Security clearance levels: BPSS, CTC, SC and DV

UK government jobs use a ladder of checks. Almost every civil servant, member of the armed forces and government contractor gets the Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS), a pre-employment check of identity, right to work, employment history and unspent convictions. Posts with more sensitive access then need national security vetting: the Counter Terrorist Check (CTC), the Security Check (SC) or Developed Vetting (DV). Each level adds deeper checks, and the department that owns the post decides which level it needs. Vetting is carried out mainly by United Kingdom Security Vetting (UKSV) once an employer sponsors you.

The levels at a glance

Level	Who usually needs it	Main checks on top of the level below
BPSS	All civil servants, armed forces, temporary staff and contractors with access to government assets	Identity, right to work, employment history, unspent criminal record
CTC (and Level 1B)	Posts close to public figures at risk of terrorist attack, or with unescorted access to sites or information at risk	Security questionnaire, departmental records check, spent and unspent criminal records, Security Service records
SC	Long-term, frequent and uncontrolled access to SECRET assets	Credit and financial history check, possible financial questionnaire, possible interview
DV	Frequent and uncontrolled access to TOP SECRET assets	Full review of personal finances, detailed interview, interviews with referees

There are also less common levels. The Accreditation Check (AC) covers people who need unescorted access to secure areas of UK airports and some aviation security roles. Enhanced Security Check (eSC) and Enhanced Developed Vetting (eDV) apply to a small number of specific posts that need extra assurance.

BPSS

BPSS is not a formal security clearance. Your employer carries it out, not UKSV, and it underpins every higher level. It checks:

• your identity
• your right to work in the UK
• your employment history
• unspent criminal convictions, through a basic criminal record check

BPSS gives access to OFFICIAL information. It is part of the normal pre-employment checks for Civil Service jobs, and the department may add others such as a health check. Gaps in employment history are not a problem in themselves, but you may be asked to account for them with evidence.

CTC and Level 1B

CTC is for roles where the risk is terrorism: posts working close to public figures at particular risk, those with access to information that would help terrorists, and those with unescorted access to certain military, civil or commercial sites. You fill in a security questionnaire, and vetting checks departmental records, criminal records (spent and unspent) and Security Service records. You may be interviewed if there are unresolved concerns. Level 1B sits alongside CTC and was introduced as part of UKSV’s changes to the vetting system.

SC

SC is a common requirement in Civil Service, MOD and contractor adverts. It is for people with long-term, frequent and uncontrolled access to SECRET assets, or who could cause similar damage from their position. On top of the CTC checks, SC adds a credit reference check on your financial history. If financial concerns are not resolved, you may have to complete a separate financial questionnaire for a full review of your finances. Checks can extend to people you list on the questionnaire, such as a partner. Many MOD civilian jobs and posts in the Home Office and other security-related teams require SC.

DV

DV is the highest standard level, for frequent and uncontrolled access to TOP SECRET material. It includes everything in SC plus a full review of your personal finances, covering assets, liabilities, income and spending, including any joint position with a spouse or partner. A trained investigating officer interviews you in depth, and also interviews referees you nominate. The interview covers personal matters including relationships, health, finances and lifestyle. UKSV says its officers are trained not to make moral judgements about applicants. The questions are about whether anything in your life could make you open to pressure, and whether you have been open about it.

Residency, nationality and gaps abroad

Vetting relies on being able to check your background. If you have lived outside the UK for long periods, there may be too little checkable information, and that can make clearance hard to grant. Higher levels need a longer period of checkable UK history, and the government guidance notes that UK residency can affect the checks carried out even at BPSS. The exact expectations are set in the vetting policy and can be discussed with your sponsor. Time spent abroad with the armed forces or on government service is usually treated differently.

Clearance is a separate test from eligibility. Some posts are reserved for UK nationals under the Civil Service nationality rules, and departments can add residency conditions to those posts.

How long it takes and what can slow it down

UKSV does not give fixed timescales. BPSS is usually done within the normal pre-employment period. CTC and SC typically take weeks, and DV takes considerably longer because of the interviews. Delays come from incomplete questionnaires, long periods abroad, checks with other agencies and not answering follow-up requests. If you do not respond to a request for more information, your application can be cancelled. Use an email address you check daily and look in spam folders.

Some departments let you start work once BPSS is complete, with restricted access until higher clearance comes through. Others will not confirm a start date until clearance is granted. The conditional offer guide explains what happens in that gap.

Honesty, aftercare and moving jobs

Vetting puts heavy weight on honesty. Spent convictions, debts, drug use in the past or family connections abroad do not automatically bar you. Hiding them, once discovered, is treated as a sign of unreliability.

Clearance is owned by the sponsoring organisation, not by you. It is reviewed at set intervals and you must report changes in your circumstances, such as a new partner, a large debt or a criminal charge. When you move to another department or a contractor, a current clearance can often be transferred if the new sponsor accepts it, but it lapses once you no longer need it for your role.

Security vetting is separate from DBS checks. Schools and NHS jobs use DBS checks, and police forces run their own police vetting, which follows a different national framework.