How To Speed Up Your DBS Check
If you have been asked to get a criminal background check known as a DBS Check, then you may be interested to find out how long the process will take.
The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) deals with criminal record checks in England and Wales (and Disclosure Scotland).
If you apply for a DBS Check online using our service, we usually get the results within 48 hours and often much faster, but the time taken can vary, depending on how long it takes for the DBS or Disclosure Scotland to perform the search.
Fortunately, if you’re in a hurry to get the results, there are some things you can do to speed up the process. Here are 5 steps you can take to speed up your DBS Check.
1. Prepare the information in advance
When you fill in a DBS application, you’ll need to provide several pieces of information. To save time and to make sure you have everything you need, it’s best to prepare the information before starting to fill in the form.
Make sure that you have the following details ready in advance:
- Name, including title, middle name(s) and surname
- Gender
- Date of birth
- Phone number
- Email address
- Birth town and country
- Address history for the past five years, with dates
- Details of any unspent convictions.
The other thing you, or your job applicants, need to do is prepare all the relevant documents for ID checking in advance. You will need to get ID documents verified before submitting the DBS application.
The DBS Check applicant needs to provide verifiable original copies of each ID document – scanned versions are not allowed for verification purposes.
2. Apply online for a DBS Check, rather than by post
One of the best ways to speed up the length of time it takes to process and receive the results of a DBS Check. Our online application process is very easy to use and fast and it is just as secure, if not more so, than posting an application by Royal Mail.
Online applications are sent instantly to the DBS, cutting down the time taken to post the form. You also take away the chance of the application form being lost in the postal system, which is surprisingly common.
The biggest single cause of delays to the DBS application process is the presence of mistakes or omissions on the paper application form. Our online DBS Check application system will check for errors and missing information and alert the applicant to correct them or provide more details.
Also, before the DBS application is sent to the DBS for processing, one of our team members (who act as countersignatories to the form) will check over the application carefully and highlight any problems, giving you a chance to rectify them.
3. Double check the application form yourself
Whether you are applying by paper form or using our online DBS Check service, it is always worth spending a few minutes going back over the form to make sure all the details are correct, before submitting it.
For instance, make sure that important reference numbers are correct and match the actual ones, such as your National Insurance number or driving license number.
The DBS Check is done by carrying out a search of the Police National Computer (PNC) and the details you provide on the form must match those held by the authorities exactly, including spelling, otherwise the form will be rejected and you’ll need to resubmit it.
4. Use a trusted online DBS Check service
DBSChecks.org.uk is a DBS registered body, which means we have been approved by the DBS to provide online DBS Check services.
We offer full customer support when you apply for a DBS Check with us. You can contact our team directly to get assistance with the DBS application process and we’ll answer any queries that you may have, which helps to speed up the process.
5. Make sure you provide the correct contact details
When you sign up for an online DBS Check using our service, you will be asked for your email address. Make sure you give the correct email address and that it is one you get notifications for or check regularly, so that when your DBS Check results come through, you’ll get them quickly and usually within 48 hours of submitting the application.
This is much quicker than applying by post and waiting for the DBS certificate to arrive in the post which can take two weeks or longer.
Summary of speeding up DBS Checks
Using our online DBS Check service is one of the best ways to speed up the time it takes to get your DBS certificate. Our team will work quickly to verify and submit your application to the DBS.
Although we can’t control how long it takes the DBS to process your application, we find that the average turnaround time is 48 hours from submitting your DBS application to sending out the results to you via email.
Hopefully, this guide has helped you to understand how to speed up the application and processing of your DBS Check. If you need any more help, have any questions, or you would like to find out how to use our online DBS Check service, then get in touch with one of our expert advisors today.
