There is no fixed Stage 4 turnaround time.
According to the latest DBS Police Performance Information, police forces took an average of 27 days to return checks referred to them in September 2026.
This is separate from the overall Enhanced DBS processing average of 13.3 days. Individual Stage 4 waiting times can vary depending on the police forces involved, current workloads and whether information requires further assessment.
Some police forces are experiencing delays, so individual applications may take longer than the published average.
