate being issued — or join during the application itself, using the application form reference
• Once registered, the certificate can be reused across organisations within the same workforce, where the same type and level of check is required (with the volunteer’s consent). Note that a volunteer certificate cannot be used for a paid role — a fresh check is needed if the volunteer later takes paid work
• Organisations can confirm whether a certificate remains current with a simple online status check — if the status is clear, no new application is needed
• DBS certificates do not technically expire, but most organisations re-check every three years

For volunteer-heavy organisations such as charities, sports clubs, and community groups, the Update Service can significantly reduce the time and cost involved in repeat DBS checks for volunteers. We recommend encouraging all volunteers to register when their certificate arrives.

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Can Someone with a Criminal Record Volunteer?

Having a criminal record does not automatically prevent someone from volunteering. The organisation is responsible for making a fair, proportionate assessment of any disclosed information, taking into account:

• The nature and seriousness of the offence
• How long ago it occurred
• Its relevance to the specific volunteering role
• Any other relevant circumstances, including evidence of rehabilitation

It is worth noting that DBS filtering rules mean that certain old or minor offences are automatically removed from certificates and will not be disclosed. This means not all historical offences will appear on a DBS certificate.

Organisations should have a clear, written policy on handling disclosed information and ensure that assessments are carried out by appropriately trained staff. Volunteers must be informed why a DBS check is being requested and where they can seek independent advice if needed.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can a volunteer apply for a DBS check themselves?

Not for Standard or Enhanced checks — these must be applied for by the organisation the volunteer is working with. Any individual can apply for a Basic DBS check on themselves directly, but this level is not free for volunteers and only shows unspent convictions.

How long do DBS checks for volunteers take?

Processing times vary, but an Enhanced DBS check for a volunteer typically takes around 10–14 days. Some applications are processed more quickly, while others may take longer if additional checks are required or if there are issues verifying identity documents.

Does a DBS check expire?

DBS certificates do not have a fixed expiry date. However, most organisations ask volunteers to renew their check every three years, or sooner if there is a reason to believe information may have changed. The DBS Update Service allows organisations to check the status of an existing certificate without needing a new application.

Can a volunteer use their DBS certificate at another organisation?

Yes, if the volunteer is registered with the DBS Update Service and the new role is in the same workforce at the same level of check. Subject to the volunteer’s consent, the new organisation can check the certificate online to confirm it remains current. If the certificate is not on the Update Service, the new organisation may need to request a fresh check.

What happens if a volunteer role is misclassified and the DBS check is ineligible?

If a Standard or Enhanced DBS check is applied for and the role is subsequently found not to meet the eligibility criteria, the DBS may recover the full application fee from the applicant or organisation. This underlines the importance of confirming eligibility before submitting an application.

Does a Basic DBS check cost anything for volunteers?

Yes. The DBS fee exemption only applies to Standard, Enhanced, and Enhanced with Barred List checks. A Basic DBS check costs £21.50 regardless of whether the applicant is a volunteer or a paid member of staff.

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