Every year, all practising certificates issued in Victoria expire at midnight on 1 July. If you intend to keep practising law after this date you must apply to renew your practising certificate between 1 April and 30 June.

This annual administrative process is an important part of legal practice regulation, helping to maintain the integrity of - and public trust in - the legal profession. During this period, your ongoing suitability to hold a practising certificate is assessed. It’s an opportunity to review and update your personal and professional details and ensure they’re accurate and current. 

With more than 30,000 practising certificate applications processed annually, it’s important to carefully consider the renewal requirements. Following our guidance below will ensure your renewal application is processed as quickly and smoothly as possible.

The practising certificate renewal process is governed by the Legal Profession Uniform Law Application Act 2014 (Vic) (the Uniform Law).

How to renew

Renewal applications are completed on LSB Online. When renewals open on 1 April each year, login to your LSB Online account and follow the prompts to renew.

View the renewing my practising certificate user guide for help you with your application.

Why it’s important to renew on time

Practising certificates issued in Victoria must be renewed by 30 June each year. If you don’t renew your practising certificate by 30 June, you won’t be authorised to engage in legal practice after 1 July.

If you submit your renewal application and pay all required fees (including any professional indemnity insurance, if required) before 30 June, you can continue to practise law under your current certificate until we issue your new certificate or advised of another outcome.

If you don’t renew by 30 June, you will need to make a brand-new application for the grant of your practising certificate. You won’t be entitled to engage in legal practice while your new application is being considered. If you have a principal practising certificate, we may need to appoint a third party to manage your practice (at your expense) while your new application is being considered.

Applications made from 1 July to 30 September will incur a 200% late lodgement surcharge on the practising certificate fee (section 73(2) of the Uniform Law). Applications made after 30 September are dealt with separately (under timing and late renewal provisions in the Uniform Law). We will also request additional details on whether you have been practising since 30 June without a current practising certificate.

If you engage in legal practice after your practising certificate has expired and didn’t submit a renewal application before 30 June, you will be in breach of section 10 of the Uniform Law, which may attract penalties up to 250 penalty units, or imprisonment for 2 years, or both. It’s also capable of being deemed unsatisfactory professional conduct or professional misconduct under the Uniform Law.

Renewal fees

There are three types of fees that may apply to your practising certificate. These are:

• a prescribed fee for your type of practising certificate
• a contribution to the Fidelity Fund
• professional indemnity insurance.

Please note: we can't process your practising certificate renewal application until you pay your fees.

Updating your details

We use your account contact information to maintain accurate records and to contact you about important matters. This is a regulatory requirement for all lawyers and law practices. Accurate records also allow consumers to verify that you are entitled to practise law.

If your personal or professional contact details change, log into LSB Online to notify us.

Continuing professional development (CPD) requirements

The CPD year runs from 1 April through to 31 March. Anyone who holds a current practising certificate needs to complete 10 CPD points each year (or the pro rata equivalent). 

When you apply to renew your practising certificate, you must declare whether you’ve met your CPD obligations.

If you haven’t met your obligations at the of your application, provide details on any exemptions granted to you or your rectification plan to make up your CPD. 

For more information, see the CPD section of our website.

The importance of disclosures 

Each year, when you renew your certificate, you must disclose any new information that’s relevant to your fitness to hold an Australian practising certificate. 

It's important to think carefully and answer honestly. Failing to disclose information can have serious consequences, including refusal to issue your practising certificate or disciplinary action for professional misconduct. You will be required to declare that all information you provide is true and correct.

To help ensure that you disclose all relevant matters sure to familiarise yourself with Rule 13 of the Legal Professional Uniform General Rules 2015 along with our Fit and Proper Person Policy and Mental Health Policy. For further information, see our disclosures and show cause web pages.

If you disclose a matter to us during the year, you don't need to do it again at renewal.

Additional requirements for principal solicitors

If you’re a principal, in addition to renewing your own practising certificate, you need to ensure:

• your employees renew their practising certificate and provide us with current contact details
• all employees are correctly assigned to your practice 
• your practice’s professional indemnity insurance has been renewed. If you’re insured by the Legal Practitioners’ Liability Committee, your insurance payment is due by 31 May. 

For more information, see the running a law practice section of our website.

If you are a principal authorised to receive trust money, you also need to ensure your end of trust year reporting is completed:

• Part A form (confirmation) must be completed by all practitioners with trust authorisation, even if no trust money was received, by 30 April each year
• Part B form (statement of trust money) must be completed by the law practice 30 April each year
• Part C form (external examiner’s report) must be submitted by 31 May each year.

Your practising certificate renewal will not be finalised until these are completed.

For more information, see the trust accounts section of our website.

Other information and tips

• Help with LSB Online: we have developed a range of resources to assist you with the renewal process. Visit the LSB Online resources page for more information.
• Not getting our emails? We regularly send email communications to registered lawyers, including renewal reminders. Check your spam folder to ensure you don’t miss them.
• New lawyers: if you have recently received your first practising certificate, you’ll still need to apply to renew for next year in LSB Online by 30 June. 
• Removing supervised legal practice condition from your practising certificate: make a separate application to do this so it doesn’t hold up your renewal application. 
• Registering a new law practice from 1 July? Provide notice early, as late notice may delay registration. 
• Closing a law practice? If you are the principal of a law practice and intend to close your practice, you need to notify us. See our closing a law practice web page for guidance.
• Contingency plans: if you’re a sole practitioner or legal director, it’s a good idea to have a contingency plan for your law practice. You can submit your plan when applying to renew your practising certificate. 
• Not renewing? If you don’t intend to continue practising after 30 June, complete the not renewing form in LSB Online. This will take you off our renewal reminders mailing list.