Admission vs Practising Certificate: What Is the Difference?

A lot of law graduates use these terms as if they mean the same thing, but they do not.

In Australia, admission is the formal step where you are admitted to the legal profession by the Supreme Court in the relevant jurisdiction. A practising certificate is the separate approval that generally allows you to engage in legal practice. In other words, admission makes you a lawyer. A practising certificate is what usually lets you practise as one.

If you are wondering whether admission and a practising certificate are the same thing, the short answer is: they are two different steps, and most people need both.

What is admission?

Admission is the process of being formally admitted to the Australian legal profession.

In Western Australia, the Legal Practice Board explains the admission process involves meeting the eligibility requirements, lodging the court documents, obtaining a compliance certificate, and then being admitted by the Supreme Court of Western Australia. Victoria similarly explains that VLAB is the admitting authority only.

So when someone says they have been "admitted", they usually mean they have completed the academic and practical training requirements, satisfied the fit and proper person requirements, and been admitted by the relevant Supreme Court.

What is a practising certificate?

A practising certificate is the separate authorisation that allows an admitted lawyer to engage in legal practice.

The Legal Practice Board of Western Australia states that to engage in legal practice in Western Australia, a lawyer must hold a current Australian practising certificate. In Victoria, after admission, applicants must apply separately for a practising certificate through the Victorian Legal Services Board and Commissioner.

That is why a person can be an admitted lawyer but still not yet be authorised to practise.

Admission comes first. The practising certificate usually comes after.

This is the sequence most graduates follow:

1. Complete academic requirements
2. Complete PLT or another approved practical training pathway
3. Apply for and obtain admission
4. Apply for a practising certificate if you want to practise

Victoria states this very clearly: VLAB is the admitting authority only, and once admitted, you need to apply for a practising certificate. Western Australia's "becoming a lawyer" page also separates admission from receiving a current Australian practising certificate.

Can you call yourself a lawyer after admission?

Generally, yes. Admission is the step that makes you a lawyer. But that is not the same as being free to offer legal services without further approval. The key distinction is between being admitted to the profession and holding authority to practise. Western Australia's official guidance says a lawyer must hold a current practising certificate to engage in legal practice.

So if you are asking whether you can practise straight after admission, the safer answer is: not unless you also hold the necessary practising certificate.

Why the distinction matters

This distinction matters because many graduates assume admission is the final step. It is not always the final practical step.

For example, Victoria says you cannot apply for a practising certificate unless you are assigned to an organisation, so a newly admitted lawyer who does not yet have the required employment setup may need to wait before obtaining one. In Western Australia, the Board may also impose a supervised legal practice condition on the grant of a practising certificate in some cases, especially where the practitioner has not held an Australian practising certificate within the previous five years.

Do you need PLT for admission or for the practising certificate?

PLT usually sits before admission, not after it. Western Australia's pathway says you complete approved academic qualifications, then a PLT program, then admission, and then receive a current Australian practising certificate. Victoria's admission pathway for Australian law graduates similarly treats practical legal training as part of the admission pathway.

That means if you are still studying or have just finished your law degree, the usual order is:

Where does IOLT fit in?

IOLT fits at the PLT stage of the pathway. If you have completed, or are close to completing, your academic requirements and need to move toward admission, IOLT offers a PLT pathway designed to help you get there: 100% online coursework, start-anytime enrolment, and a 24 week structure with workplace experience completed during the course. IOLT is also the lowest cost PLT in Australia at $6,000 total.

After PLT, the next steps are admission and then, if you want to practise, a practising certificate.

Frequently Asked Questions