The Legal Officers (Annual Fees) Order 2026

be in writing,

be expressed to be an agreement made in accordance with this article, and

state the period for which it is to run or, if no such period is stated, remain binding until determined by not less than three months’ notice on either side.

ordination;

certification of ordination;

presentation to a benefice;

commission for institution or collation;

admission to freehold office;

certification of institution or collation;

licensing of non-residence, for legalising house of residence;

resignation (other than resignation of an incumbent);

admission to office of rector under the Mission and Pastoral Measure 2011^f3;

licensing under that Measure of a vicar in a team ministry;

designation under that Measure of a parish centre of worship under Part 5 of that Measure for the purposes of the Marriage Act 1949^f4 and other purposes;

licensing of clerks in holy orders and deaconesses;

delegation by bishop of archidiaconal powers under the Church of England (Miscellaneous Provisions) Measure 1983^f5;

delegation by bishop of episcopal powers under the Dioceses, Pastoral and Mission Measure 2007^f6;

episcopal visitations (other than visitations by the diocesan bishop of the cathedral church of the diocese);

matters relating to sequestrations;

provision of agreements to form a conventional district;

consent to hold preferment under the Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction Measure 1963^f7;

licensing of unconsecrated church or place of worship (including temporary licences);

ordering of a licensed chapel to come under faculty jurisdiction;

consecration of a church and burial ground or a church without a burial ground;

consecration of a cemetery or burial ground;

preparation and registration of documents required under the Consecration of Churchyards Act 1867^f8 for the consecration of additions to churchyards;

licensing of a building for marriages;

notification under section 2 of the Benefices (Transfer of Rights of Patronage) Measure 1930^f9 (in relation to a guild church in the City of London);

maintaining the register of patrons (“the register”) under Part 1 of the Patronage (Benefices) Measure 1986^f10 (“the 1986 Measure”) as required by section 1 (1) of the 1986 Measure;

searches in and making of extracts from the register, enquiries as to entries in the register and supplying certified copies of entries in the register, where the search, extract or enquiry is made or the certified copy is requested by or on behalf of a person or body referred to at the commencement of sub-paragraph (m) or by the designated officer (within the meaning of section 7(5) of the 1986 Measure);

receipt and issue of notices and notification of representations under section 3(3) and (4) of the 1986 Measure.

is not required to correspond with a third party involved in the enquiry;

before giving advice, must first consider whether the matter on which advice is sought is one which can conveniently be dealt with by the diocesan secretary or some other person or body in the diocese rather than by the registrar;

if a legal dispute arises between parties who are both church officers, may decline to advise either party but is at liberty to advise both parties with a view to helping them to resolve their dispute if, in the registrar’s judgement, it is desirable to do so.

conveyancing and drafting of documents other than those referred to in paragraph 1(l) and (m);

matters relating to individual diocesan, parochial or educational trusts or to individual pieces of diocesan glebe property;

litigation;

acting as secretary to the vacancy in see committee constituted under the Vacancy in See Committees Regulation 2024^f1 on a vacancy in the see of the diocesan bishopric;

deposition or deprivation consequent upon proceedings in secular courts, including the following—

advice or other work in connection with proceedings against a clerk in holy orders under the Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction Measure 1963 in respect of an ecclesiastical offence which have been instituted under that Measure or are under consideration or in connection with an allegation of such an offence which is under investigation with the knowledge and approval of the bishop (excluding advice and other work for which a fee is payable under the Ecclesiastical Judges, Legal Officers and Others (Fees) Order for the time being in force made under section 86 of the Measure);

advice or other work in connection with disciplinary proceedings against a clerk in holy orders which have been instituted under section 10 of the Clergy Discipline Measure 2003^f3 or in respect of any disciplinary matters arising under or in relation to that Measure including under sections 30 and 31 of that Measure;

advice or other work in connection with the revocation by reason of misconduct of a licence granted by the bishop to a deaconess or lay worker or reader to minister in the diocese, or in connection with a revocation of such a licence which is under consideration or with an allegation of misconduct by such a person which might lead to such a revocation and which is under investigation with the knowledge and approval of the bishop;

advice to the diocesan bishop or other work carried out at his request in connection with proceedings or possible future proceedings under the Incumbents (Vacation of Benefices) Measures 1977 and 1993^f4 in a case where notice has been given to the bishop under section 1A (1A) of the Incumbents (Vacation of Benefices) Measure 1977^f5 or the giving of such notice is under consideration;

pronouncing of censure under section 31 of the Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction Measure 1963 with the consent of the accused;

work undertaken on behalf of a person who is not an official in the diocese or on behalf of a body which is not a diocesan board or council in connection with the following matters—

removal of the legal effects of consecration under section 92 of the Measure;

work carried out in relation to the register of patrons under Part 1 of the 1986 Measure where a fee calculated in accordance with the Solicitors’ (Non-Contentious Business) Remuneration Order 2009 is payable under the Ecclesiastical Judges, Legal Officers and Others (Fees) Order for the time being in force made under section 86 of the Measure;

acting as Chapter clerk (whether or not the diocesan registrar holds the office of Chapter clerk) and in particular doing the following work, namely work in connection with the following matters—

attendance at and work in connection with any visitation by the diocesan bishop of the cathedral church of the diocese and in connection with any action taken or proposed to be taken by the diocesan bishop under the Care of Cathedrals Measure 2011^f6;

advice or other work in connection with an inquiry into the capability of a clerk in holy orders instituted under regulation 31, or a grievance brought by a clerk in holy orders under regulation 32, of the Ecclesiastical Offices (Terms of Service) Regulations 2009^f7;

advice or other work in connection with the exercise of its powers by a regulatory body;

advice or other work in connection with an allegation falling within the scope of guidance given by the House of Bishops on the safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults, or in connection with a risk assessment conducted under such guidance.