FAQs about practising certificates, registration and renewal

You can track the status of your application in the My Applications and Documents section of your mySRA account.

You will receive a notification in your mySRA account.

It is a position that you hold within an organisation such as assistant, associate, partner, member, director, consultant, employee.

It is a responsibility that someone holds within an organisation such as authorised to supervise.

A person nominated to update their organisation details and sign the declaration in a bulk renewal application. 

In a law firm, it must be a solicitor or registered European lawyer (REL) with a current practising certificate/registration and who is a manager (a partner in a partnership; a member in an LLP; a director in a company).  

If you work within an in-house team, it can be a solicitor or a REL with a current practising certificate/registration.  

The authorised signatory (AUS) can nominate an organisation contact (ORC) to complete the bulk renewal application but only an AUS can sign it.  

They are the person nominated by an authorised signatory (AUS) to update organisational details and complete the bulk renewal application for an organisation.

ORCs can see and change individuals' personal and professional details if they have opted in. There are no restrictions on who can be an ORC but the AUS should be satisfied they are suitable for this role.

To be nominated as an ORC, you must have a mySRA account.

Find out how to get a mySRA account.

The organisation's authorised signatory and organisation contact can view a bulk renewal application.

Please note that partners or equivalent status will not be able to access the application without one of these roles.

You can track the status of your application in the My Applications and Documents section of your mySRA account.

Yes. To do this the organisation will need an authorised signatory (AUS). This can be a solicitor or a registered European lawyer with a current practising certificate/registration.

The AUS can opt the organisation in to bulk renewal through their mySRA account.

Once this has been done individuals will need to opt themselves in through their own mySRA accounts.

Go to Manage my organisation account which provides help with becoming an authorised signatory, how to opt in to a bulk application and completing the renewal application.

Yes, but only if you are nominated as the firm's organisation contact.

If you don’t have a mySRA account you must create one so that your authorised signatory can nominate you.

Find out how to Get a mySRA account or go to Manage my organisation account to find out how to become an organisation contact.

No, you will not receive a hard copy.

Your certificate can be found in the Applications and Documents section of your mySRA account.

The authorised signatory.

If you fall into both category A and B, please select A.

Anyone starting maternity leave on or after 1 November 2024 will need to claim for the reduced fee in next year’s renewal.

If you are working as a solicitor, please check whether you need a practising certificate by reading our guidance.

You do not need a practising certificate to remain on the roll of solicitors. Find out more

No, you will not receive a hard copy. 

Your certificate can be found in the My Documents section of your mySRA account.

Yes. Organisation contacts (ORC) and authorised signatories (AUS) can view and print individual practising certificates.

They can access them through their mySRA account under My documents – Organisation.

No. Recognised bodies do not renew recognition annually. 

They pay a periodical fee each year as part of their bulk practising certificate renewal.

You can pay by debit card or credit card if you are applying for:

• renewal of your practising certificate 
• renewal of registered foreign lawyer registration
• renewal of registered European lawyer registration. 

For your firm fee, you can pay by: 

• debit card or credit card
• BACs
• CHAPs 
• telegraphic transfer
• credit provider. 

We do not accept payment by cheque.

You need to make payment immediately.

We will not process your application until we have received payment.

Yes, we offer reduced renewal fees for maternity leave. 

If you are currently on maternity leave (or equivalent) or were between 1 November 2023 - 31 October 2024, you may be eligible for a reduced fee.

Equivalent maternity leave is shared parental leave (where the maternity leave is split between the parents) or adoption leave.

Paid or unpaid paternity leave and time off work to care for dependents are not equivalent. 

There are no other types of reduced fees.

Read more about our fee policy.

Turnover means a firm's total gross fees gained from work undertaken from offices in England and Wales. 

Gross fees includes: 

• all professional fees of the firm including remuneration 
• retained commission 
• income of any sort of the firm (including notarial fees). 

Work in Progress (WIP) should be included. 

Gross fees does not include: 

• interest
• reimbursement of disbursements
• VAT 
• remuneration from a non-private practice source
• dividends
• rents
• investment profit. 

Read our Fee policy 2024/25 for a full definition of turnover.

No. If you believe the turnover figure we hold for you is incorrect please email our renewals team.

Yes. The turnover field cannot be left blank but a zero figure can be added.

There are two separate options available depending on your organisation.

Practising certificate and registration renewal

You can opt to be included If your organisation completes a bulk renewal application for practising certificates and registrations.

Personal information management

You can opt in so that your authorised signatory and organisation contact can view and change your personal information.

There are two separate options.

Practising certificate and registration renewal

It means you will not be included in your organisation’s bulk practising certificate and registration renewal application.

Personal information management

Your authorised signatory and organisation contact will be unable to view and change your personal information.

See Managing my account for more information.

Go to the My Profile section of your mySRA account. Edit the work details and tick the relevant option.

You can. Go to the My Profile section of your mySRA account. Edit the work details and make sure the relevant option is not ticked.

See Managing my account for more information.

Your organisation can also opt you out.

You need to opt out of Personal Information Management.

Go to the My Profile section of your mySRA account. Edit the work details and make sure the option to allow a representative of the organisation to manage your personal information is not ticked.

See Managing my account for more information.

Go to the My Profile section of your mySRA account. Edit the work details and tick 'I want to opt into the organisations bulk renewal.'

See Managing my account for more information.

Your personal and professional details in the My Profile section of your mySRA account. They will not see equality data.

See Managing my account for more information.

Go to the My Profile section of your mySRA account. Edit the work details and tick 'I would like a representative of this organisation to manage my personal information'.

Yes. Go to the My Profile section of your mySRA account. Edit the work details and tick 'I want to opt into the organisations bulk renewal'.

You can only be opted in to one organisation at a time.

See Managing my account for more information.

Yes. If you are opted in you will receive a notification email if changes are made to your mySRA account.

No, we are a regulator and not a supplier. We cannot add further information on any portals outside the SRA due to restrictions by our security system. All necessary information is provided on your invoice, and it is your responsibility to update your systems accordingly.

Unfortunately we do not have the facility to take card payments over the phone. If you are renewing your own certificate, you can pay by card online before submitting your application.

If you are completing a bulk renewal, you can pay by card before submitting your application or through bank transfer or spread payment facility. Bank details are included on your invoice, please quote your invoice number as the payment reference to help us allocate your payment.

Invoices are available within 24 hours of submitting your application. You will find it in the 'My organisation' and under 'Applications and documents'. Please search 'INV' to filter the list.

We are unable to add purchase order numbers to the invoice as it is automatically generated upon submitting your application.

We do not issue receipts for payments. Your practising certificate(s) is confirmation that your payment has been received. Invoices paid via Worldpay will include the paid date.

We cannot change the name or address displayed on the invoice. It is automatically generated using the head office name and address listed in your mySRA account

If you have paid via bank transfer but not yet received your certificate, it may be due to us not being able to allocate your payment. Please contact us and give us the following details: 

• invoice number(s) 
• amount paid 
• reference used on the bank transfer
• date of payment
• account number payment made to.  

Please contact us with a remittance listing all the invoice numbers and amounts.

It is where we revoke the authorisation of a firm or the practising certificate of an individual. This happens if we have not received a completed renewal application or the fees have not been paid. 

It would also apply to the registration of a European or foreign lawyer. 

In practical terms this means that a firm would need to close and an individual would be unable to practise.

Providing legal services when not authorised to do so could be a criminal offence. It may result in a law firm being intervened into or an individual being investigated.

Yes, we attempt to contact all affected individuals before revocation. 

It is important that contact details are kept up to date. 

To find out how to change personal and professional details, go to Managing my individual account.

You should submit an application immediately.

If you do not your practising certificate or registration may be revoked.

No not if you submit the renewal application and make full payment within the relevant timescales.

We have not received your bulk renewal application. 

You are required to pay your firm fee even if you are not applying for individual practising certificates.

You can tell us that you do not wish to renew your practising certificate in your mySRA account.

1. log in to your mySRA account
2. click on My Profile
3. click on Practising Status
4. click edit and choose the relevant option.

Your name will automatically remain on the roll until we contact you.

Please keep your personal and professional details up to date in your mySRA account so we can contact you when we update the roll.

Yes. You must submit an application and pay the firm fee.

The fee is based on the firm's turnover. If the turnover is £0, the fee is £100.

Our user guide will help you to complete the removal from the roll application.

By debit card or credit card if you are applying for: 

• renewal of practising certificate 
• renewal of registered foreign lawyer registration 
• renewal of registered European lawyer registration. 

For your firm fee you can pay by: 

• debit card or credit card 
• BACs 
• CHAPs 
• telegraphic transfer 
• credit provider. 

We do not accept payment by cheque.

Find out how to apply for an initial practising certificate.