In this article, you'll learn about ordering self-serve United Kingdom (UK) criminal record checks from Certn. This article is part of a set. To learn more, read our overview article for this check and our article about this check's results.
This article is for clients based in the UK who want to order criminal record checks for background screening purposes for candidates who will work in England, Wales, Scotland, or outside of the UK and who have a current address in the UK.
If you are not based in the UK, you can order our International Criminal Record Check instead. For help getting set up to order our International Criminal Record Check, you can contact our Customer Success team.
In this article
Before you begin
If you’re new to ordering self-serve UK criminal record checks from Certn, start by reading our overview article for these checks. In it, you’ll learn about the two types of this check—Basic DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) and Basic Disclosure Scotland—and you’ll find an overview of the stages of these checks.
Prerequisites for this check
To order Basic DBS checks (for candidates who will work in England or Wales and who have a current address in the UK), you’ll need to provide the following information:
- Your candidate’s email address
- The employment sector
- The candidate’s expected role or position title
To order Basic Disclosure Scotland checks (for candidates who will work in Scotland or outside of the UK and who have a current address in the UK), all you’ll need is your candidate’s email address.
How to order this check
Using Certn’s web application, you can add a UK criminal record check to an order or a package.
Add to an order
To add a UK criminal record check to a background check you order, follow these steps:
- Start an order: From your Certn dashboard, select Screen Applicant. A page appears where you can select checks. For images that show this step, refer to this help article.
- Add a UK criminal record check to your order: From the list of checks, select the plus + button next to the UK criminal record check appropriate for your candidate’s working location:
- For England or Wales, select Basic DBS.
- For Scotland or outside of the UK, select Basic Disclosure Scotland.
- Complete required fields for Basic DBS: If you selected Basic DBS, two required fields appear. To finish adding the Basic DBS check to your order, complete the following fields, and then select Add to Order.
- Employment Sector: Select an appropriate value from the drop-down list.
- Candidate’s Role or Position Title: Enter the candidate’s expected job title.
- Review your order: The UK criminal record check you selected appears in your order summary. If you want to add more checks, like our UK Right to Work check, do so. When you're finished, select Continue.
- Complete the order: When you completed the previous step, a new page opened. On this page, you add your candidate's email address, choose the language of the application your candidate will receive, add a message for your candidate, and review any conditions for the check. Then, select Submit Application.
Add to a package
Packages make it fast to order several types of background checks at once for your candidates. To order a UK criminal record check using a package, follow these steps:
- Create a package: Follow the steps for creating a package in this help article. When it's time to select the checks to include, be sure to include the UK criminal record check appropriate for your candidate’s working location:
- For England or Wales, select Basic DBS.
- For Scotland or outside of the UK, select Basic Disclosure Scotland.
Note: If you select the Basic DBS check to add to the package, two required fields appear and must be completed to proceed. The values you set will be used whenever you order this package, unless you change them later.
- Employment Sector: Select an appropriate value from the drop-down list.
- Candidate’s Role or Position Title: Enter the candidate’s expected job title.
When you’ve completed the fields, select Add to Order to finish adding the check.
- Use the package to place an order: From your Certn dashboard, select Screen Applicant to start an order. But instead of selecting checks, select the package from the Select a package drop-down list, as shown in this help article. When you're finished, select Continue.
- Complete the order: When you completed the previous step, a new page opened. On this page, you add your candidate's email address, add a message for your candidate, and review any conditions for the check. Then, select Submit Application.
Your candidate's experience
When you order a UK criminal record check, your candidate receives an email inviting them to complete an application. During the application, the following occurs:
- We collect your candidate’s consent.
- Your candidate uses their device’s camera to take a photo of themself (a selfie) and a photo of one or more acceptable identity documents.
Note: Our online application provides your candidate with guidance as to what types of documents are acceptable.
- For Basic DBS (England and Wales) checks only, your candidate chooses whether or not a paper certificate is produced. If they opt for a paper certificate, they choose where it is sent.
Note: This step is not included in the Basic Disclosure Scotland check, because for that check, a paper certificate is always produced and sent to us.
- We collect some details about your candidate for the background check. The details we collect from your candidate depend on the check you order, and are based on requirements of the relevant issuing authority (the Disclosure and Barring Service or Disclosure Scotland). Select the check you are ordering to view a list of details we collect from your candidate.
Basic DBS (England and Wales):
- Legal name and title
- Any previous names
(including dates held) - Phone number
- Place of birth
- Sex
- National Insurance number (optional)
- Date of birth
- Address history (five years)
Basic Disclosure Scotland (Scotland and outside of the UK):
- Legal name and title
- Any previous names
- Phone number
- Place of birth
- Sex
- National Insurance number (optional)
- Date of birth
- Mother’s maiden name
- Address history (five years)
- Your candidate submits the application for processing.
- For Basic DBS (England and Wales) checks only, if your candidate opted for a paper certificate to be produced and sent to them, they receive it after the check is processed. Or, it is sent to another location they specify.
Next steps
After you place your order and your candidate submits their application, the check begins processing. Typically, you can expect it to complete within its usual turnaround time.
When the check is completed, you can view its results.
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