Single Justice Procedure notice explained

What this kind of letter means

You've been charged with watching TV without a licence. You must plead guilty or not guilty within 21 days, by 1 December, or a magistrate will decide without hearing from you.

The Single Justice Procedure lets a single magistrate decide minor offences on paper. If you plead guilty you can explain your circumstances (a 'mitigation statement') and the fine will reflect your income. If you plead not guilty, you get a court hearing. If you don't respond, the case is decided in your absence and you lose the chance to explain. A conviction for this offence is a criminal record, so it matters. If you only watch on-demand services other than BBC iPlayer, you may not have needed a licence.

Things worth checking

• Check whether you actually needed a licence: live TV or BBC iPlayer requires one; Netflix and similar alone don't.
• Respond even if you plead guilty. Your explanation can reduce the fine.
• This is a criminal matter. Free advice is available from Citizens Advice.

Your options

• Plead not guilty. If you didn't watch live TV or iPlayer at the address.
• Plead guilty with an explanation. Your income and circumstances are taken into account.
• Buy a licence now. Prosecutors sometimes take this into account. Keep the confirmation.

If you ignore it

A magistrate will decide the case without you, usually based only on the prosecutor's evidence, and may impose a higher fine.

What usually decides this

If you only watched on-demand services (not live TV or BBC iPlayer), you have a defence. If you did need a licence, pleading guilty with a mitigation statement usually means a lower, income-based fine.

The rules

• A Single Justice Procedure notice must be answered within 21 days. You plead guilty or not guilty. A magistrate decides on the papers without a hearing, unless you plead not guilty.
  England, Wales. Source: Magistrates' Courts Act 1980, section 16A

Rules last checked 13 November 2026.

Words you might see

• Single Justice Procedure: A way for one magistrate to decide minor cases on paper, without a hearing.
• Plea: Saying guilty or not guilty.
• Mitigation: Your reasons and circumstances, which can reduce the penalty.

An example reply

From our worked example. Letter Clear writes one for your own letter, in your name.

Choose your plea first. Nothing is pre-filled for you.

A conviction for this offence is a criminal record, so get advice before pleading (Citizens Advice is free).

Respond using the official plea form or the court's online plea service by 1 December 2026. You can include a statement:

- Not guilty: press 'Not guilty statement' above.
- Guilty: press 'Guilty with mitigation' above, so your circumstances are taken into account.

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