Many Criminal Record check documents are signed by an official at the institute who issues the document to you. If the Record check document contains an official signature then no solicitor certification is required. When an official signs the document it is classed as an individual with a high enough legal standing for an Apostille to be issued based upon. However, on many Basic Disclosure documents there will not be a signature from any official. This therefore means that in order for the UK Foreign Office to issue their Apostille stamp, solicitor certification must be added to the certificate.