If you clean inside people’s homes, sooner or later a customer will ask whether you have a DBS check. It is one of the most common questions domestic cleaners get, usually from parents, older clients or anyone handing over a spare key to a stranger for the first time.
The confusing part is that the answer is not a simple yes or no. Most cleaners are not legally required to have one, but many customers still see it as a trust signal, and a small number of jobs (schools, care settings, some agency work) genuinely need one before you can start.
This guide explains what a DBS check is, which level you can actually apply for, how it works in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, roughly what it costs, and how to mention it to customers without overclaiming. This is general guidance to help you get organised, not legal advice.
What a DBS check actually is
DBS stands for Disclosure and Barring Service. A DBS check is a criminal record check carried out by a government body, and the result is printed on a paper certificate that is sent to you, the applicant. It shows either that nothing relevant was found, or it lists convictions, cautions and (at higher levels) other information held by the police.
The important thing to understand is that a DBS check is a snapshot on the date it was issued. It does not update itself and it does not expire on a fixed date either. There is no legal shelf life. It is simply a record of what was found on a particular day, which is why many cleaners renew theirs every year or two so it does not look stale to customers.
The Disclosure and Barring Service covers England and Wales. Scotland and Northern Ireland use their own equivalents, which we cover further down.
Do cleaners legally need a DBS check?
For most self employed domestic and commercial cleaners, no. Cleaning a family home, an office, a holiday let or a car park is not a role that legally requires a criminal record check. You can register as self employed, get insured and start work without one.
There are exceptions worth knowing about:
- Cleaning in a school, nursery or college during hours when children are present. The setting will usually require a check and will arrange it as part of their safer recruitment process.
- Cleaning in care homes, hospitals, hospices or supported living where you may have contact with vulnerable adults.
- Some cleaning agencies, franchises and facilities management companies insist on a DBS check for every cleaner on their books, even for ordinary domestic work.
- Some larger commercial clients ask for basic checks on anyone with out of hours building access. This appears in tender paperwork more often than people expect, so it is worth reading the small print before you bid for a contract.
Outside those situations, having a DBS check is a choice. Plenty of successful cleaners never get one. Plenty of others treat it as part of looking professional, alongside insurance and a proper website.
Basic, standard and enhanced DBS checks explained
There are three levels, and knowing the difference stops you promising something you cannot actually get.
Basic
A basic check shows unspent convictions and conditional cautions. Anyone can apply for a basic DBS check for themselves, for any reason. This is the level almost every self employed cleaner ends up with.
Standard
A standard check shows spent and unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands and warnings. You cannot apply for this yourself. It has to be requested by an employer or organisation for an eligible role.
Enhanced
An enhanced check includes everything in a standard check plus any relevant information held by local police, and can include a check of the children’s and adults’ barred lists. Again, you cannot apply for one yourself. It has to come through an organisation for a role that qualifies, such as regulated activity in a school or care setting.
This matters because customers sometimes ask if you are “enhanced DBS checked”. If you clean private homes as a sole trader, the honest answer is usually that you hold a basic DBS check, because that is the level available to you. Saying you have an enhanced one when you do not is a fast way to lose trust if it is ever queried.
How to get a DBS check if you are self employed
In England and Wales, a self employed cleaner applies for a basic check directly through the Disclosure and Barring Service online, or through a responsible organisation that processes applications on your behalf. You will need:
- Your full name and any previous names
- Your date of birth and place of birth
- Your National Insurance number if you have one
- Five years of address history
- Identity documents such as a passport, driving licence, or a mix of bank statements and utility bills
The official route and the current fee are set out on the gov.uk basic DBS check page, which is the page to trust for fees and eligibility rather than a third party site that may be out of date.
Be a little careful with the many private companies offering to arrange a DBS check for you. Some are perfectly legitimate umbrella bodies that add a small admin fee for a genuine service. Others charge a lot more than the official cost for very little added value. Compare the total price against the official fee before you commit.
Getting a check in Scotland and Northern Ireland
The DBS only covers England and Wales. If you live and work elsewhere in the UK, the equivalent bodies are:
- Scotland: Disclosure Scotland, which issues a Basic Disclosure and runs the PVG scheme for people working with children or protected adults.
- Northern Ireland: AccessNI, which offers basic, standard and enhanced checks on a similar model.
If you work across a border, for example living in Scotland and cleaning holiday lets over the border, apply through the body for the country where you live. If a client insists on a specific certificate type, ask them to put the requirement in writing so you apply for the right thing once rather than paying twice.
What a DBS check costs and how long it takes
Fees change, so always check the official page before applying. As a rough guide, a basic check in England and Wales costs around twenty pounds, with standard and enhanced checks costing more and being paid for by the requesting organisation rather than you. Umbrella bodies add their own admin fee on top.
Turnaround varies. Basic checks are often returned within a couple of weeks, sometimes faster, but anything that needs manual work at the police stage can take longer. If a school or commercial client wants a check before you start, allow several weeks in your planning rather than promising to start on Monday.
The DBS Update Service and keeping your check current
In England and Wales you can subscribe to the DBS Update Service for a small annual fee, which lets you keep your certificate up to date and lets organisations check its current status online with your permission. If you are likely to be asked for a DBS check by more than one client, agency or school, the Update Service usually saves money and repeat paperwork.
You have to subscribe within a set window after your certificate is issued, so if you think you will use it, sign up straight away rather than months later. If you miss the window you will need to apply for a fresh check to join.
What a DBS check does not tell customers
It is worth being clear headed here, because overselling a check can backfire. A DBS check does not prove you are reliable, insured, thorough or good at cleaning. It does not confirm your references. It does not cover anything that happened after the issue date.
It also does not replace the things customers genuinely rely on:
- Public liability insurance and, where relevant, cover for keys and accidental damage
- Real reviews from local customers
- Clear written terms so everyone knows the scope, cancellation rules and payment terms
- A professional online presence that looks like a real business
If you are still building trust from a standing start, our guide on landing your first cleaning clients with no reviews covers the other signals that persuade a nervous customer to book, and our rundown of the legal requirements for a cleaning business puts the compliance side into order.
DBS checks for cleaners you employ
Once you take on staff, the question changes. You are the one sending someone into a customer’s home, so many owners choose to make a basic DBS check part of their onboarding, along with right to work checks, references and training.
A few practical points:
- You cannot request a standard or enhanced check just because you would like to. The role has to be eligible.
- The certificate belongs to the applicant. You can ask to see it, but you should not demand to keep the original.
- Keep records proportionate. Noting the certificate number, level, issue date and the fact you reviewed it is usually enough. Storing photocopies of criminal record information creates a data protection headache you do not need.
- Have a written policy on what you do if something is disclosed, so decisions are consistent and fair rather than made on the spot.
If your DBS check requirement is part of a wider push into offices, schools or facilities work, read it alongside our guide to winning commercial cleaning contracts, where vetting evidence is often requested in the same breath as insurance certificates and method statements.
How to tell customers about your DBS check
Most cleaners are far too quiet about this. If you have gone to the trouble and expense of getting a DBS check, say so plainly and accurately in the places customers actually look.
- On your website: a short line such as “Basic DBS checked, fully insured, keys handled securely” on the home page and the relevant service page.
- In your quotes: one bullet in your quote email removes a worry before the customer has to ask.
- At the first visit: offer to show the certificate. Very few people take you up on it, but offering is the reassuring part.
- On your Google Business Profile: mention it in your business description and in a post so it appears where people are comparing local cleaners.
Keep the wording exact. “DBS checked (basic, issued March 2025)” is stronger and safer than a vague claim, because it shows you know the detail. Never say all your staff are checked unless every single one is.
Where trust signals belong on your website
A DBS check works hardest when it sits next to the other reasons someone should pick you. On a well organised cleaning website, that means the reassurance is visible in the first screen, not buried on an about page nobody reaches.
In practice we find the strongest combination on a home page is a clear statement of what you do and where, then your trust badges (insured, DBS checked, years of experience, review score), then photos of real work, then an obvious way to get in touch. Our guide to the pages a cleaning website needs to win work goes into the structure in more detail.
This is the part we handle for our customers. You tell us your DBS check level and issue date, and we place it properly across your domestic cleaning website, update it when you renew, and keep everything hosted, backed up and secure. You never log in or edit anything yourself.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Claiming enhanced when you hold basic. Use the correct level, every time.
- Paying over the odds. Compare any provider’s total cost against the official fee.
- Letting it go stale. A certificate from six years ago reassures nobody. Renew, or use the Update Service.
- Assuming it replaces insurance. Customers care about both, and only one of them covers a broken vase.
- Keeping it a secret. If it is not on your website and quotes, it is not doing any work for you.
Is a DBS check worth it for a domestic cleaner?
For most cleaners working in family homes, yes, on balance. It costs roughly the same as a bottle of decent machine detergent, it answers a question you will be asked repeatedly, and it makes you eligible for agency and school work you would otherwise have to turn down.
For a window cleaner, pressure washing round or car valeting business where you rarely go inside, it matters far less. Spend the money on insurance, better equipment and getting found online instead. If you are weighing up where to put limited marketing budget, our piece on how to advertise your cleaning business without wasting money is a more useful place to start.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a DBS check last for a cleaner?
There is no official expiry date. A DBS check is accurate on the day it is issued and nothing more. Many cleaners renew every one to three years, or subscribe to the Update Service, so customers and clients are not looking at a very old certificate.
Can I apply for an enhanced DBS check as a self employed cleaner?
Not for yourself. Enhanced checks must be requested by an organisation for an eligible role, such as cleaning in a school where you have contact with children. As a sole trader you can apply for a basic check, and that is what you should say you hold.
Do my employees need a DBS check?
Usually not by law for ordinary domestic or office cleaning, but many employers make a basic check part of their hiring process to reassure customers. Keep the records you hold proportionate, and never store more criminal record detail than you genuinely need.
Getting your DBS check sorted is a small job with a decent payoff, as long as customers can actually see it. If your website is not doing that job, we can help: we build and fully manage websites for UK cleaning businesses from £24.99 +VAT/mo, including hosting, updates, security and backups, so you never have to touch it. Have a look at our pay monthly packages or get in touch and tell us what you would like to say about your business. We will do the rest.
