GUIDES
FCA authorisation, explained plainly
Everything we know about consumer credit authorisation — costs, timelines, and the rules — written for business owners, not compliance officers.
Appointed Representative vs Directly Authorised (FCA)Two ways to offer finance legally: appointed representative under a principal, or becoming directly authorised by the FCA. How they differ, how to choBNPL Regulation July 2026: What Merchants Need to Know
Buy now, pay later becomes FCA-regulated on 15 July 2026. What changes, why merchants offering BNPL stay exempt, and who still needs authorisation.Can You Get FCA Authorised With a CCJ or Bad Credit?
A CCJ, past bankruptcy or a failed company doesn't automatically bar you. What the fit and proper test checks — and the one mistake that is fatal.Can You Offer 0% Finance Without an FCA Licence?
Offering interest-free finance doesn't automatically exempt you from FCA authorisation. The precise rule on 0% credit — and where most businesses get Can You Offer Finance While Your FCA Application Is Pending?
Applying isn't authorisation. What you can and can't do while your FCA application is pending — and the legal bridges: the 0% exemption and AR status.Can You Use Your Home Address for FCA Authorisation?
The FCA authorises home-based firms every day. What 'principal place of business' means, what becomes public, and keeping your address private.CCR007: The FCA Annual Return for Limited Permission Firms
What the return covers, how your deadline is set by your accounting reference date, and the £250 fee for filing late.What Is Consumer Duty? A Plain-English Guide for Firms Offering Finance
What is the FCA’s Consumer Duty? What it requires, who it applies to, and what small firms offering customer finance actually need to do — explained wDo Aesthetics Clinics Need an FCA Licence for Finance?
Treatment finance is usually credit broking — a regulated activity. When clinics need FCA authorisation, the exemption, and what it costs.Do Car Dealers Need FCA Authorisation? Yes — Here's Why
If your dealership arranges finance or introduces customers to a lender, you need FCA authorisation. Which permission, the AR alternative, and the cosWhat the Motor Finance Redress Scheme Means if You're Applying Now
The FCA's £7.5bn redress scheme is about commission disclosure. A newly authorised dealer has no exposure to it — but it changes what the FCA expects to read in your application.When a Car Dealer Can't Have Limited Permission
Selling GAP or warranty under your own FCA insurance authorisation blocks limited permission for credit. The three traps that force full permission.Do Caravan & Motorhome Dealers Need FCA Authorisation?
Caravans and motorhomes sell on finance — that’s credit broking. When dealers need FCA authorisation, the part-exchange point most miss, and the cost.Do Dentists Need an FCA Licence for Patient Finance?
If your practice lets patients pay for treatment over time, you likely need FCA authorisation. When it's required, which permission, and the cost.Do Furniture Retailers Need an FCA Licence?
Furniture and sofa retailers offering interest-free or pay-monthly finance almost always need FCA authorisation. Here's which permission you need and Do Gyms Need an FCA Licence for Membership Finance?
Gyms and fitness studios offering paid-monthly memberships or finance need to understand the FCA rules. Here's when authorisation is required — and whDo Home Improvement Firms Need an FCA Licence? (2026)
Kitchen, window and solar firms offering finance almost always need FCA authorisation — and in-home selling adds a domestic-premises twist. Costs fromDo I Need an FCA Licence to Offer Finance?
If your business lets customers pay using a third-party lender, you usually need FCA authorisation. Here's when a licence is required — and the exceptDo Jewellers Need an FCA Licence to Offer Finance?
Engagement rings and watches sell on 24–36 month plans — regulated credit even at 0%. When jewellers need FCA authorisation, and the cash-payment ruleDo Motorcycle Dealers Need FCA Authorisation?
If your dealership arranges bike finance or introduces buyers to a lender, you need FCA authorisation. Which permission — and the part-exchange point most miss.Do Opticians Need an FCA Licence to Offer Finance?
Spreading the cost of glasses and eyecare: when an optical practice's payment plan is exempt, and when offering finance means you need FCA authorisatiDo Retailers Need an FCA Licence to Offer Finance?
If your shop offers finance, whether you need FCA authorisation depends on the type. Classic retail finance needs it; checkout BNPL usually doesn't.Do Solar Installers Need an FCA Licence to Offer Finance?
Pay-monthly on solar, batteries and heat pumps is credit broking — and long terms rule out the 0% exemption. Which permission installers need.Do Vets Need an FCA Licence to Offer Finance?
If your practice lets clients spread the cost of treatment, you likely need FCA authorisation. When it's required, which permission, and the cost.Do You Need a DBS Check for FCA Authorisation?
You don't send a certificate with the application — but your firm must have checked its SMF29 holder. Which DBS check, and what to do with it.The FCA’s £250 Late Return Fee, and How to Avoid It
Why the charge is applied automatically, the handful of reasons small firms miss the deadline, and how to make sure you never do.FCA Firm Details Attestation & Standing Data Changes
The annual confirmation your details are correct, which changes to notify during the year, and when a variation of permission is needed instead.Your FCA Annual Invoice: What the £1,170 Is Made Of
The £1,100 CC1 periodic fee, the levies collected alongside it, and why your first invoice is smaller than your second.FCA Authorisation: DIY vs Using a Service
Should you prepare your FCA consumer credit application yourself or use a service? An honest comparison of cost, time and the risk of getting it wrongFCA Authorisation for New Businesses (No Trading History)
You don’t need accounts or a track record for FCA authorisation — start-ups are approved every week. What replaces the history, and the traps to avoid.FCA Authorisation: Sole Trader vs Limited Company
How your business structure affects an FCA consumer credit application — from the SMF29 responsible person to what changes if you incorporate later.FCA Consumer Credit Authorisation: Key Facts (2026)
Verified 2026 figures on one page: the £560 limited permission fee, decision timelines, annual costs, reporting deadlines and the July BNPL dates. FreFCA Consumer Credit Licence Cost 2026: £560 Fee + What You’ll Actually Pay
How much does a consumer credit licence cost in the UK? The FCA’s £560 limited permission application fee, annual charges, and the full cost of gettinFCA Advertising Rules for Finance: What You Can and Can’t Say (2026)
FCA advertising and financial promotion rules explained: what finance ads must include, the clear-fair-not-misleading test, and how Consumer Duty chanFCA Limited Permission Explained
FCA limited permission is the lighter-touch route for firms offering finance as a sideline. Here's what it covers, what it doesn't, and who qualifies.How Long Does It Take to Get FCA Authorisation? Real 2026 Timelines
How long does it take to get FCA authorisation? The statutory limits, what typically happens with consumer credit applications in 2026, and what makesConsumer Credit Licence Cost: £560 FCA Fee + Prep (2026)
What a consumer credit licence costs in 2026: the FCA's £560 application fee, plus preparation from £995 fixed — versus £2,000–£5,000 for a consultantFCA Compliance Consultant Cost: £2,000+ vs £995 Fixed Price
What FCA compliance consultants charge to prepare a consumer credit application — typical fee ranges, what drives the cost, and a cheaper fixed-price How to Check if a Company Is FCA Authorised (Register Guide)
How to use the Financial Services Register: search by FRN, read permissions, spot clone firms — and why lenders will run the same check on you.How to Get an FCA Consumer Credit Licence
A plain-English, step-by-step guide to getting FCA consumer credit authorisation — who needs one, what's involved, the cost, and how long it takes.FCA Consumer Credit Application: How to Submit on Connect
How to complete and submit your FCA consumer credit application on Connect — the forms, paying the £560 fee, supporting documents and what happens nexLimited Permission vs Full Permission
FCA consumer credit authorisation has two tiers. The difference between limited and full permission, which activities fall into each, and the cost.Offering Finance Without FCA Authorisation
Offering customers finance without the right FCA authorisation breaches the law. What's at stake: criminal liability, unenforceable agreements and FCAOngoing FCA Obligations After Authorisation
Authorisation isn't the end. The ongoing FCA obligations for limited-permission firms — annual reporting through RegData, fees, and notifications.Switching From AR to Direct FCA Authorisation: How It Works
Moving from AR to your own FCA authorisation: the application, keeping AR status through assessment, timing the handover, and what changes on day one.What the FCA Expects in Your Business Plan
The regulatory business plan is the heart of your FCA application. What the FCA expects it to cover — and why generic, templated plans get rejected.What Happens After the FCA Approves Your Application?
Authorisation granted — now what? Getting on the Financial Services Register, going live, your first regulatory returns, and staying compliant after FWhat Happens If the FCA Refuses Your Application?
Refusals are rare but expensive: the £560 is gone and the decision is published. How the process works, withdrawal vs refusal, and reapplying.What Is Credit Broking? FCA Definition Explained
Credit broking is the regulated activity many businesses do without realising. What counts under FCA rules, what doesn't, and why it needs authorisatiWhat Is SMF29? The Senior Manager Rule for Small Firms
SMF29 is the senior manager function most limited permission credit firms must fill. Who holds it, what they're accountable for, and how approval work