Practising certificate fee 2024/25
Solicitors in England and Wales are required to pay for a practising certificate each year. The fee is:
- set by the LSB, the oversight regulator for legal services
- collected by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA)
- paid for either by individual solicitors or by firms on behalf of their solicitors
How much is the 2024/25 practising certificate (PC)?
The cost of an individual PC will be £307, meaning the fee will remain the same as in 2023/24.
The SRA will contact you in the usual manner when you need to renew your PC.
What level of funding does the Law Society receive from the PC fee?
We will receive 28% (£36.8 million) of the total funds generated by the PC fee in 2024/25, an increase from 27% (£35.1 million) of total funds generated in 2023/24.
An increase in the number of practising solicitors has allowed for both the Law Society and the SRA to receive more income from the PC fee without the cost of an individual PC going up.
How does the Law Society use this money?
Our main source of income is the funds we receive from the PC. This determines what we can plan and deliver for you, the profession and wider society.
2024/25 will be the final year of our 2022/25 three-year corporate strategy. Find out more about our plans for the final year of the strategy.
We have core areas of focus that set out how we deliver for our members:
Representing and advocating for you
We'll continue to amplify the powerful collective voice of solicitors, to fight for government investment in our justice system and for the protection of the rule of law.
Creating community and a sense of belonging
We'll continue to provide you with opportunities to get involved, stay connected and learn from your peers and leading experts, through our member communities related to your specialism or characteristics.
Providing you with trusted resources
You can keep making the most of our trusted resources, support services and events, and exclusive offers from our carefully selected commercial partners.
We help solicitors save time and money with the comprehensive package we've built with you in mind.
Supporting your professional development
We'll continue to bring together solicitors from across the profession to learn from leading experts, develop your skills and grow in your practice through our training, events, and learning and development tools.
Championing the value of our profession
We put our members at the heart of all we do. It's our job to support you and promote your expertise – both at home and abroad.
We'll continue to champion the value solicitors bring to society and defend our profession where needed.
Helping you navigate the future
We'll provide you with the insights you need to effectively navigate the fast-changing legal landscape and make the right decisions for you and your organisations.
Which organisations are funded through the PC fee?
The PC fee is collected annually by the SRA.
The income this generates can only be used for certain purposes. These are:
- regulatory activities (the total costs of the SRA)
- non-regulatory activities provided by the Law Society which are "permitted purposes" under the Legal Services Act
- levies required to be paid under the Legal Services Act
- part of the cost of the LSB
- part of the cost of the Legal Ombudsman (LeO)
- full cost of the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT)
- part of the cost of the Office for Professional Body Anti-Money Laundering Supervision (OPBAS)
The SRA will receive 53% (£70.2 million) of the total funds generated by the PC fee in 2024/25.
The Law Society will receive 28% (£36.8 million) and the remaining funds (19%) will be split between:
- LeO (£16.8 million)
- the LSB (£5.6 million)
- the SDT (£2 million)
- OPBAS (£0.9 million)
Who was consulted about the 2024/25 PC fee?
We consulted with solicitors in England and Wales in April and May 2024 to see whether they still agreed with our 2022 proposals to increase the level of funding that the Law Society receives from the PC fee over a three-year period.
More than 1,100 solicitors took part in the consultation in 2024, which was promoted on our website, in our newsletters, on social media and through a range of other member engagement activities.
62% of respondents agreed with our proposal for an increase in income from the PC fee of 5% in 2024/25 (equating to an additional £4.20 on an individual certificate for the year).
During the consultation, we also asked solicitors for their views on what our priorities should be over the next year. This will inform our 2024/25 annual business plan and our next corporate strategy, which will run from 2025 to 2028.