Investment dealer licence in Mauritius

About This Company

The Financial Services Commission decides whether to approve an applicant for an Investment Dealer Licence under the Securities Act 2005. Applying from scratch involves a statutory decision window of 10 working days once the Commission determines a file is complete, pursuant to Section 17B of the Financial Services Act 2007, inserted by Act 11 of 2024 in force 1 October 2024. In practice, market timelines run 4 to 7 months from submission to final licensing because of preparation, vetting, and establishing local operational substance. Starting anew also entails an application fee of USD 500 to USD 3,250. Acquiring an existing licensee replaces that setup with an ownership transfer procedure. Under Section 23 of the Financial Services Act 2007 and Section 16 of the VAITOS Act 2021, any transfer of shares or legal or beneficial interest requires prior approval from the FSC. Any unauthorised transfer is void. Prior approval is not required for transfers under 5%, unless the holding exceeds 20% or alters control. Written notification to the Commission covers those smaller movements and neutral transfers between existing shareholders. Anyone holding or controlling not less than 20% of shares or voting power counts as a controller. Both controllers and beneficial owners undergo fit and proper vetting.