When does probation actually end?
Release is not the end. Licence and supervision run on, and so does the recall risk. Work out the dates that matter: when supervision ends, and when it is truly over.
These rules cover England and Wales. In Scotland or Northern Ireland? Start here.
How licence works, in plain words
A fixed sentence is served in two parts: prison, then The rules someone lives under after early release: probation appointments, an approved address, sometimes a tag or exclusion zones. Breaking them can mean recall to prison. in the community. The licence lasts until the sentence expiry date. Short sentences also carry Extra supervision added to short sentences so everyone gets at least 12 months of supervision after release. Breaching it goes back to court rather than triggering recall. , which can run past the sentence itself.
Life on licence is stricter than people expect at first: appointments, permission to move house, permission to travel. It usually loosens with time. The date that matters most is the sentence expiry date, because on that day the recall risk ends. Our recall guide covers what happens if it goes wrong before then, and the spent conviction calculator shows the final finish line after that.
Common questions
How long are you on licence after prison?
From the day of release until the very last day of the sentence. Get out at 40% and the remaining 60% is served on licence. So a 5 year sentence with release at 2 years means 3 years on licence. The licence does not shorten because things go well.
What are licence conditions?
The standard set: meet your probation officer when told, live at an approved address, no travel abroad without permission, no new offences. Extra conditions get added case by case: curfews, tags, exclusion zones, alcohol or drug testing. The Sentencing Act 2026 adds new possible conditions like driving bans and restriction zones.
What is post sentence supervision?
Extra supervision added after short sentences, so that everyone gets at least 12 months of supervision after release. If the sentence was under 2 years, supervision usually runs beyond the sentence end date to hit that 12 month minimum. Breaching it is dealt with by the court rather than by recall.
Do you have to see probation forever?
No. Supervision ends when the licence (and any post sentence supervision) ends. Appointments also usually get less frequent over time as trust builds. After the sentence expiry date, they owe the system nothing.
When does the recall risk stop?
At the sentence expiry date. Up to that day, breaking licence conditions can mean recall to prison. After it, recall is impossible for that sentence. It is worth knowing that date and quietly counting down.