DBS checks for tutors: what parents should ask
A DBS check tells you about a tutor's recorded criminal history, and nothing else. Since 21 January 2026, self-employed tutors can get an enhanced check through a DBS umbrella body, so it is now reasonable to ask for one. Here is what each level shows, what none of them can tell you, and the questions worth asking before lessons start.
What does each level of DBS check actually show?
There are three levels of check, plus a barred-list add-on for the enhanced level. The level matters more than the existence of a certificate, because a basic check discloses far less than an enhanced one.
| Check | What it shows | Who can apply |
|---|---|---|
| Basic | Unspent convictions and conditional cautions only | Anyone, for themselves, directly on gov.uk (£21.50, usually processed within about 3 days) |
| Standard | Spent and unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands and final warnings | An employer in an eligible role. Individuals cannot request one for themselves directly |
| Enhanced | Everything on a standard check, plus any local police information considered relevant to the role | An employer or agency, or, since 21 January 2026, a self-employed tutor through a DBS umbrella body, no employer needed |
| Enhanced with barred lists | Everything on an enhanced check, plus whether the person is barred from working with children | Same routes as enhanced, for eligible roles working with children, including one-to-one tutoring |
Summarised from gov.uk DBS guidance, July 2026. Costs and processing times are set by the DBS and can change.
Can a self-employed tutor get an enhanced DBS check?
Yes, and this is new. For years the honest answer was no: an independent tutor could only apply for a basic check on themselves, and only an employer or agency could request an enhanced one. That changed on 21 January 2026, when government guidance opened Enhanced and Enhanced with Barred List(s) checks to self-employed people, with no employer needed, applying through a DBS umbrella body, a registered organisation that processes the application on their behalf. The guidance even uses a self-employed maths tutor as its worked example.
Two practical consequences for parents. First, you can no longer take "self-employed tutors cannot get enhanced checks" at face value: since January 2026 they can, so a tutor who wants one can arrange it. Second, you still cannot apply on a tutor's behalf. The application is theirs to make, and the certificate is theirs to show you.
A certificate is a snapshot, not a guarantee
A DBS certificate shows what was on record on the day it was issued. It cannot show anything that happened afterwards, and it cannot show anything that was never reported. The DBS Update Service (£16 a year, standard and enhanced checks only) keeps a certificate's status current, which is why it is one of the three questions below. Sensible first-lesson precautions still apply whatever the paperwork says.
What should parents actually ask about a DBS check?
Three questions cover it. A good tutor will be comfortable with all three; evasiveness about any of them is a reason to keep looking.
Which level of DBS check do you hold, and when was it issued?
A basic check is better than nothing, but it only shows unspent convictions. An enhanced check with barred lists is the meaningful one for child-facing work, and it has been available to self-employed tutors via umbrella bodies since January 2026.
Can I see the original certificate?
Check the name matches, the level, the workforce it was issued for, and the issue date. A certificate is a snapshot of the day it was issued, so recency matters.
Are you on the DBS Update Service?
For £16 a year a tutor can keep a standard or enhanced certificate current. With the tutor's consent, the status of a registered certificate can be checked online, which answers the recency question properly.
These sit inside a bigger conversation: the ten questions to ask a tutor before you hire covers exam boards, progress tracking and rates too.
How TutorLab handles DBS checks
Honestly: it does not run them. TutorLab is a directory. It lists tutors so parents can find and contact them directly, and it does not carry out DBS or identity checks itself. Any platform that implies a listing equals a vetted tutor is overclaiming.
The check that matters is the one you do: ask the tutor which level they hold, see the certificate, and verify it before sessions begin. For everything beyond paperwork, from first-lesson supervision to online ground rules, use the tutor safeguarding checklist.
DBS checks for tutors: common questions
Do private tutors legally need a DBS check?
No. There is no legal requirement for a self-employed private tutor to hold a DBS check before offering lessons, which is exactly why it is worth asking about one. Tutors employed by schools or agencies are usually checked by their employer. For an independent tutor, the check is voluntary, so a tutor who has gone and arranged one anyway is telling you something useful about how seriously they take safeguarding.
Can a self-employed tutor get an enhanced DBS check?
Yes, since 21 January 2026. Government guidance now lets self-employed people apply for Enhanced and Enhanced with Barred List(s) DBS checks through a DBS umbrella body, a registered organisation that processes the application. Before that date, an independent tutor could only apply for a basic check themselves. So from 2026 onwards, it is fair to ask a private tutor for an enhanced certificate rather than settling for a basic one.
Can I run a DBS check on a tutor myself?
No. A parent cannot apply for any level of DBS check on a tutor's behalf; government guidance is explicit that the self-employed person must apply themselves. What you can do is ask to see the certificate, check the name, level and issue date, and, if the tutor subscribes to the DBS Update Service, ask them to consent to an online status check of that certificate.
What does a basic DBS check actually show?
Only convictions and conditional cautions that are unspent under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. Spent convictions, most cautions and local police intelligence do not appear. It costs £21.50, the tutor applies directly on gov.uk, and it is usually processed within about three days. It is a reasonable minimum, but it is a much narrower disclosure than an enhanced check.
Does TutorLab DBS-check the tutors it lists?
No. TutorLab is a directory: it lists tutors so parents can find and contact them directly. It does not carry out DBS or identity checks itself. Always ask the tutor directly, view the certificate before sessions begin, and follow sensible first-lesson precautions regardless of what paperwork exists.
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