Criminal Record Check UK: Which System Do You Need?
Which criminal record check you need in the UK depends on where you will work, not just the role. England and Wales use the DBS, Scotland uses Disclosure Scotland and PVG, and Northern Ireland uses AccessNI: three separate systems whose certificates are not interchangeable.
Why the UK Has Three Different Systems, Not One
Data protection law is reserved and applies the same way across all four UK nations. Criminal record disclosure works differently. Vetting is devolved, so Scotland and Northern Ireland run their own bodies under their own legislation rather than using the England and Wales service. That means the DBS check, Disclosure Scotland and PVG, and AccessNI check are three genuinely separate schemes, each with its own fees, its own certificate levels, and its own governing law. None of them is simply the other rebranded for a different nation.
The Self-Apply Level: Anyone Can Get Their Own Basic Certificate
All three nations offer a level that anyone 16 or over can apply for themselves, without needing an employer or organisation to request it. This is the certificate people get for their own records, rather than one commissioned by a third party.
- England and Wales: DBS Basic, £21.50, shows unspent convictions and unspent conditional cautions only.
- Scotland: Disclosure Scotland Level 1 disclosure, £25, shows unspent convictions only, plus sex offender notification status where it applies.
- Northern Ireland: AccessNI Basic, £16, shows unspent convictions only.
None of these self-apply certificates show spent convictions, and none of them require the applicant to have a specific job or role in mind. See spent convictions for what "unspent" means in each nation, since the rehabilitation periods differ.
The Higher Levels Are Role-Gated, Not an Optional Upgrade
The higher levels in every system exist for specific job types, not as something an applicant can choose for extra reassurance. In each case, an employer or an accredited or registered body has to initiate the request, and the role in question must be listed as exempt from the ordinary rehabilitation rules before that level can be used at all.
- England and Wales: DBS Standard (£21.50) and Enhanced (£49.50), plus Enhanced with barred list checks (£49.50) for regulated activity, are requested by an employer or registered body once the role is confirmed to fall within the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975. From 21 January 2026, it is down to the self-employed person or personal employee, meaning someone employed directly by a private individual rather than an agency, to apply for their own Enhanced check, or Enhanced check with barred list(s), directly through a registered umbrella body; the private individual who hires them cannot apply on their behalf. The role still has to qualify; this is a change to who submits the application, not a relaxation of who is eligible.
- Scotland: Level 2 disclosure (£25, or £18 combined with PVG membership) cannot be self-initiated and does not by itself include barred-list content; an accredited body requests it for specific roles, such as solicitors and prison staff. A separate product, Level 2 disclosure with barred list check (£25), is requested by an organisation for specific activities such as adoption. Regulated roles working with children or protected adults need PVG scheme membership instead, a distinct, ongoing membership rather than a one-off disclosure.
- Northern Ireland: AccessNI Standard and Enhanced (£16 and £32) need a registered body to countersign the application, and the role must be exempt under the Rehabilitation of Offenders (Exceptions) (NI) Order 1979.
There is no route in any of the three systems for an applicant to obtain a Standard or Enhanced-level certificate, or its Scottish or Northern Irish equivalent, simply by asking for one. If a role does not qualify, the higher levels are not available for it, and asking a willing third party to request one anyway would misuse a system built around role eligibility.
PVG Scheme Membership: An Extra Layer in Scotland
Scotland has an additional requirement that sits alongside Level 2 disclosure. Anyone doing a "regulated role" working with children or protected adults needs PVG (Protecting Vulnerable Groups) scheme membership, joining fee £59, confirmation of membership £18, though this fee is waived for genuine volunteers doing an unpaid role for a Qualifying Voluntary Organisation. This became a legal requirement from 1 April 2025, and since 1 July 2025 it is an offence to do a regulated role without it, and an offence for an organisation to allow someone to do so. There is no equivalent standalone scheme in England and Wales or Northern Ireland; barred-list checking is built into the Enhanced level instead.
The Three Systems Side by Side
| System | Self-apply level (anyone can request) | Higher, role-gated levels | Who requests the higher levels |
|---|---|---|---|
| England & Wales (DBS) | Basic, £21.50: unspent convictions and cautions only | Standard, £21.50; Enhanced, £49.50; Enhanced with barred list(s), £49.50 | Employer or registered body; from 21 Jan 2026 eligible self-employed workers and personal employees can instead apply for their own Enhanced check, including Enhanced with barred list(s), via a registered umbrella body (the personal employer who hires them cannot apply for them) |
| Scotland (Disclosure Scotland) | Level 1 disclosure, £25: unspent convictions only | Level 2 disclosure, £25 (£18 with PVG), no barred-list content; Level 2 with barred list check, £25, for activities such as adoption; PVG scheme membership, £59 joining fee, waived for genuine volunteers | Accredited body (Level 2 and Level 2 with barred list check); PVG required for regulated roles with children or protected adults |
| Northern Ireland (AccessNI) | Basic, £16: unspent convictions only | Standard, £16; Enhanced, £32 | Registered body countersignature, for a role exempt under the 1979 Order |
Which Nation's System Applies to You
The general rule is that the check you need is the one for the nation where the work itself is based, not necessarily where you live or where the employer's head office sits. Someone working in a school in Cardiff needs a DBS check; the same role in Glasgow needs Disclosure Scotland and, for a regulated role with children, PVG membership; in Belfast it needs AccessNI. If a role could involve work across more than one nation, the organisation requesting the check will normally confirm which system applies, since this depends on the specifics of where the regulated activity actually takes place, not a fixed rule that covers every situation.
A Certificate From One Nation Does Not Transfer to Another
DBS, Disclosure Scotland, and AccessNI certificates are not mutually recognised. A DBS Enhanced certificate does not substitute for a Disclosure Scotland Level 2 disclosure or PVG membership, and an AccessNI Enhanced certificate is not accepted in place of a DBS check. Someone moving into a role based in a different UK nation should expect to go through that nation's own application process from the start, even if they already hold a recent, clean certificate from another system. The DBS Update Service, which lets a Standard or Enhanced DBS certificate be reused and checked online, only applies within the DBS system; it has no Scottish or Northern Irish counterpart.
Where to Go for Full Detail on Each System
This page covers the decision of which system applies. For the complete rules on levels, fees, filtering, and barred lists within each nation, see the dedicated pages: DBS check (England & Wales), Disclosure Scotland and PVG, and AccessNI check (Northern Ireland). For how long a conviction stays "unspent" and disclosable in each nation, see spent convictions.
For the wider picture on how UK data protection law and criminal record disclosure fit together, see the UK data privacy hub and the United Kingdom country hub.
This article is general information about criminal record disclosure in the UK, not legal advice, and it does not determine whether any specific role is eligible for a particular level of check. Eligibility depends on the exact role and nation involved; confirm the requirement with the employer, accredited or registered body, or the relevant disclosure service (DBS, Disclosure Scotland, or AccessNI) before applying.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which criminal record check do I need in the UK?
It depends on which nation the work is based in and what the role involves. England and Wales use the DBS, Scotland uses Disclosure Scotland and PVG, and Northern Ireland uses AccessNI. Each has its own self-apply level and its own role-gated higher levels, and none of them substitute for another.
Can I apply for a Standard or Enhanced DBS check myself?
Generally no, except for one new route. Standard and Enhanced checks, and their Scottish and Northern Irish equivalents, must be requested by an employer or an accredited or registered body for a specific role that is legally exempt from the standard rehabilitation rules. From 21 January 2026, it is down to the self-employed person or personal employee themselves, not the person who hires them, to apply for their own Enhanced check or Enhanced check with barred list(s) in England and Wales, through a registered umbrella body, but the role still has to qualify.
Is a Basic check the same everywhere in the UK?
The idea is similar, unspent convictions only, self-apply, but it is not the same certificate. DBS Basic (£21.50) applies in England and Wales, Disclosure Scotland Level 1 (£25) applies in Scotland, and AccessNI Basic (£16) applies in Northern Ireland. Each is issued by a different body under different legislation.
Will a DBS check work in Scotland or Northern Ireland?
No. DBS certificates are not recognised in place of a Disclosure Scotland or AccessNI check. A role based in Scotland needs Disclosure Scotland (and PVG membership where the role is regulated and involves children or protected adults), and a role based in Northern Ireland needs AccessNI.
What is the difference between Level 1 and Level 2 disclosure in Scotland?
Level 1 disclosure (£25) can be self-applied for and shows unspent convictions only. Level 2 disclosure (£25, or £18 combined with PVG) cannot be self-initiated; an accredited body requests it for specific roles, such as solicitors and prison staff, and it shows more information, including certain spent convictions, but no barred-list content. A separate product, Level 2 disclosure with barred list check (£25), adds barred-list information for specific activities such as adoption, and PVG-regulated roles working with children or protected adults need PVG scheme membership instead.
Do I need PVG membership as well as a Level 2 disclosure in Scotland?
If the role is a regulated role working with children or protected adults, yes. PVG scheme membership has been a legal requirement since 1 April 2025, and since 1 July 2025 it is an offence to do a regulated role without it. It sits alongside, not instead of, Level 2 disclosure where both apply.
How much does each type of criminal record check cost?
In England and Wales, DBS Basic and Standard are each £21.50, and Enhanced (with or without a barred list check) is £49.50. In Scotland, Level 1 and Level 2 disclosure are each £25 (£18 for Level 2 combined with PVG), Level 2 with barred list check is also £25, and PVG scheme joining is £59, waived for genuine volunteers. In Northern Ireland, AccessNI Basic and Standard are each £16, and Enhanced is £32.
What if my role involves work in more than one UK nation?
The organisation requesting the check will normally determine which nation's system applies, based on where the regulated activity actually takes place. There is no single UK-wide check that covers all three systems at once, so more than one certificate may be needed if the role genuinely spans nations.
Updates
It is now down to the self-employed person or personal employee themselves, not the person who hires them, to apply for their own Enhanced DBS check, or Enhanced check with barred list(s), in England and Wales, directly through a registered umbrella body. The role still has to qualify.
In Scotland, it became an offence to do a regulated role with children or protected adults without PVG scheme membership, and an offence for an organisation to allow it, following the membership requirement that started on 1 April 2025.
Sources and References
- gov.uk: Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check(gov.uk).gov
- mygov.scot: Disclosure Scotland - types and levels of disclosure(mygov.scot).gov
- nidirect: Types of AccessNI criminal record checks(nidirect.gov.uk).gov
- Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975(legislation.gov.uk).gov
- gov.uk: DBS check requests - guidance for employers(gov.uk).gov
- mygov.scot: PVG scheme overview(mygov.scot).gov