Apply for an IPA licence

In order to apply for an insolvency licence with the IPA you need to be member.
Licence applications are considered by the IPA Regulation and Conduct Committee. If you require membership and a licence, please click here. Membership & Licence | Insolvency Practitioners Association (insolvency-practitioners.org.uk)

Please be aware that the IPA’s Articles of Association, which apply to all current and future members of the IPA, changed on 1st January 2025. 

Click here for the Articles of Association in force from 1st January 2025.

We have three types of licences, appointment taking, non appointment taking and a partial licence.

Application Process

Please take into consideration the following timeframe when applying for your licence. 

Applications are considered by our Regulation and Conduct Committee, which usually meets every 4-6 weeks.  Applications should be submitted 2-3 weeks in advance of a meeting.  Once the meeting has been held and the minutes have been approved by the Chair and confirmed to the Membership team, we will write to you to confirm the outcome of your application.

Process:

Application received and checked with other Regulatory Professional bodies – 2 weeks

Application considered by Regulation and Conduct Committee – 2 -3 weeks prior to the meeting, meetings are held every 4-6 weeks

Minutes approved and outcome confirmed to Membership team – usual timeframe is 15 business days


Licence Criteria

Applicants must be Ordinary or Fellow members of the IPA; membership and licence can be applied for at the same time. 

Applicants are required to show that they are fit and proper to act as Insolvency Practitioners; that they meet acceptable requirements as to education and practical training and experience; and that they have in place security or caution for the proper performance of their functions. 

Only individuals – not companies or partnerships – can be authorised as Insolvency Practitioners. 

Period of Licence: Licences are issued for twelve months ending on 31 December. Renewals can take place each year.

An applicant may specify a forward date on which he/she wishes his/her licence to be effective; but he/she may not act as an Insolvency Practitioner until his/her application has been granted. 

A licence cannot be backdated. 

Continuity of Licence: An applicant seeking to move his/her licence from another Recognised Professional Body to the IPA should make their application eight weeks before his/her current licence is due to expire, to allow time for the licence approval process to take place.  

If an application is granted, an applicant will relinquish any other licence. 

Licence upgrades from non-appointment taker to appointment taker are available at any time during an individual’s career as an Insolvency Practitioner. Complete our licence upgrade form to apply. 

Information: The IPA may pass all and any information about a licence holder and his/her practice as it considers appropriate to the Insolvency Service or to other Recognised Professional Bodies under the published Memorandum of Understanding between the Insolvency Service and the bodies, and may receive information about him/her and his/her practice from them. 

In the event of removal of a licence or a licence holder’s incapacity or death, the IPA will pass such relevant information as it may have about the cases to which he/she was appointed to the Insolvency Practitioner(s) appointed to succeed him/her as office holder. 


Setting Yourself Up in Practice

The IPA aims to visit you in the first six months of starting your own practice to ensure that you understand what is required, and have in place the procedures and systems for the effective management of cases and the ongoing training and development of your staff. If you have been accepted as a licence holder and have not taken this up, then the IPA may ask you to reapply.


Apply for a licence with the IPA

For those who need to apply for IPA membership and a licence at the same time

For those who are already an IPA member and require a licence only

For those who need to change their licence category


Insolvency Practitioner Licence Fees

Prices quoted for one year unless otherwise stated. IPA membership is required to hold an IPA Insolvency Practitioner licence. All memberships and licences expire on 31 December.

Appointment-taking licence: £3,130 (firm members); £4,170.00 (non-firm members)

Half-year appointment-taking licence (from 1 July-31 December): £1,565.00 (firm members); £2,085.00 (non-firm members)

Non-appointment taking licence: £200.00

Ordinary membership: £380 (firm members); £455 (non-firm members)

One off registration fee: £165

Anti-Money Laundering levy: £440

Insolvency Service levy: £610

Complaints Gateway levy: £99

Northern Ireland levy: £60


Insolvency Practitioner Licence Criteria

Effective From 29 April 2021

An applicant for an Insolvency Practitioner Licence is required to show that he/she:

  • is fit and proper to act as an Insolvency Practitioner;
  • meets acceptable requirements as to qualifications and practical training and experience;
  • has in place security or caution for the proper performance of their functions; and
  • has undertaken relevant Continuing Professional Development (CPD).

Qualifications should be evidenced by letters or similar documentation issued by the Joint Insolvency Examination Board (JIEB) or as provided by the Professional Qualifications Act 2022 (PQA).

Practical training and experience should be certified by one Insolvency Practitioner

Security or caution should be evidenced by lodging the original of the general penalty (enabling) bond with the IPA and submitting monthly cover schedules (bordereaux) to the IPA.

Capability to carry out unsupervised the functions and duties of an Insolvency Practitioner should be confirmed by an Insolvency Practitioner.

Records of CPD should be kept and available for production.

Fit and Proper: During assessment, the IPA will take account of the evidence provided in support of an application; and it may ask for further information from the applicant, sponsors or anyone else in its consideration.

Qualifications: An applicant for licence is required to have passed the Joint Insolvency Examination (JIE) set by the JIEB; or in the case of an eligible applicant from a member state of the European Economic Area, European Union or elsewhere, to be able to show that they have the knowledge attested to achieve a pass in the JIE exam.

Practical Training and Experience: An applicant for a licence must demonstrate that they can carry out (unsupervised) the functions and duties of an Insolvency Practitioner. In the last five years they must have more than 600 hours’ higher experience in insolvency administration.  All licence applications will be required to provide a written statement or be invited to an interview. Generally, an applicant will be expected to have been engaged in insolvency administration of the five years before applying.

Security or Caution (Insurance and Bonding): An appointment taker Insolvency Practitioner is required by the IPA Professional Indemnity Insurance (PII) Regulations to have PII cover; and by the statutory Insolvency Practitioners Regulations to have a general penalty bond for £250,000, together with specific penalty bonds in relation to individual insolvencies to which he/she is appointed.

The original of the general penalty bond is required to be submitted to, and is retained by, the IPA.

Copies of monthly cover schedules submitted to the Insolvency Practitioner’s insurers are required to be sent to the IPA.

CPD: IPA-licensed Insolvency Practitioners must do 25 hours’ CPD each year. This may include attending or speaking at relevant courses, conferences, seminars and lectures or other practical learning. Distance learning is expected to account for no more than three quarters of the minimum CPD requirement.

An applicant for licence and a licence holder should be able to produce evidence of CPD undertaken in relation to the three years prior to applying for or renewing their authorisation.

Administration of and Records of Cases: An applicant for a licence is required to provide details of the address(es) where the cases to which he/she is or will be appointed are or will be administered and where the records required by the legislation are or will be maintained.

A licence holder is required to immediately notify the IPA of any change(s) in the address(es) where the cases to which he/she has been appointed are administered or where the records required by the legislation are maintained.

Continuity of Practice: A licence holder in sole practice is required to provide details of an appointment taker Insolvency Practitioner who has agreed to provide continuity in relation to the administration of his/her cases in the event of his/her incapacity or death.

A licence holder in a partnership or company where there is more than one Insolvency Practitioner should have arrangements for continuity set out in a partnership or company agreement; and is required to provide details of any appointment taker Insolvency Practitioner nominated to provide continuity in relation to the administration of his/her cases in the event of his/her incapacity or death.

An applicant for a new or renewal of a licence is required:

Any false, inaccurate or misleading information provided by an applicant for a new or renewal of a licence or failure to notify any material change in information provided may lead to a refusal of a new or renewal of a licence, or revocation of a granted licence, as well as disciplinary action in relation to, and suspension or withdrawal of, his/her membership of the IPA.

Appendix I – Insolvency Practitioner Licence Criteria

  • Whether the applicant and/or his/her firm/partnership/company has maintained the specified level of professional indemnity insurance
  • Whether the applicant has maintained the required levels of general and specific penalty bonds; has deposited the original general penalty bond with the IPA; and has submitted by the specified time monthly cover schedules to his/her insurers and to the IPA
  • Whether the applicant has submitted by the specified time reports and returns required by The Insolvency Service, the Accountant in Bankruptcy and the Registrar of Companies
  • Whether the applicant has remitted by the specified time sums required to be paid into the Insolvency Services Account (ISA)
  • Whether the applicant has paid over promptly unclaimed dividends
  • Whether the applicant has been the subject of proceedings brought by The Insolvency Service or the Accountant in Bankruptcy or the Registrar of Companies for failing to submit or delay in submitting reports and returns, paying estate funds into the ISA or paying over unclaimed dividends
  • Whether the applicant has applied for a licence to act as an Insolvency Practitioner to another Recognised Professional Body or to the Secretary of State which has been refused
  • Whether the applicant has had a licence to act as an Insolvency Practitioner which has been restricted, lapsed or removed
  • Whether the applicant has been refused admission to, or been removed from, any professional body or similar association; or any action is pending
  • Whether the applicant  has been the subject of any adverse findings by the IPA or another professional body or any government, statutory or regulatory authority (including the Insolvency Service) in relation to any matters, whether by way of financial penalty or other disciplinary action (including reprimands, warnings and undertakings and suspension/removal from Official Receiver rotas or lists of interim trustees); or any matters (including complaints) are currently being considered by any of them
  • Whether the applicant has been or is the subject of a bankruptcy order, sequestration order, voluntary arrangement, deed, scheme, composition or other form of agreement or debt management plan with his/her creditors; or any proceedings are pending
  • Whether the applicant has been or is a director of, or involved in the management of, a company which has gone into liquidation, administration or administrative receivership or entered into a company voluntary arrangement, scheme, composition or other form of agreement with its creditors; or which has been or is the subject of a statutory or regulatory investigation
  • Whether the applicant has been the proprietor or partner in any business or been a director of or involved in the management of, any company which ceased trading leaving creditors unpaid
  • Whether the applicant has had any judgments entered against him/her; and any are still outstanding
  • Whether the applicant has been or is the subject of proceedings alleging negligence, misconduct or other liability in relation to an insolvency or other professional matter; or any proceedings are pending
  • Whether the applicant has been convicted of any criminal offence, other than a minor motoring offence not resulting in disqualification; or any proceedings are pending
  • Whether the applicant has been or is subject to a disqualification order or undertaking in relation to a company or office or subject to a bankruptcy restriction order or undertaking; or any proceedings are pending
  • Whether the applicant has been removed or dismissed from any form of employment or engagement on grounds of misconduct, incompetence or unfitness or from any fiduciary office or position of trust (whether or not remunerated) including as an insolvency office holder; or any action is pending.
  • Whether the applicant has been or is a patient within the meaning of the Mental Health Acts
  • Whether the applicant has committed any breach of any of the IPA Articles, Rules, Regulations or Guidance, including its Guide to Professional Conduct and Ethics and Statements of Insolvency Practice adopted by the IPA, or has been or is engaged in any conduct or practice likely to bring discredit upon him/herself, the IPA and its membership or the insolvency profession; or he/she had or has any relationship or dealings with any individual, firm, partnership or company which has been or is the subject of complaint to or investigation by it (the IPA), another professional body or any government, statutory or regulatory authority (including the Insolvency Service).

Please note that higher experience in insolvency administration is defined as engagement in work relating to the administration of estates in respect of which an Insolvency Practitioner has been appointed where the works involves the management and supervision of cases on behalf of the Insolvency Practitioner or regulatory work at an equivalent level.