PC forms and information
You can find information on completing your application for a Practising Certificate (PC) and a link to the relevant online form in this section, as well as supporting information.
Practising Certificate (PC) Application form
The 2024 PC Application Form is now open.
Other relevant forms
If you are currently out-of-work and want to apply for a practising certificate, contact pc@lawsociety.ie for assistance.
Support for your application
You can watch a short video guide to making your PC application, or get other helpful information, below
- 2024 Guidance notes (including service of State and Qualifying Certificate)
- S.I. No. 586 of 2023 - Solicitors Practising Certificate (Application Fee) Regulations 2023
- Privacy Statement (updated 2022)
- Access your last submitted online PC application (Only forms submitted through the website can be accessed online)
Practising certificates and solicitors outside the jurisdiction
In 2020, the Society conducted an in-depth review of the regulatory framework for issuing practising certificates to lawyers based outside of the jurisdiction, and made a number of policy changes affecting Irish-qualified lawyers based outside of the Republic of Ireland.
Help with online form or login
- Please ensure you use the latest version of Chrome or Microsoft Edge when completing your PC form
- Your network may be the reason for some issues using the form. The quick fix for this is to open this link to our logo - https://ls-static.com/img/newlogo2@2x.png to tell your network to trust our site and let it work correctly. The longer fix is for you, or your IT department to whitelist the Law Society website.
If you encounter any issues accessing the online form, please send details to webmaster@lawsociety.ie.
Receipt for PC payment
Once you have submitted the online form and payment, you can view details of your payment and email a copy to yourself under My Orders.
For your own or firm records, solicitors now have the option to print a copy of their completed PC application form once it has been submitted online. Please do not send this to the Law Society.
If paying by EFT, select the EFT payment option after submitting your form. You then have the option to ‘review your submitted application’ or ‘Download EFT form’ from the “My Applications” section of your profile
Registered Lawyer Qualifying Certificate
If you are a solicitor/lawyer not admitted in Ireland but registered with the Law Society, see below regarding your practising certificate Qualifying Certificate application:
- Guidance notes
- S.I. No. 587 of 2022 - Registered European Lawyers Qualifying Certificate (Application Fee) Regulations 2023
If you have a query, please email pc@lawsociety.ie.
Solicitors in Full-Time Service of the State
If you are a solicitor employed in the full-time service of the State, you are required to complete and submit the appropriate application form. Solicitors are deemed to be in the full-time service of the State if they are employed exclusively in the service of the State, and are remunerated in respect of such service wholly out of moneys provided by the Oireachtas.
If you wish to apply for a PC for 2023, please contact pc@lawsociety.ie.
Solicitors in the full-time service of the State are exempt from the requirement to hold a practising certificate.
But if you click on the PC application form as a solicitor employed in the full-time service of the State, you will be automatically directed to the correct application.
If you have a query, please email pc@lawsociety.ie.
Section 61 Application
If you have not held a practising certificate for three years or more prior to the date of application for a practising certificate in accordance with section 49(1)(a) of the Solicitors Act 1954 as substituted by section 61 of the Solicitors (Amendment) Act 1994, you need to complete a Section 61 application. A solicitor who has not held a practising certificate for 12 months or more may also be required to make a section 61 application.
If you have a query, please contact pc@lawsociety.ie.
Surrender PC
- Surrender PC for Ex Gratia Refund - download the refund application form
I need to backdate my PC
If applying late for your PC and seeking a backdating order, please see the following documents - right-click on the links below and choose 'Save as' to save them to your computer: