What is the difference between a basic, standard and enhanced DBS check, and which one do coaches need?
Rule- England
- Wales
- UK
- NSPCC Sport (CPSU)
- Safeguarding
- DBS
- Disclosure Scotland PVG
- AccessNI
- Youth sport (under 18)
- 2026
- Volunteers
- Coaches
In England and Wales the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) offers four levels:
| Check | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Basic | Unspent convictions and conditional cautions |
| Standard | Spent and unspent convictions and cautions |
| Enhanced | As standard, plus any information held by local police that's relevant to the role |
| Enhanced with barred lists | As enhanced, plus whether the person is barred from working with children (and/or adults) |
For coaching children: someone who teaches, trains, instructs, supervises or cares for children often enough (more than 3 days in any 30 days, or overnight) is in regulated activity and is eligible for an enhanced check with the children's barred list. Since 1 September 2026 this applies even if they are supervised by another coach.
Who applies: your club, NGB or an umbrella body acting for them submits standard and enhanced checks; you can't usually get one by yourself. Anyone can apply for their own basic check, but a basic check doesn't show the information needed for coaching roles with children.
Your NGB sets which check each role in its sport needs, so follow its requirements.
Added 21 Oct 2026