Starting a law firm in Queensland
The Queensland Law Society issues the certificate under the Legal Profession Act 2007, its own insurer Lexon covers the practice, and its own course is a condition of the certificate. Here are the steps in order, what each costs in 2026-27, and where each fact comes from.
Supervised practice of 18 to 24 months comes first. A restricted principal certificate exists for a principal still under supervision, but QLS does not issue it to a sole practitioner.
The steps in Queensland
1. Finish supervised legal practice
Section 56 of the Act makes supervised practice a condition for between 18 and 24 months depending on the training before admission. QLS can reduce it under section 56(3) for prior practice elsewhere, but says it rarely does. Upgrade from restricted to unrestricted by statutory declaration to the Society's records team.
2. Complete the QLS Practice Management Course
A requirement for every practitioner who wants a principal certificate, under rules 31 to 39 of the QLS Administration Rule 2005. The course runs online, must be finished within 12 months of day one, and the PMC Statement it produces stays valid only if you upgrade and practise as a principal within five years. For 2026-27 it is $2,100 for a QLS full member or $2,400 for a non-member. Practitioners admitted before 17 December 1988 are exempt.
3. Complete the Lexon questionnaire
Every Queensland law practice must hold professional indemnity insurance under the QLS Indemnity Rule 2005, and Lexon Insurance, owned by QLS, is the insurer. The new practice questionnaire for 2026-27 is attached to the upgrade form and asks for estimated gross fee income from the start date to 30 June 2027. Cover is $2 million a claim with free run-off. The levy is a sliding percentage of fee income by band; QLS has announced cuts of at least 15% across the bands for 2026-27 but does not publish the band figures, so the invoice is the first firm number.
4. Lodge Form 1A to upgrade to a principal certificate
Form 1A, the application to upgrade from a non-principal certificate under section 50, takes the practice's name, address, phone number and start date in Part 1 and carries the insurance questionnaire. The form warns not to hold yourself out as a sole practitioner until the certificate issues, and QLS invoices the upgrade fee and insurance after lodgement. For 2026-27 the principal certificate is $1,395 and the fidelity guarantee fund contribution $295, pro rata for a later start. QLS says processing takes about ten working days.
5. Give notice if the practice is a company
Section 114 requires an incorporated legal practice to give QLS written notice on Form 23 before it starts. No number of days is set, and QLS recommends at least 20. Starting without notice is an offence and fees for work done before notice cannot be recovered. The company needs at least one legal practitioner director with a principal certificate, and the Legal Services Commission invites a new ILP to a self-assessment audit within six months.
6. Decide on trust money
A trust account must be with a bank on the approved list and named as a law practice trust account. Notify QLS within 14 days of opening, appoint an external examiner within 14 days of holding trust money and tell QLS on Form 31 within 30 days. The examination year runs 1 April to 31 March, with the report due by 30 May. A practice that holds no trust money still lodges Form 4 Part A, the declaration that none was held, by 30 April each year, and QLS treats a missed lodgement as a suitability matter. QLS offers new practices a free trust account consultancy.
What it costs in 2026-27
The regulatory costs before rent, software and marketing.
| Item | Amount | Source, read 23 October 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Principal practising certificate | $1,395 | Queensland Law Society, 2026-27 |
| Fidelity guarantee fund contribution | $295 | Queensland Law Society, 2026-27 |
| QLS full membership, optional | $680 including GST | Queensland Law Society, 2026-27 |
| Professional indemnity insurance | A percentage of fee income by band; bands not published | Lexon, 2026-27 |
| Practice Management Course | $2,100 for a member, $2,400 for a non-member | Queensland Law Society, 2026-27 |
As published on 23 October 2026. The QLS fees page does not state whether certificate, fidelity and course fees include GST. Certificate and fidelity fees are pro rata from 1 October, 1 January and 1 April.
If the practice will hold client money
Only if you receive trust money. Open the account with an approved ADI, notify QLS within 14 days, appoint an external examiner within 14 days of holding trust money and tell QLS within 30 days. A practice with no trust money still lodges Form 4 Part A by 30 April each year.
The part the regulator does not cover
QLS's course covers trust accounting, risk and staff, and its Form 1A takes the practice's phone number. It does not cover who answers that number when a Queensland sole practitioner is in court or on the road. Our phone and intake checklist for a new law firm covers the number, who answers when you are in court, the questions the first call has to capture, and where the record of each call goes. EzyBiz LEX was built for a practice at this stage: an Australian business number in an app on the phone you already carry,
Questions about starting a law firm in Queensland
Not on a separate form. The practice's name, address and start date go in Part 1 of Form 1A, the upgrade to a principal certificate, with the Lexon questionnaire attached, and QLS warns not to advertise as a sole practitioner until the certificate issues. The before-you-start notice on Form 23 is for a company.
QLS does not publish the dollar bands. The levy is a sliding percentage of gross fee income, a new practice is rated on its estimate to 30 June, and for 2026-27 QLS announced reductions of at least 15% across the bands with a 7.5% no-claims discount. The invoice QLS issues after Form 1A is lodged is the first firm figure.
Yes. Every principal lodges Form 4 Part A, the law practice declaration that no trust money was held, by 30 April each year. A practice that did hold trust money lodges Parts A and B with the external examiner's report by 30 May.
No. Queensland has its own Legal Profession Act 2007, Legal Profession Regulation 2017 and QLS Administration Rule 2005. The shape is similar to the Uniform Law, but the course rules, the forms and the fees are QLS's own.
Primary sources and further reading
Every section reference and figure in this guide traces to one of these. They are listed so you can check the guide rather than take its word for it.
- Practising certificates, Queensland Law Society. Certificate types and the principal requirements.
- Fees, Queensland Law Society. 2026-27 certificate, fidelity fund and course fees.
- Practice Management Course rules and requirements, Queensland Law Society.
- Guidelines for applications under section 56(3), Queensland Law Society. Supervised practice of 18 to 24 months.
- Form 1A, application to upgrade to a principal practising certificate, Queensland Law Society.
- Notice of intention to commence legal practice, Queensland Law Society. Form 23 for a company.
- Incorporated legal practice information kit, Queensland Law Society. The 20 days QLS recommends.
- Professional indemnity insurance, Queensland Law Society. Lexon and the Indemnity Rule.
- Significant cuts to professional indemnity insurance rates on way, QLS Proctor, May 2026. The 2026-27 levy reductions.
- Notification of opening a general trust account, Queensland Law Society. The 14-day notice and the external examiner deadlines.
- External examination of trust records, Queensland Law Society. Form 4 Part A by 30 April.
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