ICB has produced templates for you to use so you can be sure you are complying with ICB guidelines and the legal requirement to include certain company details in business letters & other documents.
Ready-made templates
Visit the ICB Marketing Hub for the one-stop-shop for personalised print and promotional items exclusively for ICB Practice Licence holders.
> Visit Marketing Hub
Using the ICB logo
As a holder of the ICB Practice Licence, you are entitled to use ICB's heraldic crest on all your stationery such as:
Adverts
Letterheads
Invoices
Websites
Business Cards
and any other promotional material.
> Click here to visit the crest download page
Please bear in mind that there are certain statutory obligations to be fulfilled, and you should also ensure that your stationery complies with ICB Professional Conduct Regulations and is in line with your current membership level.
Statutory Requirements
If you are a sole trader or partnership, and you are trading under a business name, (eg. Mrs Smith trading as Better Bookkeeping) you must state Proprietor: then your full name and the names of any other partners (eg. Proprietor: Mrs Jane Smith). This must be stated on all letterheads, invoices and legal communication. This does not include business cards, leaflets or adverts, etc.
Sole traders and partnerships must put their address on letterheads and invoices.
If your business is a private or public limited company or a Limited Liability Partnership, the Companies Act 1985 requires all of your business letterheads, invoices, emails and website to include the following details in legible characters:
Your company's registered name (e.g. Best Books Ltd)
Your company registration number;
Your place of registration (e.g. Scotland or England & Wales); and
Your registered office address
Your VAT number must appear on your invoices if you're VAT registered.
Failure to comply with these requirements puts a company at risk of a fine.
ICB Requirements
Do not mislead
Do not position the ICB crest at the top of your letterheads or anywhere it might be interpreted to be your company logo.
Do not distort
Please do not distort or squeeze the crest, it should maintain the same aspect rato. Do not change any of its colours.
Only offer accredited services
If you wish to mention specific services you offer please ensure you are accredited to offer these by either ICB or other appropriate body, e.g: The post-nominal PM.Dip designates that you are accredited to offer Payroll services, and you would not normally be expected to offer payroll if you do not have this post-nominal. If you have qualifications from another awarding body, please submit certificate copies to ICB and refer to the applicable body on your materials.
All use of the ICB Crest should satisfy the Terms and Conditions on the Crest Download page and must be approved by ICB prior to printing except in the case of ICB-designed VistaPrint templates used as intended.
Note the two different ways to spell practice (practise)
Please note these grammatical rules on the spelling of both practice and licence:
The noun form of both practice and licence is spelt with a C at the end.
The verb form of both is spelt with an S at the end
For example: Your Practice Licence licenses you to practise.
(beware American spell-check)
ICB Free Stationery-Checking Service
When you first design stationery using the ICB crest, it is compulsory that you forward it to ICB for approval. ICB is also happy to proof-read your stationery and any flyers or marketing materials so you can be confident that you create the very best first impressions with prospective new clients.
Download your copy of ICB's heraldic crest for use in your communications- exclusively for Practice Licence holders.
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