Guides · Updated 13 October 2026
DBS checks for locums. Which one, and how to keep it current.
Almost every workplace and agency will ask to see a DBS certificate before your first session. It causes more delay than any other document, mostly because of how it has to be applied for.
The levels
There are basic, standard and enhanced checks. Work with patients usually calls for an enhanced check, and workplaces and agencies will tell you the level they need.
You cannot apply for an enhanced check yourself
A standard or enhanced check has to be requested by an employer or an organisation acting for one. As a locum that usually means an agency, or a body that processes checks for self-employed professionals. Allow time for it before your first booking.
How long it lasts
A certificate has no expiry date printed on it. It shows what was on record on the day it was issued, so each workplace decides how recent it wants yours to be. Many ask for one from the last few years.
The Update Service
The Update Service keeps a standard or enhanced certificate current for a yearly fee, so a new workplace can check it online with your permission and you do not have to apply again. You must register within 30 days of the certificate being issued, which is the step people miss. GOV.UK has the current fee.
Example: Keeping one certificate current
- Day 0: Your certificate is issued
- Within 30 days: Register it with the Update Service
- Each year: Renew the subscription before it lapses
- A new workplace: Give it permission to check your certificate online
If the 30 days pass, or the subscription lapses, you need a new certificate to join again.
What the certificate is for
A certificate is tied to the kind of work it was requested for. If you move to a different kind of role, a workplace may ask for a new check even if yours is recent.
Scotland and Northern Ireland
DBS covers England and Wales. Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own schemes and their own processes, so if you work across a border, ask the workplace which it needs.
Keeping it to hand
Keep the certificate number, the date of issue and whether you are on the Update Service somewhere you can find in a minute. It is the first thing a new workplace asks for.
Where Locbase fits
DBS is one of the items on Locbase's compliance checklist. It holds your certificate number, the date it was issued and whether you are on the Update Service, so the details are on your phone when a new workplace asks.
Questions
Can a locum apply for their own enhanced DBS check?
No. A standard or enhanced check has to be requested by an employer or an organisation acting for one, such as an agency.
How often do locums need a new DBS check?
There is no fixed expiry. Each workplace decides how recent it wants the certificate to be. The Update Service keeps one certificate current.
Does a DBS certificate expire?
No date is printed on it. Each workplace decides how recent it wants yours to be.
What if I miss the 30 days for the Update Service?
You cannot add that certificate afterwards. You would need a new check, then register the new certificate in time.
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This guide is general information, not tax or legal advice. Check with HMRC or a qualified accountant. Sources: GOV.UK: DBS checks; GOV.UK: DBS Update Service.