Universal Guidance for individuals applying for a Licence or Authorisation

The CLC uses the online platform DocuSign to process all applications and will also instruct a separate screening agency to carry out the associated screening checks for applications.

You will be charged the application fee on submission of your application form to us, so please read the guidance in full before submission, to ensure that you have met all of the eligibility criteria and have the correct documentation and certified proofs of ID.

Application fees are non-refundable. Your application will be rejected if the evidence provided does not demonstrate that you have met the eligibility criteria. So please read all the available guidance carefully.

The universal guidance is for individuals intending to submit an application for any of the following:

1.   CLC Conveyancing Licence

2.   CLC Probate Licence

3.    CLC Conveyancing and Probate Licence

4.    Change the scope of a current CLC Licence (add Conveyancing or Probate to an existing licence)

5.    Reinstating a lapsed or suspended licence

6.    Head of Legal Practice (HoLP)

7.    Head of Finance and Administration (HoFA).

Proof of Identity

All applicants will be contacted directly by the screening agency instructed by the CLC and must provide three separate forms of proof of identity and residency. Important note: one copy proof of your personal identity must be a copy of your current and valid Passport (mandatory requirement) *Please note if you are applying for a CLC licence the licence will be issued in your legal name as it appears in your Passport).

Application Stages

Stage 1. Request an application form through the CLC website.

Stage 2. DocuSign [dse@eumail.docusign.net] will email you with helpful instructions and a unique link to access your application. You will have 28 days to complete and submit your application on either a smart phone, tablet or computer. With DocuSign you can save and finish your application at another time if needed. If you need any assistance when completing your application you should contact licensing@clc-uk.org . Your application won’t be reviewed until after you have responded to DocuSign.

Stage 3. You will be asked to pay the application fee. The CLC Finance Team will email you with instructions about how to pay your application fee. You will need to pay this invoice before we can carry out a completeness review and for your application progress to stage 4.

Stage 4. The CLC Licensing Team will email you to:
a) confirm receipt of payment for application fees; and
b) notify you that the screening agency will be instructed to carry out your checks

Stage 5. The screening agency will email you with instructions on how to pay for and start the identify and criminality checks. You’ll be asked by the screening agency to complete a consent form as part of this process. The checks can take up to 8 weeks to complete. Your application cannot be determined until all the checks have completed.

Stage 6. Your application will progress to the final review stage (the CLC aims to progress applications within 42 days from this point). We will not contact you unless we require further information. During the review period applicants are not provided with interim updates about their application. *Please note, the reinstatement of a suspended licence or complex applications may take longer.

Stage 7. We will contact you with the final licensing decision.

Stage 8. (For licence applications only) You will need to make payment for your annual CLC licensing fee. Once our Finance Team confirm receipt of your payment, your licence will be issued to you by email. Your licence will be issued in your legal name as it appears in your passport.