Frequently Asked Questions

“Consumer credit licence” is still commonly used, but businesses now apply to the Financial Conduct Authority for consumer credit authorisation and the appropriate regulatory permissions.

Our standard Limited Permission application package costs £1,150. This is a fixed fee covering the preparation of the application documents included in your package. The FCA application fee is separate.

No. Our £1,150 professional fee covers the preparation of your application package. The FCA charges a separate, non-refundable application fee, paid directly through FCA Connect. As of July 2026, a Limited Permission application falls within Category 2 and costs £560.

Your package may include a permission assessment, tailored regulatory business plan, financial forecasts, compliance monitoring programme, Consumer Duty documentation, financial promotions policy, complaints handling procedure, vulnerable customers policy, financial crime policy, FCA Connect submission guidance and a final application review. The exact documents depend on your activities and business model.

You will need to pay the FCA application fee separately. Additional costs may arise for items such as DBS checks, legal advice or documents outside the agreed application package. Once authorised, your business will also be responsible for FCA annual fees and any other applicable regulatory levies.

We normally prepare a standard Limited Permission application package within five working days after receiving your completed questionnaire and all requested information. Missing, incomplete or inconsistent information may delay delivery.

Our five-working-day timeframe relates to preparing your application package — not the FCA’s assessment. The FCA generally aims to assess a complete FSMA application within six months. An incomplete application can take up to 12 months.

We will ask about your business and ownership structure, directors and key individuals, products and services, proposed consumer credit activities, lenders and finance providers, customer journey and target market, fees and commission arrangements, financial forecasts, marketing, complaints and compliance arrangements, and any outsourced providers.

No. We use specialist-developed, quality-assured document frameworks, but every application package is tailored to the information you provide, your business model and your proposed regulated activities. No commercial provider’s templates are pre-approved by the FCA.

No. You can check your likely requirements, view the price and start online without booking a sales call. If your business model is unusual or appears to require full permission, we will tell you, as we work with limited permission applications only.

You will submit the application through your firm’s FCA Connect account. We provide the completed documentation and step-by-step guidance to help you complete the submission. The FCA expects the applicant firm to understand its application and communicate directly with its case officer where necessary.

Follow-up questions are a normal part of the authorisation process. We provide support with reasonable FCA questions relating to the documents included in your package. Material changes to your business model, ownership, permissions or proposed activities may require additional work and fees.

No. The FCA alone decides whether to approve an application. We help you prepare a complete, tailored and professionally presented application, but we cannot guarantee the outcome or the time taken by the FCA.

Generally, no. You must not carry on regulated consumer credit activities until the appropriate FCA authorisation has been granted, unless a specific exemption or other lawful arrangement applies.

We specialise exclusively in limited permission applications and do not offer a full permission service. If your activities appear to require full permission, we will tell you before you buy so you can seek the right support elsewhere.

Tell us before making any changes. A change to your products, customer journey, lenders, ownership or regulated activities could affect your permissions and application documents. Significant changes after submission may also need to be disclosed to the FCA.

FCA authorisation brings ongoing responsibilities, which may include regulatory reporting, annual FCA fees, compliance monitoring, complaints handling, financial-promotion controls, Consumer Duty compliance, staff training, record keeping and notifications to the FCA. Ongoing compliance support is available separately.

UK businesses offering finance or introducing customers to lenders, including car and vehicle dealers, retailers and online merchants, dental and cosmetic clinics, veterinary practices, home improvement companies, jewellers and watch retailers, equipment suppliers and other businesses offering finance as a secondary service.

Start with our free two-minute requirements check. It will help identify whether FCA authorisation may be required and whether your business is likely to fall within limited permission, which is the only service we provide.