Licensed Access guidance and applications

Licensed Access Guidelines

The Licensed Access Guidelines set out the information and documents required for our licensed access applications and the criteria we use to assess these applications.

Licensed Access Application Forms

Below, you can download a copy of our Licensed Access Application Forms. 

Licensed Access - Authorisation

Application by organisations or individuals seeking a licence to instruct a barrister directly, without using a solicitor.

Application Fee - £200

Application Form

Licensed Access - Amendment/Renewal 

Application by existing licence holders to amend their licence and/or to renew a licence that has expired or is due to expire.

Application Fee - £100

Application Form 

Licensed Access - Application to be added to the Schedules to the Licensed Access Recognition Regulations (Professional Associations/Ombudsman Services)

Application by professional associations or ombudsman services to be added to the Schedules to the Licensed Access Recognition Regulations.

Application Fee - £200 (Professional Associations only)

Application Form 

OISC Licensed Access - Level 2 and/or Level 3 Registration

Application by Immigration Advice Agencies accredited at the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC) Level 2 and/or Level 3 seeking a licence to instruct a barrister directly, without using a solicitor.

Application Fee - £50

Application Form 

OISC Licensed Access - Level 2 and/or Level 3 Renewal

Application by existing OISC Level 2 and/or Level 3 licence holders to renew a licence that has expired, or is due to expire.

Application Fee - £50

Application Form 

Application process

The assessment process takes between six and eight weeks, after all necessary information and fees are received.

In every case, we have the power to request further information or documents in support of an application, but it is the primary responsibility of the applicant to provide all relevant evidence. Applicants should not seek to rely on us to ask for it.

Failure to provide supporting documents may result in delays in assessing the application. Should you refuse to provide evidence when requested, we reserve the right to reject your application.

All applications and supporting documents will be treated with the strictest confidence.

NOTICE (24 July 2020) - Please note that we are no longer accepting cheques in payment of application fees. All fees must now be paid:

• by direct bank transfer (using 'AUTH + your name' as a reference). If you wish to pay by bank transfer, please include a screenshot or receipt as proof of the transaction with your application documents, or by separate email to the Authorisations Team; or
• by telephone, using a credit/debit card. If you wish to pay by credit/debit card, please contact the Authorisations Team on 020 7611 1444 (10:00am-12:00pm and 1:00pm-3:00pm, Monday to Friday).