{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/insolvency-act-1986/section-389",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/insolvency-act-1986/section-389.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/1986/45",
  "legislation_title": "Insolvency Act 1986",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/insolvency-act-1986",
  "path": "section/389",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "389",
  "heading": "Acting without qualification an offence.",
  "text": "(1) A person who acts as an insolvency practitioner in relation to a company or an individual at a time when he is not qualified to do so is liable to imprisonment or a fine, or to both.\n(1A) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .\n(2) This section does not apply to the official receiver or the Accountant in Bankruptcy (within the meaning of the Bankruptcy (Scotland) Act 2016)..",
  "extent": "E+W+S",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "S. 389(1A) omitted (1.10.2015) by virtue of Deregulation Act 2015 (c. 20), s. 115(7), Sch. 6 para. 18; S.I. 2015/1732, art. 2(e)(vi)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "Words in s. 389(2) inserted (1.4.1993) by 1993 c. 6, s. 11(2) (with s. 12(6)); S.I. 1993/438, art. 3 (with arts. 4, 5)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F3",
      "text": "Word in s. 389(2) substituted (30.11.2016) by The Bankruptcy (Scotland) Act 2016 (Consequential Provisions and Modifications) Order 2016 (S.I. 2016/1034), art. 1, Sch. 1 para. 4(7)"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C1",
      "text": "S. 389 applied (with modifications) (17.2.2009 for certain purposes, otherwise 21.2.2009) by Banking Act 2009 (c. 1), ss. 103, 263(1)(2) (with s. 247); S.I. 2009/296, arts. 2, 3, Sch. para. 2"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C2",
      "text": "S. 389 applied (with modifications) (17.2.2009 for certain purposes, otherwise 21.2.2009) by Banking Act 2009 (c. 1), ss. 145, 263(1)(2) (with s. 247); S.I. 2009/296, arts. 2, 3, Sch. para. 3"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C3",
      "text": "S. 389 applied (with modifications) (6.6.2013) by The Collective Investment in Transferable Securities (Contractual Scheme) Regulations 2013 (S.I. 2013/1388), Pt. 3 reg. 1, Sch. 2 paras. 3, 5 Table (with reg. 24)"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C4",
      "text": "S. 389 applied (with modifications) (8.7.2021) by The Payment and Electronic Money Institution Insolvency Regulations 2021 (S.I. 2021/716), regs. 2, 37 (with reg. 5) (as amended (4.1.2024) by S.I. 2023/1399, regs. 1(2), 4, 11)"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C5",
      "text": "Pt. 13 applied (with modifications) (7.4.2017) by Building Societies Act 1986 (1986 c. 53), Sch. 15A (as amended by S.I. 2017/400, regs. 1(2), 2(4))"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C6",
      "text": "Pt. 13 applied (with modifications) (7.4.2017) by Friendly Societies Act 1992 (1992 c. 40), Sch. 10 (as amended by S.I. 2017/400, regs. 1(2), 3)"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C7",
      "text": "Pt. 13 applied (with modifications) (7.4.2017) by Building Societies Act 1986 (1986 c. 53), Sch. 15 (as amended by S.I. 2017/400, regs. 1(2), 2(3))"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C8",
      "text": "S. 389 applied with modifications by S.I. 1986/1999, art. 3, Sch. 1 Pt. II"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1986/45/section/389",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T09:55:00.443447+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}