Guide
Get SRA authorisation for your law firm
How to apply to the Solicitors Regulation Authority for authorisation to set up a law firm in England and Wales. Covers choosing your entity type, the mySRA application process, appointing compliance officers, fees, and expected processing times.
If you want to set up a law firm in England or Wales, you must obtain authorisation from the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) before you can begin practising. It is a criminal offence to carry on reserved legal activities through an unauthorised firm.
This guide takes you through the full authorisation process, from choosing your entity type to receiving your authorisation decision. Allow at least 3 to 6 months from starting your application to being authorised, as the SRA targets a decision within 90 days but may take up to 180 days.
When you need SRA authorisation
You need SRA authorisation if you intend to:
- Practise as a sole solicitor offering legal services to the public in your own name
- Set up a partnership or company that employs solicitors to deliver legal services
- Establish a business where non-lawyers hold ownership or management roles alongside solicitors (an alternative business structure)
You do not need separate SRA firm authorisation if you are an employed solicitor working within an already-authorised firm. However, every individual solicitor must hold a valid practising certificate to practise.
Choose your entity type
The SRA authorises three types of legal services entity. Choosing the right one depends on your ownership structure and whether non-lawyers will be involved in running the business.
Recognised sole practice (RSP)
For a sole solicitor practising on their own account. You are the sole principal and may employ other solicitors and staff, but the business has only one owner-manager. This is the simplest structure with the lowest application fee.
Recognised body (RB)
For partnerships or companies where all managers are lawyers (solicitors, barristers, or other authorised persons). This covers traditional law firm partnerships, limited liability partnerships (LLPs), and limited companies owned and managed entirely by lawyers.
Licensed body (LB) - alternative business structure
For firms where non-lawyers hold management or ownership roles. Licensed bodies are authorised under Part 5 of the Legal Services Act 2007. This structure allows external investment and non-lawyer participation but carries higher application fees and additional approval requirements for each non-lawyer manager or owner.
What you need before you apply
Gather all of the following before starting your application on mySRA. Missing or incomplete information is the most common cause of delays.
- Professional indemnity insurance (PII): A current quote or certificate from a participating insurer. The policy must name the firm exactly as it appears on Companies House (for incorporated bodies). Minimum cover is £3,000,000 for recognised bodies or £2,000,000 for sole practices.
- Firm structure details: Business plan, details of proposed legal services, target client base, and how you intend to operate.
- Incorporation documents: If you are forming a company or LLP, you need Companies House registration details.
- mySRA accounts for all individuals: Every person who is not already SRA-authorised must register on mySRA before the firm application is submitted.
- DBS checks: Basic Disclosure and Barring Service checks for any individuals requiring money laundering approval (must be no older than 3 months at the date of application). You also need 5 years of address history. Individuals based overseas need an overseas criminal record check and financial check.
- COLP and COFA appointments: You must nominate a Compliance Officer for Legal Practice (COLP) and a Compliance Officer for Finance and Administration (COFA) as part of the application.
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1. Decide on your entity type
Determine whether you will operate as a recognised sole practice, recognised body, or licensed body (ABS). If any non-lawyer will be a manager or owner, you must apply as a licensed body. This decision affects your application fee, the information required, and the approval process for individual managers and owners.
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2. Incorporate your business (if applicable)
If you are setting up a limited company or LLP, register with Companies House before applying to the SRA. The SRA application requires your company registration number and incorporation details. Sole practitioners do not need to incorporate but may choose to trade through a limited company.
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3. Arrange professional indemnity insurance
Obtain a PII quote or certificate from an SRA participating insurer. The firm name on the policy must exactly match the name registered with Companies House. Contact insurers early, as obtaining cover for a new firm can take several weeks and you cannot be authorised without it.
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4. Register all individuals on mySRA
Every proposed manager, owner, and compliance officer who is not already registered with the SRA must create a mySRA account. For licensed bodies, each non-lawyer manager and owner must submit a separate individual application for SRA approval.
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5. Obtain DBS checks
Apply for basic DBS checks for all individuals requiring money laundering approval. Checks must be dated within 3 months of the application. Gather 5 years of address history for each person. For overseas individuals, obtain the equivalent criminal record check and a financial check from the relevant jurisdiction.
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6. Submit your application via mySRA
Log in to mySRA, select 'start a new application', and complete all sections. Upload your PII certificate, DBS checks, incorporation documents, and business plan. For licensed bodies, ensure all individual manager and owner applications have been submitted first.
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7. Pay the application fee
Pay the initial application fee on submission. The fee varies by entity type. For licensed bodies, there is an additional fee per person requiring SRA approval. The fee may not be refundable if you withdraw or fail to respond to queries.
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8. Respond to SRA queries promptly
The SRA will acknowledge your application within 2 working days. It may request additional information during the assessment. Respond within the timeframe given. If you fail to respond, the SRA may treat the application as withdrawn and the fee may not be refunded.
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9. Pay the regulatory fee when invoiced
During the application process, the SRA will invoice a pro rata regulatory fee based on when within the practising year your firm is authorised. This is separate from the application fee and is calculated using turnover bands.
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10. Receive your authorisation decision
The SRA targets a decision within 90 days but may take up to 180 days. If authorised, you will receive confirmation via mySRA. You can then begin practising. The SRA may impose conditions on your authorisation, such as restrictions on types of work or supervision requirements.
After you are authorised
Once the SRA grants authorisation, you must:
- Pay annual fees: Your firm periodic fee is calculated by turnover band and invoiced each practising year. Each solicitor in the firm must also hold and pay for their own practising certificate.
- Maintain PII: You must hold qualifying professional indemnity insurance at all times. A gap in cover is a serious regulatory breach.
- Keep compliance officers in post: Your COLP and COFA must remain in role. If either leaves, you must appoint a replacement and notify the SRA promptly.
- Comply with SRA Standards and Regulations: Including the SRA Code of Conduct for Firms, the SRA Accounts Rules (if holding client money), and the SRA Transparency Rules.
- Notify the SRA of changes: Report any change to managers, owners, firm name, registered office, or compliance officers through mySRA.
- Submit annual returns: Provide the information the SRA requires each practising year, including turnover data for fee calculation.
What happens next
After authorisation, you may need to:
- Register with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) under data protection legislation
- Register for anti-money laundering supervision if your firm undertakes work within scope of the Money Laundering Regulations 2017
- Apply for financial services authorisation or notify the SRA if your firm will carry on financial services activities
- Set up a client account with a bank if you intend to hold client money
Do not buy a dormant firm to avoid the application process
The SRA actively identifies and may revoke the authorisation of dormant firms. Authorisation is not a sellable or transferable asset. Purchasing a dormant firm to bypass the authorisation process may result in revocation of the authorisation and regulatory action against the individuals involved.