The Solicitors Regulation Authority has extended the deadline for practising certificate renewal to the end of February for all solicitors.

The first renewals were due to be completed by Monday but delays caused by the new online mySRA system meant many solicitors had not been able to finish the process. Earlier this week it was confirmed more than a third of practitioners had yet to even start the renewal process, with just 14% of renewals completed.

In a statement today, the SRA said it was receiving a large volume of calls to its contact centre and urged those with queries to look for information on the website before ringing.

The statement added: ‘The renewals process will not close before the end of February to give the profession more time to renew their practising certificates.

‘This applies to all those renewing. It is important, however, that you complete your renewal as soon as you can.’ PCs, registrations for registered European lawyers and registered foreign lawyers, firm recognitions and sole practitioner authorisations will remain valid in the meantime.

The PCs will not be sent in the post but will instead be stored in mySRA as a portable document that can be printed.

Antony Townsend, chief executive of the SRA, commented: 'We are aware that some of you, including in the larger firms, have faced technical difficulties which, coupled with a high demand for telephone support, has caused delays to your registration. It makes sense to leave the renewals process open for a while longer. It will not close before the end of February.

'No one will be penalised for not completing their renewal while the system remains open, but we would ask you to assist us by renewing as soon as possible. We're very grateful to all those who have already renewed.

'This is the first year of operation of a new system which will transform the way in which we deliver services to the profession and regulated individuals. The long-term benefits of mySRA are numerous, but I know this has been an unsatisfactory process for some, so I repeat my earlier apology and thank you for persevering with the online system as we refine it.'

Law Society chief executive Des Hudson said: ‘I am sorry that the SRA’s new process hasn’t worked as well as they or we would have liked. It is clear that this year’s PC renewal system - online for the first time - has suffered technical problems which have led to significant frustration and delays for some solicitors and firms. In the last few weeks I and my colleagues have spoken to dozens of members about their experiences with the system. We have relayed these concerns as they have emerged to the SRA and I am pleased that they have acknowledged problems with the system and extended the renewal deadline.

‘In addition, I have written to local law societies, offering support from our regional managers for those firms with the most intractable issues. The SRA’s own relationship management team are also available to help.’