How apply for licence works
Written by Sam Allcock · Last updated 22 August 2026
apply for licence works in three steps: find the right licence, see the real cost and process, then apply yourself for free or let us help.
The free official route is always shown, on the same page as anything we charge for, with the true total price up front.
This is general information, not professional or legal advice. For anything specific to your situation, go to the issuing body directly or speak to a qualified professional.
What are the three steps?
You find the right licence, see what it costs and involves, then choose whether to apply yourself for free or use our optional paid help.
- Find the right licence. We explain, in plain English, which licence applies to what you're actually trying to do, not just the job title. Where we've built a guide, such as our SIA licence guide, it names the issuing body and the licence class up front.
- See the real cost and process. Every guide shows the statutory fee, who it's paid to, and what we could confirm about how the process and timescales actually work, based on the issuing body's own published data, not repeated guesswork.
- Apply yourself, or let us help. Most people can apply directly and for free through GOV.UK or their council. Where we offer paid help, such as checking your application before you submit it, the fee is shown next to the statutory fee, with the total cost, before you pay anything.
Is the free official route always available?
Yes, wherever a licence can be applied for directly and for free through GOV.UK, the SIA, the DVSA or a local council, we say so and link to it.
You never have to use our site to apply for a licence; our guides exist to make the free route easier to understand, and our paid options, where we offer them, sit alongside it rather than in front of it.
How is our pricing shown?
Wherever we charge a fee, it's shown as a separate line next to the statutory fee, with the combined total made clear before you commit, and nothing added afterwards.
This follows the UK's rules against "drip pricing" under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024, which require the total price, including all mandatory fees, to be shown up front with equal prominence.
You never have to use our service - see the full worked example on our SIA licence guide, or read our independence statement for how this applies across every licence.
What kind of paid help do we offer?
Where we offer paid help at all, it falls into two kinds: checking or completing an application for you, and pointing you to a training provider where a licence legally requires a course first.
| Type of help | What it is |
|---|---|
| Application checking / completion | We check or help complete the paperwork for licences where that's genuinely useful, priced as a clearly itemised fixed fee shown next to the statutory fee. |
| Training course referral | Where a licence requires a mandatory qualification first, such as SIA training, we may point you to a training provider; this is optional and separate from the statutory licence fee itself. |
| Consultant / solicitor referral | For complex or contested applications, appeals or hearings, we're not authorised to act for you, so we point you to a licensing consultant or solicitor instead of attempting the work ourselves. |
We never charge a fee for something that's genuinely free and trivial to do yourself, such as a simple registration with no real paperwork involved.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to pay to use apply for licence?
No. Our guides are free to read, and every one of them shows you the free official route; you only pay us if you actively choose one of our optional paid services.
Will I ever be charged a fee I wasn't told about up front?
No. Under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024, we show our fee and the statutory fee together, with the full total, before you commit to anything.
Does apply for licence submit applications to the government on my behalf automatically?
No, not without your clear instruction. See our privacy notice for exactly how we handle any information you give us.
apply for licence is an independent guide and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to GOV.UK, the SIA, the DVSA, any local council or any government body. This page is general information, not legal or professional advice.