What this means
Start with the exact decision in front of you.
A licence may be affected where identity, right-to-work status, training, qualification or other mandatory criteria are no longer satisfied. These issues require authoritative documents and careful dates rather than character references aimed at a different suitability test.
Immediate priorities
Organise the position before responding.
Identify the exact mandatory criterion said to have failed
Obtain current documents from the issuing authority or training body
Explain any data mismatch with a traceable record
Detailed guidance
The procedure, evidence and possible route from here.
01
Identify the mandatory requirement in issue
SIA licensing depends on criteria beyond criminality, including identity, right to work and the required qualification for the activity. Read the warning for the exact requirement and date. A database mismatch, expired permission and invalid training certificate present different issues. Character evidence about good work cannot substitute for a mandatory status document, so begin with the authoritative issuing body and current Get Licensed requirements.
Check names, dates of birth, addresses, document numbers and licence sectors across the application, SIA account and evidence. A small inconsistency can block electronic verification without proving fraud. If a name or status changed, provide the traceable chain. Never alter a scan or create a replacement record; obtain certified or direct confirmation through the accepted route. Suspected false documents can create a more serious suitability concern.
- Quote the exact mandatory criterion
- Audit personal data across every record
- Obtain authentic evidence from the issuing body
02
Prove current status, not historic entitlement
Right-to-work evidence must establish the position relevant to the licensing decision, including any expiry, continuing application or official share-code route. An old permit or employer assumption may not show current entitlement. Coordinate with qualified immigration advice where needed because the SIA decision and Home Office status are connected but separate. Provide the regulator with accurate official evidence rather than a legal conclusion unsupported by the record.
For qualifications, confirm the awarding organisation, qualification title, achievement date and sector-specific requirement. If a training provider closed or a result is missing, approach the awarding body or recognised record holder. Evidence of experience cannot ordinarily replace a required qualification unless the current criteria expressly allow an alternative. Where the SIA disputes authenticity, preserve communications and ask the issuer to confirm directly if that route is available.
- Demonstrate current right-to-work status
- Verify qualification and sector at source
- Use any permitted alternative exactly as specified
03
Choose correction, appeal or fresh application
If the SIA relied on incorrect data, submit the authoritative correction within the notice period and explain the mismatch clearly. If the mandatory requirement was genuinely absent at the decision date, consider whether a court appeal can alter that conclusion or whether satisfying the requirement and making a fresh application is the effective route. The answer depends on the statutory decision, evidence and current criteria, not convenience alone.
Check work status throughout. A licence may remain active during a proposed revocation period but not during suspension or after effective revocation. Renewed immigration status or a newly verified qualification does not automatically reactivate a lost licence. Obtain an updated SIA decision and verify the public register before returning to licensable activity, and keep employers informed with official documents rather than informal assurances.
- Correct regulator data with primary documents
- Assess appeal against a fresh application
- Verify reactivation before licensable work
Key questions
Keep the analysis tied to this stage.
Whether the mandatory licensing requirement is met
Whether the evidence belongs to the correct person and period
Whether the decision should be corrected or a new application is required
Advice is provided only by the regulated firm that accepts a matter.
Common questions
Clarifying the route without assuming the outcome.
Can work experience replace an SIA qualification?
Only if the current licensing criteria expressly recognise that route. Experience alone should not be assumed to satisfy a mandatory qualification requirement.
Does renewed right-to-work status restore a revoked licence?
No. Provide the new evidence through the proper SIA route and wait for a valid licensing decision and register status before undertaking licensable work.
Connected guidance
Continue through the topic map.
Use the hub for the full sequence or choose the connected route that matches the notice.
Official sources
Check the material for this question.
Sources checked 19 September 2026. Rules change, so compare the current notice and linked official material and tell the operator if a citation or summary needs correction.