Apply to become a consumer credit lender or hirer

If you want to engage in regulated activities as a lender or hirer, you need to be authorised by us. Find out how to apply.

1

Read everything listed below

Start with our main 'how to apply' page for all firms

2

Prepare your application

Include your business plan and other supporting material

3

Pay the application fee

You must pay this in order to apply

4

Submit your application

You'll do this on our Connect system

This page is for:

  • mainstream consumer credit lenders – providers of mainstream consumer credit products like unsecured personal loans and credit cards
  • high-cost lenders – including high-cost short-term credit providers, home collected credit providers, bill of sale lenders, pawnbrokers and guarantor lenders
  • motor finance providers – providers of finance to fund the purchase or hiring of motor vehicles, for example through a Personal Contract Purchase (PCP) or Personal Contract Hire (PCH) agreement
  • retail finance providers – for example, providers of credit that's used fund the purchase of retail goods or services
  • Limited Permission lenders – suppliers that provide finance directly so consumers can pay for goods or services by instalments
  • consumer hire firms – firms that rent/hire/lease goods to consumers
You'll need to demonstrate that you can consistently deliver good outcomes for retail consumers. Make sure you read everything below before you apply to ensure that your application goes smoothly.

What to read first

Limited or Full Permission

You'll either have to apply for Limited Permission or Full Permission, depending on the regulated activities you engage in and the circumstances in which you carry them out. You'll select one of these options when you start your application on Connect.

Limited Permission firms only carry out certain credit-related activities, so are subject to fewer threshold conditions (our minimum standards) than other firms. All other firms are Full Permission firms. Whether you're applying for Limited or Full Permission, the application process is the same.

Prepare your application

You'll submit your application through our Connect system, so make sure you register.

Your application must include your:

  • application form
  • regulatory business plan (RBP) that explains where your firm will fit within the market and how your products and services compare to competitors
  • financial forecasts – learn how to prepare your firm's financial information
  • other forms and supporting material relevant to your type of firm

We also expect to see some specific documents that are tailored to what your firm plans to do.

You must answer all questions on the application honestly, including on Form As, and provide us with full information regarding any disclosures you make, including details about any removals you've had from lender or product providers’ panels.

If in doubt, let us know as much as possible, even if it may not seem relevant.

If you don't disclose something, we take this very seriously and may consider it to be evidence of dishonesty and/or lack of integrity.

Application fee

You have to pay a fee to submit your application. The fee is non-refundable.

If you're applying for:

  • Limited Permission your fee falls into pricing category 2, which will be £500
  • Full Permission your fee will be higher, and the pricing category will depend on the regulated activities you intend to carry out
Type of firm Application fee

Mainstream consumer credit lender

£5,000 (pricing category 5)
High-cost lender £10,000 (pricing category 6)
Motor finance provider £5,000 (pricing category 5)
Retail finance provider £5,000 (pricing category 5)

Find out more about our authorisation fees, including our pricing categories and how to pay.

Final check and submit

Before you submit everything on Connect, give it one more check to be sure you've included everything.

Our how to apply page has 3 top tips to ensure your application goes smoothly, and explains what happens after you've submitted it.

If you need more help

Please contact us on 0300 500 0597. We're open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday 9am to 5pm, and Thursday 9.45am to 5pm.

Page updates

: Information changed Description of Limited Permission lenders