What this means
Start with the exact decision in front of you.
An SIA letter may concern a proposed revocation, immediate suspension, licence modification or a request for information. The holder should identify the exact decision, effective date and licensing criterion before preparing evidence or continuing licensable work.
Immediate priorities
Organise the position before responding.
Save the complete notice and note when it was received
Check the live public-register status of every licence
Identify the criterion, information source and response route
Detailed guidance
The procedure, evidence and possible route from here.
01
Identify the decision and today's licence status
An SIA message may request information, warn of intended revocation, impose immediate suspension, modify a condition or communicate a final decision. Read the heading, legal basis, licence number and effective date together. Then check the SIA public register. A proposed revocation may leave the licence operative for a response period, while suspension takes immediate effect and prohibits licensable activity. Do not infer status from an employer's rota or an old licence card.
Record when and how the notice was received because response and court-appeal periods can depend on the decision date or when revocation takes effect. Save the complete message, portal attachments and register result. If there are multiple sector licences, identify which one is affected. The facts may also trigger review of another licence, but a restriction should not be assumed to extend beyond its formal scope without checking the decision.
- Save the notice and proof of receipt
- Check the live SIA register entry
- List each licence and its separate status
02
Locate the exact licensing criterion
The SIA's Get Licensed document sets current criteria for identity, age, right to work, qualifications, criminality and the wider fit-and-proper assessment. A warning letter should identify the information and concern driving review. Obtain the edition of the criteria applicable to the decision and mark the precise section. A licence granted under an earlier edition may be reassessed when new information arises or at renewal under later criteria.
Classify the issue before gathering evidence. A mistaken conviction, disputed non-conviction intelligence, expired right to work and invalid qualification demand different proof. Character references cannot cure a missing mandatory document, while a passport or certificate may not answer a public-safety allegation. If the reason is unclear, request enough detail to make meaningful representations without speculating about undisclosed police or agency material.
- Use the current applicable Get Licensed edition
- Classify the issue as mandatory, criminality or suitability
- Request clarification of an unclear ground promptly
03
Protect lawful work and parallel positions
Tell the employer or contracting business the verified status needed to prevent unlawful deployment. Provide the operative SIA notice where appropriate rather than a personal summary that omits conditions. If suspended, stop all activity requiring the affected licence, including during an appeal. Discuss non-licensable duties separately with the employer; do not assume a job title determines whether an activity is licensable.
Map connected police, immigration, criminal, safeguarding or employment proceedings. Use a consistent factual chronology but recognise that the SIA applies licensing criteria rather than determining criminal guilt or employment fairness. Avoid contacting a complainant or witness where that could interfere with another investigation. Preserve CCTV, incident reports, rosters, training records and correspondence through lawful channels before routine retention periods delete relevant evidence.
- Prevent deployment contrary to current status
- Map every connected process and deadline
- Preserve time-limited incident evidence lawfully
Key questions
Keep the analysis tied to this stage.
Whether the SIA has proposed or already made a decision
Whether the licence remains legally usable
What factual or suitability issue must be answered
Advice is provided only by the regulated firm that accepts a matter.
Common questions
Clarifying the route without assuming the outcome.
Can I work while the SIA is only proposing revocation?
Check the notice and public register. A proposal may not yet revoke the licence, but any separate suspension or condition must be obeyed immediately.
Can an employer decide whether my SIA licence is active?
No. The formal SIA decision and register establish licensing status. The employer separately decides what work it can offer lawfully and contractually.
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.