EFT payments

A new payment system is being introduced to streamline the process of making payments to the Law Society, offering greater efficiency for both you and your employer. Here’s what you need to know and how to prepare.

What is changing?

The Law Society has partnered with NoFrixion to provide a new payment system for the profession.

The new system will allow for payment through Google and Apple Pay. It will also helps to ensure that your EFT payments to the Law Society are linked directly to you or your employer – enabling faster access to your Practising Certificate, training course, or other Law Society service.

How will I benefit?

The flexible and efficient payment experience gives you the freedom to pay through multiple convenient options like Pay by Bank, Apple Pay, Google Pay or Revolut. Faster and instant SEPA payments using the pay by bank option for payments processing in real time will ensure quick, reliable transactions and reducing any potential delays. Real-time tracking also means there’s a lower risk of payment mismatches, so each transaction is accurately recorded.

The new system enables you to receive secure payment links directly via email or phone if you choose to do so allowing you to pay quickly and conveniently from wherever you are. With security protocols, NoFrixion ensures every transaction is protected, offering a seamless yet safe way to handle payments without needing to navigate complex banking steps.

How does it work?

From 18 November, each solicitor, trainee and student will be assigned two unique Virtual IBAN numbers: one for education-related payments and another for other Law Society services. Similarly, solicitor firms and other organisations will receive two Virtual IBANs for payments, one for education-related payments and another for other Law Society services. This rollout aims to streamline payment allocation, ensuring more efficient tracking and processing. Please ensure that the correct VBAN is used when making payments to facilitate accurate and timely processing.

What do I need to do?

If you have previously made an EFT payment to the Law Society, you will need to update the details that you have saved in your online banking service and replace the IBAN to your newly assigned VBAN. From 18 November, you will be able to see your individual Virtual IBANs in your dashboard, and firm administrators will be able to see their employer’s virtual IBANs in the Firm Admin Area.

What is a VBAN?

A Virtual IBAN (International Bank Account Number) is a unique account number that acts as a virtual address for directing payments to a real bank account. It helps businesses and organisations to manage different types of payments by assigning separate virtual numbers for specific purposes, like education fees or membership payments. Even though the Virtual IBAN looks like a separate account number, it’s linked to an actual bank account, making it easier to track and allocate funds accurately. This system simplifies payment processing and ensures that payments are routed to the correct area without any confusion.

Card payments - PSD2 Payment Process

To comply with EU Payment Service Directive, the Law Society has added an extra layer of security to our payment processes. These changes help fight fraud and make your online transactions more secure.

At the point where you need to enter card details to pay for your PC renewal fee or other products and services on the Law Society website, you may be taken to an extra payment authentication screen for your bank, that seeks to confirm the transaction is being made with the cardholder’s knowledge.

This is to keep your Credit and Debit cards safe and secure and is a requirement of the directive. On-screen instructions will guide you through the process, but it will vary slightly depending on your bank.

Currency

Please note that our Merchant provider only accepts Euro currency payments. You may need to speak to your bank if you get a payment error on our site.

What do I need to do?

If you are taken to your bank's Strong Customer Authentication page, after following the on-screen instructions you will be brought back to the Law Society website where you will get a notification telling you if your payment was successful.

If you receive an error in the final stage of paying for your PC, membership, or other product with your card, contact your bank to ensure your payment card is set up correctly for Strong Customer Authentication (SCA) and that no further information is needed on their side.