Gather your application documents

Ready before you submit

A regulatory business plan: you write it, covering the sections in the FCA's sample business plan and the specific points on the FCA's page for your type of firm Financial forecasts for the next 3 years in Excel, monthly or yearly, plus historical accounts if the firm is already trading: prepared by you or your accountant, following the FCA's guidance on preparing financial information A wind-down plan, if the FCA asks for one for your type of firm: prepared by you, following the FCA's guidance on wind-down plans A governance map or organisation chart naming the holder of each senior management function and the compliance officer An application for approval for each person who will hold a senior management function: made to the FCA through Connect, because no one can start an SMF role before approval Details of every controller, meaning anyone holding 10% or more of the shares or voting power in the firm or its parent A criminal record check for each individual controller, taken no more than 6 months before you apply: a standard DBS check in England and Wales (a basic check for a sole director), or an equivalent check elsewhere Written compliance, risk and financial crime policies that match the permissions you are applying for The application fee for your pricing category, paid when you submit: the FCA's fees page sets out the 10 categories and which permissions fall in each If you will carry on a PRA-regulated activity, such as accepting deposits or carrying out insurance: an application to the Prudential Regulation Authority, which decides these applications