Benchmark administrator applications and equivalence notifications

Find out how to get authorised or registered as a UK benchmark administrator, endorse a third country benchmark, apply for recognition as a third country benchmark administrator, or make an equivalence notification.

The Treasury has implemented the authorisation and registration regime under the UK Benchmark Regulation (BMR).

For third country benchmark administrators and benchmarks, learn more about how to apply.

How to get authorised or registered as a UK benchmark administrator

To apply to become an authorised or registered benchmark administrator, you will need to apply for a Part 4A permission to administer a benchmark. You can do that by completing the forms on our online system Connect.

The timeframes for us to process your application are: 

  • 4 months for authorisation
  • 45 working days for registration

Find out how to apply using Connect

Third country benchmarks 

Third country benchmark administrators will need to be approved through the recognition or endorsement regimes before 31 December 2030, where a BMR equivalence decision doesn’t apply to them.  

This follows the Government’s extension of the third country regime transitional period from end 2025 to end 2030. See the legislation and the relevant Policy Statement.

Third country benchmark administrators can be added to our benchmarks register through one of 3 routes: equivalence, recognition or endorsement. 

The third country benchmarks register is a public record of all benchmarks that are: 

  • provided by third country benchmark administrators recognised by us
  • endorsed by a UK authorised or registered benchmark administrator, or other supervised entity, for use in the UK
  • provided by third country benchmark administrators that have notified us of consent for their use in the UK, under an equivalence decision adopted by the UK

See more information on the UK Benchmarks Register

How to endorse a third country benchmark

If you are new to us and would like to endorse a third country benchmark under the BMR, you will need to complete the following forms:

Please submit your completed application to [email protected].

If you are an existing firm known to us, and would like to endorse a third country benchmark under the BMR, please complete the forms on our online system Connect.

The timeframes for us to process your application are: 90 working days.

Find out how to apply using Connect

How to become a recognised third country benchmark administrator

Any third country benchmark administrator wishing to apply under the BMR for recognition in the UK, please complete the forms on our online system Connect.

The timeframes for us to process your application are: 90 working days.

Find out how to apply using Connect

How to make an equivalence notification 

Firms from jurisdictions benefitting from an equivalence decision adopted by the UK, may notify us of consent for their benchmark(s) to be used in the UK by completing the forms below.

Please submit your completed notification to [email protected].

Application fees

Firms will pay only one fee, for the highest category of benchmark applied for, however many benchmarks they intend to administer. 

Once authorised, they will not pay any additional fee for new benchmarks administered, but we will charge for each new application to endorse third country benchmarks.

Please refer to FEES 3 Annex 1A for the details of the amount chargeable for each category.

  • Category 8: UK Administrators of critical benchmarks
  • Category 6: Administrators of significant benchmarks, including all commodity and interest rate benchmarks which have not been designated as critical
  • Category 5: Third country applications for recognition
  • Category 4: UK Administrators of non-significant benchmarks
  • Category 3: Applications for endorsement for third-country benchmarks
  • There is no fee for equivalence notifications

There's more information about our pricing categories on our authorisation fees page.

Contact us

For regulatory enquiries specifically related to benchmarks, contact our Benchmarks Supervision team via email at [email protected].

For general queries, including general regulatory questions, you can get in touch with our contact centre.

Page updates

: Information added following third country SI successfully passing through Parliament
: Information changed Update following publication/legislative change of SI by HMT
: Information changed Application fees section
: Link added Authorisation home
: Document update Equivalence schedule of benchmarks