diff --git a/app/config.py b/app/config.py
index 0c4b477c6..f92355352 100644
--- a/app/config.py
+++ b/app/config.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-from datetime import timedelta
+from datetime import timedelta, time
 import os
 import json
 
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ class QueueNames(object):
     PROCESS_FTP = 'process-ftp-tasks'
     CREATE_LETTERS_PDF = 'create-letters-pdf-tasks'
     CALLBACKS = 'service-callbacks'
+    LETTERS = 'letter-tasks'
 
     @staticmethod
     def all_queues():
@@ -48,6 +49,7 @@ class QueueNames(object):
             QueueNames.NOTIFY,
             QueueNames.CREATE_LETTERS_PDF,
             QueueNames.CALLBACKS,
+            QueueNames.LETTERS,
         ]
 
 
@@ -238,6 +240,11 @@ class Config(object):
             'schedule': crontab(hour=17, minute=30),
             'options': {'queue': QueueNames.PERIODIC}
         },
+        'run-letter-pdfs': {
+            'task': 'run-letter-pdfs',
+            'schedule': crontab(hour=17, minute=50),
+            'options': {'queue': QueueNames.PERIODIC}
+        },
         'run-letter-api-notifications': {
             'task': 'run-letter-api-notifications',
             'schedule': crontab(hour=17, minute=40),
@@ -313,6 +320,8 @@ class Config(object):
     TEMPLATE_PREVIEW_API_HOST = os.environ.get('TEMPLATE_PREVIEW_API_HOST', 'http://localhost:6013')
     TEMPLATE_PREVIEW_API_KEY = os.environ.get('TEMPLATE_PREVIEW_API_KEY', 'my-secret-key')
 
+    LETTER_PROCESSING_DEADLINE = time(17, 30)
+
 
 ######################
 # Config overrides ###
diff --git a/app/dao/notifications_dao.py b/app/dao/notifications_dao.py
index 29b49ba7c..fc6d2b32e 100644
--- a/app/dao/notifications_dao.py
+++ b/app/dao/notifications_dao.py
@@ -584,3 +584,34 @@ def dao_get_last_notification_added_for_job_id(job_id):
     ).first()
 
     return last_notification_added
+
+
+def dao_get_count_of_letters_to_process_for_date(date_to_process=date.today()):
+    """
+    Returns a count of letter notifications for services with letters_as_pdf permission set
+    to be processed today if no argument passed in otherwise will return the count for
+    the date passed in.
+    Records processed today = yesterday 17:30 to today 17:29:59
+
+    Note - services without letters_as_pdf permission will be ignored
+    """
+    day_before = date_to_process - timedelta(days=1)
+    letter_deadline_time = current_app.config.get('LETTER_PROCESSING_DEADLINE')
+
+    start_datetime = datetime.combine(day_before, letter_deadline_time)
+    end_datetime = start_datetime + timedelta(days=1)
+
+    count_of_letters_to_process_for_date = Notification.query.join(
+        Service
+    ).filter(
+        Notification.created_at >= start_datetime,
+        Notification.created_at < end_datetime,
+        Notification.notification_type == LETTER_TYPE,
+        Notification.status == NOTIFICATION_CREATED,
+        Notification.key_type != KEY_TYPE_TEST,
+        Service.permissions.any(
+            ServicePermission.permission == 'letters_as_pdf'
+        )
+    ).count()
+
+    return count_of_letters_to_process_for_date
diff --git a/tests/app/dao/notification_dao/test_notification_dao.py b/tests/app/dao/notification_dao/test_notification_dao.py
index 8af596199..7d5083307 100644
--- a/tests/app/dao/notification_dao/test_notification_dao.py
+++ b/tests/app/dao/notification_dao/test_notification_dao.py
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ from app.dao.notifications_dao import (
     dao_create_notification,
     dao_created_scheduled_notification,
     dao_delete_notifications_and_history_by_id,
+    dao_get_count_of_letters_to_process_for_date,
     dao_get_last_notification_added_for_job_id,
     dao_get_last_template_usage,
     dao_get_notifications_by_to_field,
@@ -33,6 +34,7 @@ from app.dao.notifications_dao import (
     dao_get_notifications_by_references
 )
 from app.dao.services_dao import dao_update_service
+from app.dao.service_permissions_dao import dao_add_service_permission
 from app.models import (
     Job,
     Notification,
@@ -2001,3 +2003,90 @@ def test_dao_get_notifications_by_reference(sample_template):
     assert len(notifications) == 2
     assert notifications[0].id in [notification_1.id, notification_2.id]
     assert notifications[1].id in [notification_1.id, notification_2.id]
+
+
+@freeze_time("2017-12-18 17:50")
+def test_dao_get_count_of_letters_to_process_for_today(sample_letter_template):
+    dao_add_service_permission(sample_letter_template.service.id, 'letters_as_pdf')
+
+    # expected
+    create_notification(template=sample_letter_template, created_at='2017-12-17 17:30:00')
+    create_notification(template=sample_letter_template, created_at='2017-12-18 17:29:59')
+
+    # not expected
+    create_notification(template=sample_letter_template, created_at='2017-12-17 17:29:59')
+    create_notification(template=sample_letter_template, created_at='2017-12-18 17:30:00')
+
+    count_for_date = dao_get_count_of_letters_to_process_for_date()
+
+    assert count_for_date == 2
+
+
+@freeze_time("2017-12-18 17:50")
+def test_dao_get_count_of_letters_to_process_for_date_in_past(sample_letter_template):
+    dao_add_service_permission(sample_letter_template.service.id, 'letters_as_pdf')
+
+    # expected
+    create_notification(template=sample_letter_template, created_at='2017-12-15 17:29:59')
+
+    # not expected
+    create_notification(template=sample_letter_template, created_at='2017-12-15 17:30:00')
+    create_notification(template=sample_letter_template, created_at='2017-12-18 17:29:00')
+
+    count_for_date = dao_get_count_of_letters_to_process_for_date(date(2017, 12, 15))
+
+    assert count_for_date == 1
+
+
+@freeze_time("2017-12-18 17:50")
+def test_dao_get_count_of_letters_to_process_for_date_in_future_does_not_raise_error(sample_letter_template):
+    dao_add_service_permission(sample_letter_template.service.id, 'letters_as_pdf')
+
+    # not expected
+    create_notification(template=sample_letter_template, created_at='2017-12-18 17:30:00')
+    create_notification(template=sample_letter_template, created_at='2017-12-19 17:29:59')
+
+    count_for_date = dao_get_count_of_letters_to_process_for_date(date(2017, 12, 20))
+
+    assert count_for_date == 0
+
+
+def test_dao_get_count_of_letters_to_process_for_today_without_notis_does_not_raise_error(sample_letter_template):
+    count_for_date = dao_get_count_of_letters_to_process_for_date()
+
+    assert count_for_date == 0
+
+
+@freeze_time("2017-12-18 17:50")
+def test_dao_get_count_of_letters_to_process_for_date_ignores_service_not_letters_as_pdf(
+        sample_letter_template, sample_template):
+    # not expected
+    create_notification(template=sample_letter_template, created_at='2017-12-18 17:29:00')
+
+    dao_add_service_permission(sample_template.service.id, 'letters_as_pdf')
+    sample_template.template_type = 'letter'
+
+    # expected
+    create_notification(template=sample_template, created_at='2017-12-18 17:29:00')
+    create_notification(template=sample_template, created_at='2017-12-18 17:29:10')
+
+    count_for_date = dao_get_count_of_letters_to_process_for_date()
+
+    assert 'letters_as_pdf' not in [p.permission for p in sample_letter_template.service.permissions]
+    assert count_for_date == 2
+
+
+@freeze_time("2017-12-18 17:50")
+def test_dao_get_count_of_letters_to_process_for_date_ignores_test_keys(sample_letter_template):
+    dao_add_service_permission(sample_letter_template.service.id, 'letters_as_pdf')
+
+    # not expected
+    create_notification(template=sample_letter_template, key_type=KEY_TYPE_TEST, created_at='2017-12-18 17:29:00')
+
+    # expected
+    create_notification(template=sample_letter_template, created_at='2017-12-18 17:29:10')
+    create_notification(template=sample_letter_template, created_at='2017-12-18 17:29:20')
+
+    count_for_date = dao_get_count_of_letters_to_process_for_date()
+
+    assert count_for_date == 2