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The short answer
The Update Service lets an organisation check whether information on a standard or enhanced DBS certificate has changed. The holder must subscribe and give permission, and the organisation must be allowed to check it. Eligible volunteers can use it free but must renew each year. Basic checks are not covered.
Scope: DBS in England and Wales; sector-specific rules may also apply
Joining and renewing
A volunteer can join during the application process using the permitted application details, or after issue using the certificate number. If you join after receiving the certificate, you have 30 days from its issue date. Missing it normally means obtaining a new check to join. [1]
Put the joining reminder into the certificate-return instructions rather than waiting until next year’s event. The subscription belongs to the individual. The charity should not collect the volunteer’s username or password.
Free volunteer subscriptions still need annual renewal. Ask volunteers to keep their own reminder and contact details up to date; a free subscription should not be assumed to renew itself indefinitely.
Before the charity runs a status check
Get the volunteer’s permission and confirm their identity. Make sure the original paper certificate has been seen in person as DBS requires; a copy or video call alone is not enough. Check that your organisation may see that level of information. For enhanced certificates, the category of work and barred lists must also match what you are allowed to check. [2]
A certificate containing extra workforce or barred-list information is not automatically acceptable for a narrower role. DBS has a different rule about the category of work on standard certificates. Check that rule before accepting one.
Use a short checklist so the organiser verifies these conditions before entering details into the service.
What the result does—and does not—tell you
The service reports certificate status. If it says the certificate is no longer current, follow DBS instructions to apply for a new check. A status change is not itself a description of an offence or an automatic decision to reject a volunteer. [2]
Record the date and outcome, then follow the recruitment or safeguarding process. Give any further information a confidential, role-specific assessment. Avoid writing “failed DBS” into a general volunteer record.
Moving roles, leaving or withdrawing consent
Stop status checks when the person leaves, consent is withdrawn or the new role no longer entitles the organisation to the information. Do not keep querying a former volunteer’s certificate because their details remain in a spreadsheet. [2]
A volunteer moving into paid work needs a new check and the appropriate paid subscription arrangements; a paid-role certificate cannot simply be added to a free volunteer subscription. [1]
Costs and a workable annual-event process
The paid annual fee is £16 before 5 October 2026 and £15 from that date. Eligible volunteer subscriptions remain free. [3]
For returning volunteers, start by confirming the proposed duties and asking whether they have an active subscription. Then check whether the certificate can be used, arrange any required original-document review, obtain consent, run the permitted status check and record the appointment decision.
These are suggested steps for organisers. Do not assume that software will automatically perform or schedule Update Service checks unless that feature and its consent process have been confirmed.
Sources and further reading
Last accuracy check: 25 September 2026. We review this series monthly against official guidance. Follow the linked guidance for the full conditions and any later changes.
- DBS Update Service: applicant guide↩1 ↩2
- DBS Update Service: employer guide↩1 ↩2 ↩3
- DBS: fees reducing from 5 October 2026↩
Government guidance is attributed to the bodies linked above. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0, where applicable. This guide provides general information; decisions depend on the specific role and setting.