---
title: "Submit a prior-authority request"
method: POST
path: "/prior-authority"
tags: ["Prior Authority"]
---

# Submit a prior-authority request

`POST /prior-authority`

Accepts a prior-authority request from the LAA Civil Manage frontend and forwards it to the Access Data Store.

## Request body

- PriorAuthority — A prior-authority request submitted by a legal aid provider against an existing application. Exactly one of expertDetails, counselDetails or disbursementDetails is present, matching priorAuthorityType.
  - `applicationId` string, uuid, required — ID of the application this prior-authority request is associated with.
  - `laaReference` string, required — LAA reference of the application this prior-authority request is associated with.
  - `priorAuthorityType` 'EXPERT' | 'DISBURSEMENT' | 'COUNSEL', required — The category of prior authority being requested.
  - `justification` string, required — Detailed rationale explaining why funding is necessary.
  - `uploadedDocuments` UploadedDocument[] — Supporting documents uploaded with the request. Optional for all types.
    - `fileName` string, required — Filename of the uploaded document.
    - `hostedUrl` string
  - `expertDetails` ExpertDetails — The expert and what they will cost.
    - `expertType` string, required — The expert type.
    - `expertFullName` string, required — Full name of the expert the prior authority is for.
    - `expertPostcode` string, required — Primary business postcode of the expert, for regional rate mapping.
    - `expertCosts` ExpertCosts, required — What the expert will cost, how they will be billed, and how the costs are shared.
      - `billingType` 'HOURLY' | 'FIXED_RATE', required — Whether the expert is billed hourly or at a flat rate.
      - `hourlyRate` number — Hourly rate in GBP. Required when billingType is HOURLY.
      - `timeRequested` TimeRequested — The amount of the expert's time being requested.
        - `hours` integer, required — Whole hours requested.
        - `minutes` integer, required — Additional minutes requested.
      - `totalAmount` number, required — Amount requested in GBP. For HOURLY billing this is hourlyRate x (hours + minutes / 60); for FIXED_RATE it is the flat fee entered by the provider.
      - `costsSharedWithOtherParties` boolean, required — Whether the expert's costs are shared with other parties.
      - `apportionment` Apportionment — How the expert's costs are shared with other parties. Present when costsSharedWithOtherParties is true; omitted when it is false.
        - `partiesSharingCosts` integer, required — Total number of parties sharing the costs, including the client.
        - `clientShareAmount` number, required — The client's share of the costs, in GBP.
  - `counselDetails` CounselDetails — The counsel requested. Required when priorAuthorityType is COUNSEL.
    - `counselType` 'KINGS_COUNSEL_ALONE' | 'TWO_JUNIOR_COUNSEL' | 'KINGS_COUNSEL_AND_JUNIOR_COUNSEL' | 'KINGS_COUNSEL_AND_TWO_JUNIOR_COUNSEL', required — Type of counsel being applied for.
  - `disbursementDetails` DisbursementDetails — The disbursement requested. Required when priorAuthorityType is DISBURSEMENT.
    - `disbursementPurpose` string, required — What the disbursement is for.
    - `disbursementAmount` number, required — Cost of the disbursement in GBP, exclusive of VAT.

## Response `201`

Request accepted. Location header contains the submission URL.

## Other responses

- `400` — Validation failed

## Changes

- **2026-08-28** `11cedb95c2ae` — 1 breaking
  - added the new required request property `laaReference`
- **2026-08-27** `c497955104f8` — 1 warning
  - removed the optional property `status` from the response with the `201` status
- **2026-08-07** `2aa39943a7d7` — 10 warning, 3 info
  - removed the request property `billingType`
  - removed the request property `counselType`
  - removed the request property `expertBasedInLondon`
  - removed the request property `expertFullName`
  - …9 more
- **2026-08-03** `1c3849197b4c` — 1 breaking, 1 warning, 2 info
  - the `justification` request property's minLength was increased from `0` to `1`
  - removed the request property `counselTypeValid`
  - the request property `billingType` became optional
  - the request property `totalAmount` became optional
- **2026-08-03** `0ff9cb15aee1` — 2 info
  - added the new optional request property `counselType`
  - added the new optional request property `counselTypeValid`

[Full history](https://skmtc.dev/ministryofjustice/apis/openapi-definition/changes/prior-authority/post.md)

---

[API](https://skmtc.dev/ministryofjustice/apis/openapi-definition.md) · [All operations](https://skmtc.dev/ministryofjustice/apis/openapi-definition/llms.txt) · [OpenAPI document](https://skmtc-service-production.skmtc.workers.dev/v1/apis/ministryofjustice/openapi-definition/revisions/11cedb95c2ae/schema)