What Do You Need for a CRB Check
This page translates the official guidance into plain English for tutors, parents, schools and tutoring organisations.
What Do You Need for a CRB Check needs a practical answer rather than jargon, especially for tutors who are trying to compare routes, timing, cost, and suitability.
Many searchers still use CRB language, but CRB was replaced by DBS, so modern guidance normally appears under DBS wording. This page turns the official guidance into a tutor-friendly explanation, keeping the wording simple without losing the important legal distinctions around level, route, and eligibility. It also fits into the wider “dbs tracking” content cluster, so related pages on this site cover the adjacent questions people usually ask next.
Need a tutor-focused next step?
Use the apply-now page when you want to move from explanation to action.
See the tutor application route
Quick takeaways
- Use the official route that matches the level of check.
- Keep the process simple by getting the identity step right first.
- Check whether the role is eligible before chasing a higher level.
- Use /apply-now when you are ready to move beyond research.
How the application route works
You can apply for a Basic DBS check yourself. Standard and Enhanced checks are role-specific and normally go through an employer, registered body, or eligible umbrella route. That is the first rule that decides your route.
For tutors, the key admin question is who is entitled to start the application. A person can often arrange their own Basic check, but higher-level routes depend on the role and the route used.
- Confirm the level you need.
- Use the correct route for that level.
- Complete identity checks carefully.
- Keep the reference number for tracking.
The identity and form step
For Standard and Enhanced applications, applicants are encouraged to give full details, including all previous names and a full 5-year address history. The ID guidance uses a route-based process and increasingly encourages digital identity checks where suitable documents are available.
This is the stage where preventable delays happen. The more complete the name and address history, the easier it is for the application to move cleanly through validation.
Ready to stop comparing routes?
This site is designed to make the decision clear first, then point you to the next practical step.
Common mistakes during the application stage
Application pages are most useful when they explain what not to do as well as what to do. Do not start with the wrong level, do not guess at the ID rules, and do not assume a provider can make an ineligible role eligible.
Treat the form and ID stage as the foundation of the whole process. A clean start saves time later.
When to move on from research
Once you understand the route, the next question is whether you want to keep researching or actually move into a tutor-focused application path.
The safest next step is not to guess. Confirm the role, level and route, then move to the apply-now page when you want a tutor-focused process rather than another explainer.
Common questions
How should I use this page?
Use it to understand the route, the level and the practical next step before moving to the apply-now page.
Can I rely on one old certificate forever?
No. Even without an official expiry date, the person relying on it decides whether it is recent enough.
Why are there so many similar DBS pages?
Because people search for the same underlying topic in many slightly different ways, and each page answers one keyword clearly.
What is the best next step after reading?
Use the apply-now page when you want a tutor-focused route rather than another explainer.
Done with the research phase?
Done with the research phase? The next step is waiting on the apply-now page.