# Released under investigation: what it means

> What being released under investigation means, how long it lasts, whether it shows on a DBS check, and what you can do while you wait.

Source: https://www.imranshafikc.com/insights/released-under-investigation

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# Released under investigation: what it means

Released under investigation means you have been arrested and let go while the police carry on investigating. You are not on bail, there are no conditions, and there is no time limit. It is not the end of the case, and a charging decision can still come months later.

Last checked against the law on 22 October 2026.

## How it differs from bail

Police bail has a date and conditions. Released under investigation has neither. It was meant to stop people being kept on bail indefinitely, and in practice it replaced a deadline with silence.

You are not required to return on any date. You will be contacted if and when a decision is made.

## How long it takes

There is no limit. Months is normal and more than a year is common in cases with digital evidence, because devices sit in a queue before anyone looks at them.

The absence of news is usually a file waiting for a reviewing lawyer rather than a decision going your way.

## What can be done while you wait

This is the stage where a case can still be stopped, and almost nobody uses it. Written representations can be made to the police and the Crown Prosecution Service before they decide whether to charge.

They can address what the evidence actually shows, what has not been investigated, and whether a prosecution is in the public interest. A charging decision turns on both of those tests, and both can be argued with in advance.

## What to do about it

If you are under investigation and no decision has been made, that is the moment when counsel is most useful and least often instructed. See pre-charge advice.

This page explains a process. It is not legal advice and it is not a substitute for it: what is right in your case depends on facts that are not on this page.

## Related

- [Police interview under caution](https://www.imranshafikc.com/insights/police-interview-under-caution)
- [Barrister or solicitor: the difference](https://www.imranshafikc.com/insights/barrister-or-solicitor)
- [All insights](https://www.imranshafikc.com/insights)