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Defence

About Defence

Defence Vetting Agency - Types of Security Clearance and Checks


This page lists the types of national security clearances undertaken by the DVA

What we deliver

Personnel security vetting is carried out so that people may take certain jobs or carry out tasks that need a national security clearance. These jobs and tasks are located throughout the Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces, as well as in the private sector dealing with defence related work. In addtion, a number of other government departments and organisations pay the DVA to process clearances or carry out interview work.

The DVA processes four main types of national security checks and clearances:

Basic Checks (BC) and Enhanced Basic Checks (EBC): These are not formal security clearances. A BC or EBC provides a level of assurance to the trustworthiness and integrity of individuals whose work involves access to CONFIDENTIAL assets or information.

Counter Terrorist Check (CTC) is required for personnel whose work involves close proximity to public figures, gives access to information or material vulnerable to terrorist attack or involves unrestricted access to certain government or commercial establishments. A CTC does not allow access, or knowledge, or custody, of protectively marked assets and information.

Security Check (SC) is for people who have substantial access to SECRET, or occasional access to TOP SECRET assets and information.

Developed Vetting (DV) is required for people with substantial unsupervised access to TOP SECRET assets, or for working in the intelligence or security agencies.

A small number of clearances are granted in spite of some reservations. In accordance with the policy of risk management, some form of follow-up work and monitoring to mange the risk is undertaken. This activity is termed "aftercare", and may be required in connection with any of the above clearances.