Before the court can hear your limited licence application, you must serve a complete copy on the police prosecutor. This is a mandatory procedural step — the court will adjourn the hearing if the prosecutor has not been served. Getting service right avoids unnecessary delays.
Step 1: Identify the correct PPS office
Each District Court has a corresponding Police Prosecution Service (PPS) office. You must serve the PPS office responsible for the court where your application will be heard — not the police station where you were charged.
Our locations pages list the correct PPS office for each court, including email addresses and phone numbers.
Step 2: Prepare the service bundle
Serve a complete copy of your application, including:
- The application form
- Your sworn affidavit
- All supporting documents (employer affidavit, financial records, medical certificates)
- The boundary map
- Any other evidence filed with the court
Do not serve a partial set of documents. The prosecutor needs the full picture to make a decision about whether to oppose.
Step 3: Serve the documents
Service can be by:
Email (most common)
- Send to the PPS office email address
- Attach all documents as PDFs
- Include a cover note identifying the applicant, court, and hearing date
- Request read receipt or confirmation of receipt
Personal delivery
- Deliver to the PPS office during business hours
- Ask for a receipt or acknowledgement of service
Post
- Send by registered post to allow tracking
- Allow sufficient time for delivery before the hearing
Step 4: Keep proof of service
Retain evidence that service was completed:
- Email sent confirmation with attached documents
- Delivery receipt if served in person
- Registered post tracking confirmation
If there is any dispute about whether service occurred, you will need to prove it.
Timing
There is no specific statutory minimum period between service and the hearing. However, best practice is:
| Method | Minimum lead time |
|---|---|
| 7 working days before hearing | |
| Personal delivery | 7 working days before hearing |
| Post | 10 working days before hearing (to allow for delivery) |
Serving early gives the prosecutor time to:
- Review the application and supporting evidence
- Decide whether to oppose (and on what grounds)
- Prepare any submissions or counter-evidence
- Contact you or your lawyer to discuss conditions
What the prosecutor does with the application
After receiving the application, the prosecutor will:
- Review the application for statutory bars and procedural compliance
- Assess the evidence — is the hardship claim credible and supported?
- Check the proposed conditions — are they reasonable and appropriately restrictive?
- Decide whether to oppose — and if so, on what grounds
The prosecutor may:
- Not oppose — the most common outcome for straightforward applications
- Oppose outright — relatively rare, usually where a statutory bar applies
- Seek amended conditions — e.g. narrower times, smaller driving area, additional restrictions
Late service
If you serve late (less than 7 working days before the hearing), the prosecutor may:
- Request an adjournment to have time to review
- Oppose on procedural grounds
- Attend but indicate they have not had sufficient time to review
The judge may grant the adjournment, adding 2–4 weeks to the process. Avoid this by serving promptly after filing.
Common mistakes
- Serving the wrong office — make sure it is the PPS office for your court, not a general police station
- Incomplete service — serving the application form without the supporting documents
- No proof of service — unable to demonstrate when and how service occurred
- Serving too late — not allowing the prosecutor enough time to review