The Solicitors Regulation Authority has postponed the date for firms to nominate compliance officers after another technological delay. The new deadline has not yet been announced.

Firms had been expected to put forward two staff members by the end of this month, but with the online nomination form not expected to go live for six weeks, the deadline has moved.

The SRA says it has not finalised the new deadline but is still confident of approving all nominations by the original date of 31 October.

The delay comes on the back of several revised deadlines for renewing practising certificates after problems with the new mySRA online process.

Richard Collins, SRA executive, said: ‘We regret we have been unable to provide the online form as early as anticipated, but it is important that rigorous testing takes place before it enters the live environment.

‘In addition we recognise that, for many firms, the annual renewal process has run later than originally planned. We hope firms will be able to use this extra time to ensure they have identified the best nominees for the roles.’

Compliance officers for legal practice (COLPs) and compliance officers for finance and administration (COFAs) are key requirements of the new outcomes-focused regulation in place since last October.

They are responsible for ensuring their firm has systems and controls in place to comply with new regulatory requirements.

As well as completing a suitability test, the SRA has to be convinced nominees are ‘of sufficient seniority and in a position of sufficient responsibility’ to fulfil the role.