When a candidate can't complete the digital identity verification step during a UK DBS check, an in-person or video manual identity verification is required before the DBS application can be submitted.
Pinpoint gives you a secure workflow to complete that verification and get the check moving.
Manual Verification Requirements
A manual verification is triggered when the digital identity verification step (OneID) can't be completed.
Common reasons include:
The applicant declines consent for the digital identity verification
The applicant's document photo is blurry or doesn't match their selfie
The applicant doesn't have a document type OneID accepts
The applicant abandons the digital flow partway through
OneID can't reach the required Medium (Basic DBS) or High (Standard/Enhanced DBS) confidence level
You'll be notified when action is required and can view this status in the Checks page or the order on the application. The DBS application won't be submitted until you complete the manual verification.
Preparing to Complete Manual Identity Verification
Process
You verify the applicant's identity yourself. The form in Pinpoint records what you saw - it doesn't perform a check on your behalf. Follow the UK Government's ID checking guidelines for Standard/Enhanced DBS check applications.
Two things to get right before you open the form:
Check the original documents, in person wherever possible. If that isn't practical, you'll be asked to explain why.
Take copies of physical documents only. DBS doesn't accept electronic documents for manual identity verification. A scan or photo of a paper bank statement is fine; a PDF downloaded from online banking, or a photo of a bank statement on a phone screen, will be rejected.
Under DBS guidelines you must keep copies of the documents, or a clear written record of their details, for at least 2 years from the date the check was completed.
Routes
Use Route 1 wherever possible. If the applicant can't provide a Group 1 document, use Route 2. Use Route 3 only if Route 2 can't be met.
Route | Documents required |
Route 1 - Primary identity documents | 3 documents, including at least 1 Group 1 document |
Route 2 - Secondary documents with external check | 3 documents, including at least 1 Group 2a document, plus an identity validation check using an external verification service |
Route 3 - Alternative document route | 5 documents, including a birth certificate (issued more than 12 months after birth) and at least 1 additional Group 2a document — two Group 2a documents in total |
All documents must show the same name and date of birth, where present.
Route 2's external identity validation check should be carried out outside Pinpoint. There's no field for it in the form, but it's still required by DBS.
Pinpoint checks the document counts and groups for you before submitting, so you'll be told if a combination doesn't meet the route's requirements.
Document Lists
These are the document types you can select, grouped as they appear in the form. Pinpoint follows the DBS document lists - see the DBS document lists for full detail on what's acceptable.
Group 1: Primary identity documents
Adoption certificate (UK)
Application Registration Card (ARC)
Biometric residence permit (BRP)
Birth certificate (issued within 12 months of birth)
Driving licence photocard (UK, Isle of Man or Channel Islands)
eVisa (UK immigration status)
Passport (any nationality)
Group 2a: Trusted government documents
Birth certificate (issued more than 12 months after birth)
Driving licence paper licence (UK – issued before March 2000)
Driving licence photocard (non-UK)
Firearms licence
HM Forces identity card / Armed Forces Veteran card
Immigration document, visa or work permit
Marriage or civil partnership certificate
Group 2b: Financial and social history documents
Bank or building society account opening confirmation letter
Bank or building society statement
Benefit statement
Central or local government letter
Council tax statement
Credit card statement
European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) / Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC)
Financial statement (pension/endowment)
HMRC self-assessment or tax demand letter
Letter from head teacher / college principal / apprenticeship provider
Letter of sponsorship from future UK employer
Mortgage statement
P45 statement
P60 statement
PASS card (proof-of-age card)
Utility bill
Completing Manual Identity Verification
Manual identity verification must be completed within 21 days of it being requested. If it isn't, the manual check and its associated DBS check are cancelled.
On the application's Background checks tab you'll see an Action required callout on the affected order. Click Complete manual identity verification to open the form.
What the form asks for depends on the type of DBS check:
Basic DBS - A single short confirmation. No route, no documents.
Standard and Enhanced DBS - A three-step form covering how you checked the documents, which route you used, and copies of the documents themselves.
Basic DBS
To complete a basic check:
Click Complete manual identity verification.
Under Verified by, choose Me or Someone else.
If you choose Someone else, enter their name in Name of verifier.
If you choose Me, your own name is used automatically.Check I confirm that the applicant's identity has been verified in line with DBS guidance.
Click Submit.
Standard and Enhanced DBS
To complete a standard/enhanced check:
Read through the Instructions carefully.
This is a summary of the three ways you can check documents, the three identity checking routes, and the two-year retention requirement.Click Next.
Under Verified by, choose Me or Someone else.
If you choose Someone else, enter their name in Name of verifier.
If you choose Me, your own name is used automatically.Under Method of check, choose how the documents were reviewed:
Option 1 - In person - You viewed the original documents in the presence of the applicant.
Option 2 - Video call with physical documents - The check was completed via video call and you were in possession of the original documents.
Option 3 - Video call without physical documents - The documents were shown via video call or sent electronically, and the originals will be checked later.
If you choose Option 2 or Option 3, explain Why was an in-person check not practical?
If you choose Option 3, also explain Why was Option 2 not practical?
Click Next.
Select the Identity checking route you used. The requirements for that route appear below your selection.
For each document, click Add File tp upload a copy.
Three empty document cards appear by default - remove any you don't use, as an empty card will stop you submitting.Pick the matching Document type. The group (Group 1, Group 2a or Group 2b) is shown once you've chosen a type.
Accepted file types are jpeg, png and pdf, up to 10MB each.
For Passport (any nationality), a Passport number field is also required. Date of issue and date of expiry are optional.
For Driving licence photocard (UK, Isle of Man or Channel Islands), a Licence number field is also required.
Use Add document to add more documents, for example when using Route 3.
Check I confirm that the applicant's identity has been verified in line with DBS guidance.
Click Submit.
You'll see a confirmation once the details have been submitted, and the drawer closes. If something goes wrong, the form stays open with your details still filled in so you can try again.
Following Check Submission
Once you submit the manual verification details, Certn's DBS counter signatory will review the documents and submit the DBS application to the DBS.
You can track the status of the checks on the candidate's Background Checks tab. The manual check status will move from Action required to Complete, and the corresponding DBS check will move to In Progress once the DBS application has been submitted, and to Complete once the DBS returns a result.
If any of the documents you submitted aren't sufficient (for example, they don't meet the DBS's eligibility requirements or the images are unclear), a member of our team will reach out to you.
FAQs
What if I see "Find out more" instead?
Some accounts complete manual identity verification by logging in to Certn Centric rather than using the form in Pinpoint. On those accounts the callout shows a Find out more link, which opens instructions and a link through to the case in Certn Centric.
If you see Find out more and you'd expect the in-Pinpoint form, refresh the page first.
If it still doesn't appear, contact our Support team - the in-product form can be enabled on your account.
If you don't have access to Certn Centric, check with your internal team or reach out to our support team.
Do I have to verify the applicant's identity myself, or does Certn do it for me?
You verify the identity yourself. The manual verification workflow records the outcome of your verification - it doesn't perform the check on your behalf. This is a DBS requirement: when the digital route can't be used, a real person representing the employer must inspect the applicant's original documents.
Can I upload a document that's already on the application?
Not yet. Documents need to be uploaded from your computer. Selecting documents already attached to the application is a future enhancement.
Can I upload a bank statement I downloaded from online banking?
No. DBS doesn't accept electronic documents for manual identity verification. Only a scan or photo of a physical, paper document is accepted.
What if the applicant doesn't have a UK passport?
That's fine. Manual verification supports a wide range of documents from all three DBS groups. Choose the route (1, 2 or 3) that best matches the documents the applicant can provide.
Can I decline or cancel the manual verification?
No. There's no way to decline a manual identity verification - declining would be the same as cancelling the whole DBS check. If the check needs to be cancelled, contact our support team.
Can I skip manual verification and re-run the digital check?
If the applicant abandoned the digital flow or made a mistake, you can ask them to try the digital check again by contacting our support team to cancel the order, after which you can re-order the checks.
The candidate will re-attempt and, if successful a manual verification won’t be required. You won’t be billed for cancelled checks.
How long do I have to complete the manual verification?
Manual identity verification must be completed within 21 days of it being requested. If its not completed within this time frame, the manual check and its associated DBS check will be cancelled.
Can I see what I submitted afterwards?
Not currently. Once the details are submitted, the form closes and the check status updates. This will be a future enhancement. If you need a record of what was submitted, keep your own copy - you're required to retain the document details for two years in any case.
Does this apply to Basic DBS or only Enhanced DBS?
The digital identity verification step is required for Basic and Enhanced DBS checks. If it fails, manual verification is triggered.
The document requirements differ though - Basic DBS is a simpler confirmation without a route or document upload requirement, while Standard and Enhanced DBS need the full route + document workflow described above.
What happens to the uploaded documents afterwards?
Uploaded documents are held securely by Certn for the DBS submission process. Certn's data retention policy applies to these documents.
Can the applicant complete this instead of me?
No. Manual identity verification is a check that the employer (or a person acting on the employer's behalf) has personally verified the applicant's identity. It can't be delegated to the applicant themselves - that would defeat the purpose.