You may be surprised to learn, architects are required to undergo a basic DBS check. Since the 1974 Rehabilitation of Offenders Act, architects have had a duty to have their suitability for role verified through a basic DBS check for an architect, usually at the recruitment stage.

Architects hold a privileged position with the public where your opinion has great weight. The advisory nature of an architect’s work means it is necessary to carry out a background check to ensure you are appropriate for such an influential role.

Contemporaries in other advisory roles such as financial consultants, actuaries and solicitors also have to undertake basic DBS checks. This layer of security is a lawful obligation your employer must uphold to protect both their practice and the public.

A basic DBS check is the first level of national safeguarding and involves a search for any unspent criminal convictions or conditional cautions. The CRB check will go no further than this and any employer has no legal right to request anything more than a basic DBS check for an architect. To find out more about basic checks and how to apply online, visit our homepage.