Find out what permissions you'll need to apply to us for authorisation, and what we expect to see in your application.
This page is for:
- primary credit brokers (where your main business is helping customers find credit and hire agreements), including
- commercial brokers (a type of primary credit broker where you help unincorporated firms, sole traders and small partnerships find credit)
Before reading this page, please read our page for all credit broker applicants[1] to understand:
- our expectations of consumer credit firms
- everything else we expect you to read before you submit your application
- the difference between Limited Permission firms and Full Permission firms
Permissions you'll need
You'll be a Full Permission firm unless you only ever introduce individuals to:
- consumer hire agreements
- hire purchase agreements, or
- Green Deal plans
in which case you can apply for Limited Permission instead.
If you've tried to determine whether you're a Limited or Full Permission firm[2] and you're still not sure, refer to the table below which shows the permissions you may need based on the regulated activities you intend to carry out.
| If you: | It's likely that you'll need: |
|---|---|
| Introduce customers to third-party finance providers (including lease/hire agreements and hire purchase agreements) | Full Permission Credit Broking |
|
Introduce businesses that meet our definition of an individual to third-party finance providers We define an individual as:
|
Full Permission Credit Broking |
| Help customers consolidate, repay or otherwise end existing finance |
Full Permission Debt Counselling Full Permission Debt Adjusting |
| Help customers obtain, understand or correct information held about them by a credit reference agency | Full Permission Providing Credit Information Services |
What we're looking for in your application
You'll need to submit a range of supporting material[3] as part of your application. Please check which forms to complete and the other documentation required before you start your application.
Below are some of the specific things we expect to see if you're a primary credit broker – providing this information will help you to demonstrate that you can meet our expectations.
