RFs12 – tell us you intend to apply
Section 12(1) (a) to (l) of the Solicitors Act 1974 defines exactly who must give us notice of their intent to apply for a practising certificate.
Please check the act. If you are not in any of these categories, you do not need to give us advance notification.
The fee
We make no charge for processing your notification, except if you apply under section 12(1)(ee) of the Solicitors Act, which costs £200 in addition to your practising certificate fee.
Service levels and procedure
- Complete the form which we send you.
- If you must pay a fee, choose your payment method and send your form with your fee to Operations Unit, Solicitors Regulation Authority, Ipsley Court, Berrington Close, B98 0TD.
- If you do not need to pay a fee, send your form to Information Directorate, Solicitors Regulation Authority, Ipsley Court, Berrington Close, B98 0TD.
- In either case, you must send your application to us six weeks before you apply for a practising certificate.
We can deal with certain types of applications within 30 days:
- for a first practising certificate (under section 12(1)(a))
- after more than twelve months have elapsed since the last practising certificate was held (section 12(1)(c))
- after restoration to the roll after being removed (section 12(1)(g)).
Others may take longer.
If you are applying for your practising certificate to start on or after 1 November 2008
Please use the 2008/2009 RFs12 application form (PDF 174K). You can read or download the notes (PDF 71K) for completing the form.
If you have applied for a practising certificate before the decision is made about your RFs12 application, the commencement date of your certificate will be the date of the decision, subject to your compliance with the Solicitors' Indemnity Insurance Rules.
Otherwise, the commencement date will be the date we receive your correctly completed practising certificate application form and fee.
To link to this page, please use www.sra.org.uk/rfs12.