How to apply for a personal licence

List of professionals

When you apply for a personal licence, you must provide two passport sized photographs. One of the photographs must be endorsed (countersigned) as a true likeliness of you by a solicitor or notary, a person of standing in the community or an individual with a professional qualification that are acceptable to countersignature a personal licence photograph. Please note that your photo cannot be countersigned by a relative, spouse or partner.

The signatory must write the following on the back of one photograph:

  • I (name of person), (job title) confirm this photograph to be a true likeness of (applicant’s name). (Signature of person), (date)

Acceptable countersignatures for photo ID for a personal licence:

  • Accountants
  • Airline pilots
  • Articled clerk of a limited company
  • Assurance agent of recognised company
  • Bank/building society official
  • Barrister
  • British computer society (BCS) - Professional grades which are Associate (AMBCS), Member (MBCS), Fellow (FBCS) (PN 25/2003)
  • Broker
  • Chairman/director of limited company
  • Chemist
  • Chiropodist
  • Christian science practitioner
  • Commissioner of oaths
  • Councillor: local or county
  • Civil servant (permanent)
  • Dentist
  • Designated premises supervisors
  • Director/Manager of a VAT registered Charity
  • Director/manager/personnel officer of a VAT registered Company
  • Engineer (with professional qualifications)
  • Fire service official
  • Funeral director
  • Insurance agent (full time) of a recognised company
  • Journalist
  • Justice of the Peace
  • Legal secretary (members and fellows of the Institute of legal secretaries)
  • Local government officer
  • Manager/personnel officer (of a limited company)
  • Member of Parliament
  • Merchant navy officer
  • Minister of a recognised religion
  • Nurse (RGN and RMN)
  • Officer of the armed services (active or retired)
  • Optician
  • Person with honours (for example: OBE, MBE)
  • Person who holds a professional qualification
  • Personal licence holders
  • Photographer (professional)
  • Police officer
  • Post office official
  • President/secretary of a recognised organisation
  • Salvation army officer
  • Social worker
  • Solicitor
  • Surveyor
  • Teacher, lecturer
  • Trade union officer
  • Travel agency (qualified)
  • Valuers and auctioneers (fellow and associate members of the incorporated society)
  • Warrant officers and chief petty officers

Last updated: ‎16‎/‎05‎/‎2023‎ ‎12‎:‎28