Counter Signature Guidelines
As part of your application for a Personal Licence an applicant will need to provide two passport sized photos. Both of these photos must be signed, one by the applicant themselves, and another by a counter-signatory. But who can this counter-signatory be, and why is there signature so vital in the application process of your Personal Licence?
What is a counter-signatory?
A counter-signatory must be someone who is known by the applicant, but not a spouse or relative. The point of a counter-signatory is to prove the identity of the person applying for the Personal Licence. This leaves various other people who you could ask to sign your photos, including a work colleague, a Manager whom you report to.
Ultimately, the counter-signatory must belong to someone who is a ‘a person of good standing in their community and work in a recognised profession. This also includes a professional who is retired from said recognised profession.
What other requirements must a counter-signatory hold?
Your counter-signatory must live in the UK and hold a current British or Irish passport.
Does the counter-signatory just sign the photo and that’s it?
No. As well as a signature, the counter-signatory must also declare that they have known you for more than 2 years and that you are who you claim to be. This can be done by adding the following statement, along with their signature on the back of the photo.
‘I certify that this is a true likeness of [title and full name of person who is getting the Personal Licence].’
Finally, the statement must be dated, along with a signature from the counter-signatory. This will complete the process applying for the Personal Licence and you will ready to send off the application.
The full list of occupants that can be a counter-signatory are as followed:
• Accountant
• Articled Clerk of a Limited Company
• Assurance Agent of Recognised Company
• Bank/Building Society Official
• Barrister
• Broker
• Chairman/Director of Limited Company
• Chemist
• Chiropodist
• Christian Science Practitioner
• Commissioner of Oaths
• Councillor: Local or County
• Civil Servant (permanent)
• Dentist
• Engineer (with professional Qualifications)
• Fire Service Official
• Funeral Director
• Insurance agent (full time) of a recognised
• Company Director
• Journalist
• Justice of the Peace
• Legal Secretary (members and fellows of the
• Institute of legal secretaries)
• Local Government Officer
• Manager/Personnel Officer (of Limited Company)
• Member of Parliament
• Merchant Navy Officer
• Minister of a recognised religion
• Nurse (SRN and SEN)
• Officer of the armed services (Active or Retired)
• Optician
• Person with Honours (e.g. OBE MBE etc)
• 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