If you are weighing up a career in property law, these are the two CLC milestones you will keep meeting, so it pays to understand exactly how they differ. This guide explains what each one allows you to do, how long each takes, what each costs, what you can earn, and how the two routes connect. It is written for England and Wales, where both are regulated by the Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC).

The short version is in the boxes above. The rest of this page goes criteria by criteria, then helps you choose the right starting point. If you already know you want the full qualification, our How to Become a Licensed Conveyancer guide walks through the whole pathway.

Is a Conveyancing Technician the same as a Licensed Conveyancer?

No. They are two separate qualifications with two different levels of authority. A Conveyancing Technician has completed the Level 4 Diploma and registered with the CLC, and works on property transactions under the direct supervision of a Licensed Conveyancer, a solicitor, or a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives. A Licensed Conveyancer has completed the Level 4 and Level 6 Diplomas plus 1,200 hours of practice, holds a First Qualifying Licence from the CLC, and runs files in their own right without supervision.

Put simply: a technician supports and assists fee-earning; a Licensed Conveyancer is the qualified professional who carries legal responsibility for the transaction. The technician registration is recognised and valuable on its own, and it is also the standard stepping stone to becoming a Licensed Conveyancer. You do not have to choose one forever. Most people who become Licensed Conveyancers pass through the technician stage on the way.

What does a Conveyancing Technician do?

A Conveyancing Technician specialises in property law and supports the fee-earning work of their supervisor, acting for clients buying or selling houses, flats, business premises or land. Day to day that typically means:

• Issuing sale contract packs and drafting contracts
• Carrying out property searches and preparing search reports
• Preparing draft completion statements and arranging completions
• Preparing mortgage reports and requesting redemption statements
• Liaising with clients, lenders, estate agents and the other side
• Working within a case management system and the CLC's regulatory standards

Crucially, the technician does this work under supervision. The supervising Licensed Conveyancer or solicitor remains responsible for the file. For a fuller picture of the role, see our dedicated page on what a Conveyancing Technician is.

What does a Licensed Conveyancer do that a technician cannot?

A Licensed Conveyancer is a fully qualified, specialist property lawyer. Once licensed, they can do everything a solicitor can do within a conveyancing transaction, with the same legal authority to act. That authority is the heart of the difference. A Licensed Conveyancer can:

• Run residential and commercial property transactions end to end, unsupervised
• Act independently for buyers, sellers, lenders and developers, and give legal advice in their own name
• Take legal responsibility for files and for client money held in a CLC-compliant client account
• Act as a Commissioner for Oaths, witnessing and administering official documents
• Supervise Conveyancing Technicians and other staff
• After four years of post-licence experience, own and manage a CLC-regulated firm

A technician can carry out much of the practical work, but cannot sign off advice independently, cannot take ultimate responsibility for a file, and cannot hold or supervise a client account on their own authority. Those are the things the licence unlocks.

Conveyancing Technician vs Licensed Conveyancer at a glance

Salary figures are a guide only and vary by region, employer and experience. Course prices are correct at the time of writing; check the product pages for the current fee and instalment options.

How long does each route take?

Becoming a Conveyancing Technician means completing the Level 4 Diploma, which most students finish in 12 to 18 months of part-time study, plus around six months of supervised practical experience that usually runs alongside study. Experienced students using our knowledge-mapping assessments can move much faster, because there is no minimum wait between enrolment and assessment.

Becoming a Licensed Conveyancer adds the Level 6 Diploma and a larger practical requirement of 1,200 hours, typically built up while you work. From a standing start most people reach their licence in two to three years. The two stages are continuous: the work you do as a technician counts towards the experience you need as a Licensed Conveyancer, so the second stage rarely feels like starting again.

How much does each one cost?

Self-funded, the technician route is the Level 4 Diploma at £2,310 in full, or from £192.50 per month on an interest-free plan. The full Licensed Conveyancer route adds the Level 6 Diploma at £1,920, for a combined £4,230. Spreading the cost is normal, and you only pay for Level 6 when you are ready to progress.

If you study through an apprenticeship, the fees are met by government funding rather than by you. A levy-paying employer's apprenticeship is 100% funded; a smaller, non-levy employer typically co-invests just 5%. For a full breakdown of self-funded and funded options, see how much a CLC qualification costs.

Do you need a degree for either route?

No. Neither the Conveyancing Technician route nor the Licensed Conveyancer route requires a degree. There are no formal entry requirements for the Level 4 Diploma, although a GCSE in maths and English is helpful preparation. Conveyancing has long been one of the most accessible routes into law for career-changers, parents returning to work, and people moving up from a paralegal or property role. If that is you, read whether you can become a conveyancer without a degree and what qualifications you actually need.

Can you skip Level 4 with exemptions or experience?

Possibly. The CLC operates two distinct routes that can shorten the pathway, and which one applies depends on your background. Both are decided by the CLC, not by Access Law Online, although we can tell you whether you are likely to qualify and handle the paperwork.

Not sure which applies to you? Our CLC Exemptions Calculator maps your background against both routes in about a minute and tells you which units you would still need.

How does the initial assessment decide your starting point?

If you join through an apprenticeship, you do not simply start at Level 4 by default. Before the programme begins, every apprentice has an initial assessment that reviews prior qualifications and experience, identifies any exemptions, and tailors a personal training plan. This is what determines whether you begin on the Level 4 Conveyancing Technician programme (ST1312) or progress to the Level 6 Licensed Conveyancer programme (ST1311), and it makes sure no one repeats learning they have already done. Self-funded students get the same benefit through the exemptions process described above, so the route is matched to your starting point either way.

Which route should you choose?

The honest answer depends on where you are starting and what you want. Use this as a guide:

For most people the two are not really a choice between rivals. The technician registration is the first stage and the licence is the destination. You can stop at technician level for as long as it suits you, then progress when you are ready.

Start your route with Access Law Online

Whether you are self-funding or studying through an employer, Access Law Online delivers both stages online, flexibly, with interest-free instalment plans and an industry-recognised CLC and SQA qualification. Pick your starting point:

Frequently asked questions

Is a Conveyancing Technician a qualified conveyancer?

A Conveyancing Technician is a recognised, CLC-registered professional, but not a fully qualified Licensed Conveyancer. They work under supervision and support fee-earning, rather than running files and advising clients in their own right. Completing the Level 6 Diploma and 1,200 hours of practice is what turns a technician into a Licensed Conveyancer.

Can a Conveyancing Technician work without supervision?

No. A Conveyancing Technician must work under the supervision of a Licensed Conveyancer, a solicitor, or a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives. Working on files unsupervised, taking ultimate responsibility for a transaction, and holding a client account on your own authority require a CLC licence.

Do I have to become a technician before a Licensed Conveyancer?

Not strictly, but it is the usual path. The technician stage is the natural point at which you register with the CLC, start fee-earning work, and build the experience you will later need. If you already have four or more years of fee-earning experience, the Professional Experience Exemption may let you start at Level 6 and skip the technician stage academically.

How much more does a Licensed Conveyancer earn than a technician?

Technicians typically start around £16,000 to £24,000, rising to roughly £25,000 to £40,000 with experience. Licensed Conveyancers generally earn more, commonly in the £30,000 to £50,000 range and higher when running or owning a firm. Figures vary considerably by region, employer and seniority.

Can I become a Licensed Conveyancer through an apprenticeship?

Yes. The Licensed Conveyancer apprenticeship (standard ST1311) bundles the Level 4 and Level 6 Diplomas and the 1,200 hours of practice into a single funded programme while you are employed by a conveyancing firm. The Conveyancing Technician apprenticeship (ST1312) covers the Level 4 stage. An initial assessment decides which programme fits your starting point.

Is the Licensed Conveyancer route faster than becoming a solicitor?

Yes, for property work. Qualifying as a Licensed Conveyancer typically takes two to three years and costs around £4,230, against roughly five to six years and £20,000 to £40,000 for the solicitor route. The trade-off is scope: a Licensed Conveyancer specialises in property, while a solicitor can practise across many areas of law.

Related reading: How to Become a Licensed Conveyancer · What is a Conveyancing Technician? · CLC qualification costs · Becoming a conveyancer without a degree · Conveyancing apprenticeships