The statutory deadlines
By law, the FCA must make a decision within six months of receiving a complete application, or within twelve months of receiving an incomplete one. These are hard limits the FCA can't exceed. Crucially, the six-month clock starts when your application is judged complete — not from the day you first hit submit.
What it means in practice
In reality the FCA often decides faster than six months for straightforward applications, and limited permission applications — the route most secondary credit brokers take — are generally assessed more quickly than full permission, because the activity is lower-risk. But "faster" is never guaranteed, and a weak application can drag the process out toward the twelve-month limit.
What slows an application down
Almost every delay traces back to the same few causes:
- Gaps and inconsistencies that trigger the FCA to come back with questions;
- Generic, templated documents that don't reflect how your business actually works — the FCA looks for firm-specific substance;
- Slow responses to the FCA's information requests, which pause the clock while they wait for you.
How to keep yours moving
The single best thing you can do is submit a complete, accurate, firm-specific application from the start, and respond quickly to any FCA queries. That's exactly what a well-prepared pack is for: a clear regulatory business plan, the policies the FCA expects, and consistent figures, all tailored to your business. Our step-by-step guide covers the full journey, and our cost guide breaks down the fees.
Worth separating two timelines: we prepare your complete application pack in three working days. The FCA's review — the six-month window — is separate and in their hands. We make sure what you submit gives that review the best possible start.