Licensed Conveyancer vs Solicitor

Both licensed conveyancers and solicitors can handle the legal side of buying or selling property in England and Wales. The main difference is scope: a licensed conveyancer specialises exclusively in property law, while a solicitor holds a broader legal qualification that covers conveyancing alongside other areas such as litigation, family law and probate.

For a straightforward freehold purchase or sale, either professional can manage the transaction from start to finish. Where the two diverge is in complex scenarios. If your property deal involves a boundary dispute, a lease extension negotiation, or inheritance complications, a solicitor's wider legal training may prove essential. Licensed conveyancers cannot represent you in court or advise on non-property legal matters.

Fees also differ. Licensed conveyancers typically charge between £500 and £1,200 for a standard transaction, while solicitors often quote £800 to £1,800 depending on location and complexity. Both charge disbursements on top, covering Land Registry fees, search fees and stamp duty land tax. The table below breaks down the key differences at a glance, and our detailed cost comparison section provides worked examples by property price band.

A licensed conveyancer is a specialist property lawyer authorised by the Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC) to carry out conveyancing work. Unlike solicitors, licensed conveyancers focus entirely on property transactions, including transfers of title, mortgage work, remortgages and lease extensions.

To qualify, a licensed conveyancer must complete the CLC's Foundation and Final qualifications, which typically takes two to three years of study combined with supervised practical experience. Once qualified, they must hold a CLC practising licence and carry professional indemnity insurance (PII) with minimum cover set by the CLC. Continuing professional development is mandatory, ensuring conveyancers stay current with changes to property law and Land Registry procedures.

The CLC also operates its own Compensation Fund. If a licensed conveyancer acts dishonestly and you lose money as a result, you can claim against this fund. The maximum payout is not capped per claim in the same way as the SRA fund, though successful claims typically range from a few thousand pounds to the full amount lost. You can also escalate complaints to the Legal Ombudsman if the conveyancer's firm fails to resolve your issue within eight weeks.

Around 1,200 licensed conveyancers currently practise in England and Wales, compared with over 150,000 practising solicitors. This smaller pool means you may find fewer local options, but many licensed conveyancers now operate online, which removes geographical limitations and often reduces overhead costs. Some licensed conveyancers have also obtained additional authorisation to carry out probate work, broadening their service offering beyond standard conveyancing. If you want to understand the full range of conveyancing fees both types of professional charge, our dedicated guide covers every cost line by line.

A conveyancing solicitor is a qualified solicitor who specialises in property law. All solicitors in England and Wales are regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) and must hold a current practising certificate.

The qualification route is longer and broader than the CLC pathway. A solicitor typically completes a three-year law degree (or a non-law degree plus the Graduate Diploma in Law), followed by either the Legal Practice Course (LPC) or the newer Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE), then a two-year period of qualifying work experience. The entire process takes five to seven years, covering contract law, tort, equity and trusts alongside property law.

Because of this broader training, a conveyancing solicitor can advise on legal issues beyond the property transaction itself. If your purchase involves a boundary dispute that could lead to litigation, a matrimonial settlement affecting property ownership, or a complex trust arrangement, a solicitor can handle these matters without referring you elsewhere. A licensed conveyancer would need to pass those issues to a separate solicitor.

The SRA operates its own Compensation Fund, which covers claims where a solicitor or their firm has been dishonest. The fund paid out over £7 million in the 2022-23 financial year. Solicitors must also carry professional indemnity insurance with a minimum of £2 million in cover for recognised bodies and £3 million for alternative business structures. If you are unhappy with service quality, you can complain to the Legal Ombudsman, which handles disputes against both solicitors and licensed conveyancers through the same process.

Many solicitor firms offer conveyancing as one service among several, which can be an advantage if your property transaction overlaps with other legal needs. For example, if you are buying a property as part of a divorce settlement or administering an estate that includes property, a solicitor can manage everything under one instruction.

Fee quotes from licensed conveyancers and solicitors vary based on your property's value, whether you are buying or selling, and the complexity of the transaction. The table below gives worked examples for a standard freehold purchase at three common price points, based on typical 2025-26 market quotes.

These figures cover the conveyancer's or solicitor's professional fee only. You will also pay disbursements on top, which typically add £300 to £600 for searches, Land Registry fees and bank transfer charges. For a full breakdown of what disbursements include, see our guide to conveyancing disbursements. You can also use a conveyancing calculator to estimate your total costs based on your specific transaction details.

Several factors push fees higher. Leasehold properties usually attract a supplement of £150 to £350 because the conveyancer must review the lease, management pack and service charge accounts. New-build purchases often carry a similar supplement due to the additional developer enquiries and NHBC documentation involved. Shared ownership transactions can add £200 to £400 on top because of the housing association lease terms.

If you are looking to keep costs down, cheap conveyancing options exist, particularly from online-only firms. However, the lowest quote is not always the best value. Check whether the fee is fixed or estimated, whether VAT is included, and what happens to your money if the sale falls through. Many firms now offer no-sale-no-fee arrangements, which protect you from paying legal costs if the transaction collapses before completion. When comparing quotes, request a full schedule of costs that separates the professional fee, VAT and each disbursement so you can compare like with like.

The right choice between a licensed conveyancer and a solicitor depends on what type of property transaction you are dealing with. Here is a practical guide for the most common scenarios.

Standard freehold purchase or sale: either professional works well. If cost is your priority, a licensed conveyancer will often quote lower fees. Focus on reviews, communication style and whether the firm offers a no-completion-no-fee guarantee rather than choosing solely on professional title.

Leasehold purchase: both can handle leasehold work, but check the firm's experience with lease reviews, ground rent obligations and service charge disputes. Our guide to leasehold conveyancing explains what additional checks are needed and why leasehold transactions take longer.

New-build purchase: developers often have panel requirements. Confirm your chosen professional is on the developer's approved panel before instructing them. Both licensed conveyancers and solicitors regularly handle new build conveyancing, but solicitors may have an edge if the development involves complex planning conditions or phased completions.

Shared ownership: housing association lease terms can be complex, with restrictions on subletting, staircasing provisions and pre-emption clauses. A solicitor experienced in shared ownership transactions may be the safer choice, particularly for first-time buyers unfamiliar with the structure.

Remortgage: this is typically straightforward. Many lenders offer free legal work through their own panel conveyancers for remortgage customers. If you are arranging your own, a licensed conveyancer can handle a standard remortgage efficiently and at lower cost than most solicitor firms.

Disputed boundaries or litigation risk: choose a solicitor. Licensed conveyancers cannot represent you in court, so if there is any prospect of a boundary dispute, restrictive covenant challenge or adverse possession claim, a solicitor's broader litigation capability is essential.

The rise of online conveyancing has changed how both licensed conveyancers and solicitors deliver their services. Understanding the differences in speed and service style can help you set realistic expectations for your transaction timeline.

Traditional high-street solicitor firms typically offer face-to-face meetings, which some buyers and sellers prefer for complex transactions or when they want to discuss concerns in person. However, office hours and appointment availability can slow progress, particularly in busy periods. A high-street firm may handle dozens of different legal matters alongside your conveyancing, which can affect response times.

Online licensed conveyancers and solicitors have grown significantly in recent years. These firms operate without physical offices, passing the cost saving on through lower fees. Many use case-tracking portals where you can monitor progress, upload documents and message your conveyancer directly. Response times tend to be faster because online firms often employ dedicated case handlers who focus solely on property work.

In terms of speed, the average conveyancing transaction takes 12 to 16 weeks from offer acceptance to completion. Neither licensed conveyancers nor solicitors are consistently faster than the other, because delays are usually caused by external factors: slow search results from local authorities, mortgage lender processing times, or hold-ups elsewhere in the chain. For a detailed breakdown of typical timelines, see our guide on how long conveyancing takes.

The most reliable predictor of speed is the firm's current caseload and communication quality, not their professional title. Ask any prospective firm how many active cases each handler manages and whether they have a policy on returning calls or emails within a set timeframe. Firms handling fewer than 80 active cases per conveyancer typically provide more responsive service than those juggling 150 or more.

Consumer protection is a critical factor when choosing between a licensed conveyancer and a solicitor. Both professions offer robust safeguards, but the routes differ.

Licensed conveyancers (CLC-regulated): if your conveyancer provides poor service, you should first complain directly to the firm. If the firm does not resolve your complaint within eight weeks, you can escalate to the Legal Ombudsman, which can award compensation of up to £50,000. If your conveyancer acts dishonestly and you lose money, the CLC Compensation Fund covers your claim. The CLC also requires all licensed conveyancers to hold professional indemnity insurance, which provides a separate layer of protection if negligence causes you a financial loss.

Solicitors (SRA-regulated): the complaints process follows the same two-stage pattern. Complain to the firm first, then escalate to the Legal Ombudsman after eight weeks. The SRA Compensation Fund covers losses caused by dishonesty, with a maximum grant of £2 million per claim. Solicitors must carry professional indemnity insurance with a minimum of £2 million in cover for recognised bodies.

Key difference: the SRA Compensation Fund has a higher maximum payout, and solicitors' minimum PII cover is explicitly set at £2 million. The CLC requires adequate PII cover but does not publish a fixed minimum figure in the same way. For most standard transactions, both frameworks provide sufficient protection. If your transaction involves a high-value property or unusually large sums held in the firm's client account, the solicitor route may offer marginally greater financial safety.

Both the CLC and SRA maintain public registers where you can verify that a firm is properly authorised before you instruct them. Check these registers before signing any engagement letter or transferring funds.