What will it cost to start your law firm?
The SRA's own fees are modest. Insurance, and whether you hold client money, decide most of the bill. Choose your set-up to see the 2026/27 figures.
For an indicative insurance range. Leave blank if you don't know yet.
Year-one regulatory and insurance costs
- SRA application fee
- £200Paid on submission
- SRA regulatory fee, rest of the practising year
- £200 to £800Pro-rated to your start date
- Practising certificate
- £552Includes £170 each to the Compensation Fund
- ICO data protection fee
- £52
- Total
- £1,004 to £1,604
- Add an expected turnover to see an indicative insurance range. Insurance is usually the biggest start-up cost.
Not included: systems, premises, ID and AML checks, research subscriptions, and the cash to run the firm until fees come in, which is often the largest need of all.
How the figures work
Regulatory fees are the SRA's and the ICO's published 2026/27 amounts, checked on 2 October 2026. The SRA's practising year runs from 1 November, so they change each autumn. Insurance is a range from brokers' published guidance, not a quote: your premium depends on your work mix, experience and claims record, and conveyancing is priced among the highest-risk areas.
For every cost explained, including the ones this calculator leaves out, read how much it costs to start a law firm. For the order to do things in, use the SRA authorisation planner.
Sources
Starting a property practice? Register interest in Instrukt.