Licence application for directors subject to director disqualification sanctions
Source: gov.uk (2025-04-08)

How to apply for a licence to act as director, promote, form or manage a company if you are subject to UK director disqualification sanctions.

If you are subject to director disqualification sanction under the UK’s sanction regimes, you are prohibited from acting as a director or be involved, either directly or indirectly, in the promotion, formation or management of a company.

Unless there is an exception under legislation, to carry out these prohibited activities you must have applied, and been issued with, a specific licence by the Insolvency Service,

The Insolvency Service (on behalf of the Secretary of State) can issue a licence to allow specific acts to be carried out without breaching director disqualification sanctions.

Licence eligibility

You are eligible to apply for a licence, if you are currently barred (a designated person) from being a director, promoting, forming or managing a company due to a director disqualification sanction.

A designated person can be an individual, a company or organisation.

If you are not sure of your designation status, check the UK’s Sanctions List (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-uk-sanctions-list). The list gives details of people or companies who are currently (designated) under the UK’s sanctions regime, and which sanctions apply to them.

Applying for a licence

The Insolvency Service will decide whether to issue a licence.

A licence will only be issued for a defined period to carry out specific acts, it may also contain conditions you must meet.

Applications for a licence must include:
- exact details of why you need a licence (what duties you need it for)
- how long you will need the licence for
- evidence showing only you can carry out the prohibited acts under a licence and not another officer, employee or agent of the company
Applications that do not provide this information will be rejected.

You may be contacted for further evidence, or asked for an additional explanation about information you provide.

You are responsible for making sure that anything you are authorised to do under the licence does not conflict with any other sanctions.

Where a licence has been issued, only the Insolvency Service can vary or revoke it. Any changes to your licence will be communicated to you or your authorised representative.

Multiple companies

A separate licence application must be submitted for each individual company.

Request a licence application form

To receive a licence application form, you must provide information using one of our request forms:

Request an application form for a sanctioned individual (https://submit.forms.service.gov.uk/form/822/disqualified-director-sanctions-individual-licence-application-request)

Request an application form for a sanctioned company (https://submit.forms.service.gov.uk/form/2374/disqualified-director-sanctions-company-licence-application-request)

If you are eligible to apply

If you are eligible to apply, you will be sent a second stage application form by email.

If you are not eligible to apply

If you are not eligible to apply, we will explain why in our response.

You may wish to consider taking independent legal advice before applying for a licence

More information is available at director disqualification sanctions (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/director-disqualification-sanctions).

The application process

The Insolvency Service’s licensing team will acknowledge receipt of your application within 5 working days.

The team will begin reviewing it after this and will get in touch if further information is required.

They aim to complete their initial review within 4 weeks of receiving the completed application and all supporting information.

However, depending on the facts of the case and what information has been provided – it can take from several weeks to months to reach a final decision.

Appeals

Where a licence application has been rejected, it is possible to appeal the decision.

You will be told how to submit an appeal in the rejection letter.