Certificate of good conduct
A certificate of good conduct is an official document that shows whether a person has a criminal record relevant to a job. The Netherlands calls it a VOG, Belgium an extract from the criminal record and the UK a DBS check. Employers ask for it in roles with access to homes, money, client sites or vulnerable people.
In frontline hiring, a certificate of good conduct often decides whether a candidate can start. A cleaner who works in offices at night, a security guard or a care worker cannot start until the document is in. Each country has its own document and rules.
How does it work in the Netherlands?
The Dutch document is the Verklaring Omtrent het Gedrag (VOG). Justis, part of the Ministry of Justice and Security, issues it.
- The employer starts the request and states the screening profile of the job, for example access to money or to vulnerable people.
- The candidate completes the request online and pays, unless the employer pays.
- Justis checks the criminal record only for offences that matter for that profile.
- The candidate gets the VOG and gives it to the employer.
Justis says most candidates get the VOG within 1 to 4 weeks. Some requests take up to 8 weeks.
How does it work in Belgium?
The Belgian document is the extract from the criminal record (uittreksel uit het strafregister). The candidate requests it from their municipality or online.
- Model 1 is the general extract, for most jobs.
- Model 2 is for jobs with minors, such as education or childcare.
The employer may only ask for the extract when the law or the job justifies it.
How does it work in the UK?
The UK uses checks from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) in England and Wales. Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own services.
- Basic check. Shows unspent convictions. Any employer can ask for it.
- Standard check. Also shows spent convictions and cautions, for set roles.
- Enhanced check. Adds police information, for roles with children or vulnerable adults.
- Enhanced with barred list. Also checks whether the person is barred from that work.
When may you ask for one?
Criminal records are sensitive personal data. Under the GDPR, an employer may only process them when the law allows it. Ask for a certificate only when the job needs it and say why in the vacancy. Do not keep a copy longer than you need. See GDPR in recruitment.
Ask every candidate for the same role the same thing. Do not ask some candidates and not others.
Screening question vs certificate
| Screening question | Certificate of good conduct | |
|---|---|---|
| What it asks | Can you get the certificate? | Does the record show a relevant offence? |
| When | At the start of the screening | Before the first day of work |
| Proof | The candidate's own answer | An official document |
| Time it takes | Seconds | Days to weeks |
How should you screen for it?
Ask early: "This job requires a certificate of good conduct. Are you willing to request one?" Do not ask about the candidate's criminal past in the screening. Leave that question to the official document.
Start the request as soon as a candidate says yes to the offer. The waiting time is often the longest step before the first shift.
How does Ringtime handle this question?
Ringtime asks the question in the screening. It does not request or check certificates.
- You add the question to the screening flow and decide whether it is mandatory.
- The AI assistant asks it by phone or WhatsApp, in the order you set.
- A candidate who fails a mandatory question goes to recruiter review. The assistant never rejects a candidate by itself.
- The answer lands in the Ringtime web app and in your applicant tracking system (ATS).
- Your team requests and checks the certificate.
This page is general information, not legal advice.
To ask the must-have questions before anyone books an interview, see how Ringtime screens candidates.
