Credit institution authorisation (bank) (Estonia)
The Credit institution authorisation (bank) is issued by Finantsinspektsioon (FI) under Credit Institutions Act. It can be passported to the other EU/EEA states by notification. The official register lists 8 current holders. The legal decision period is Within 6 months after receipt of complete documentation, and not later than 12 months after initial application receipt (decision taken by the ECB upon proposal by Finantsinspektsioon). The application fee is EUR 5,000.
At a glance
| Official name | Credit institution authorisation (bank)1 |
|---|---|
| Issued by | Finantsinspektsioon |
| Jurisdiction | Estonia |
| Licence family | Bank / credit institution |
| Legal basis | Credit Institutions Act2 Directive 2013/36/EU on access to the activity of credit institutions and the prudential supervision of credit institutions and investment firms (CRD IV)3 Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 on prudential requirements for credit institutions and investment firms (CRR)4 |
| Passporting | EU/EEA passport available |
| Application fee | EUR 5,0005 |
| Statutory decision time | Within 6 months after receipt of complete documentation, and not later than 12 months after initial application receipt (decision taken by the ECB upon proposal by Finantsinspektsioon)1 |
| Public register | official register6 |
| Current holders | 86 |
What it lets you do
- Taking deposits from the public. Accepting deposits or other repayable funds from the public, the activity reserved to credit institutions.
- Lending. Granting loans, including consumer credit, mortgage credit, factoring and financing of commercial transactions.
- Execution of payment transactions. Executing direct debits, card payments and credit transfers, including standing orders, from a payment account.
Where it is valid
Cost
How long it takes
Statutory: Within 6 months after receipt of complete documentation, and not later than 12 months after initial application receipt (decision taken by the ECB upon proposal by Finantsinspektsioon)1. Observed: 6 to 12 months in practice depending on document readiness and joint European Central Bank review1. The statutory clock usually starts only when the regulator treats the application as complete, and pauses while it waits for answers to its questions.
Buying a company that already holds it
Prior approval required. Acquiring or increasing a qualifying holding reaching or crossing 10%, 20%, 30%, or 50% of share capital or voting rights in an Estonian bank, payment institution, EMI, investment firm, or CASP requires prior notification and approval from Finantsinspektsioon. Filings are submitted electronically through the FI Application Portal (or via the ECB SSM portal for credit institutions). The statutory assessment period is 60 working days from receipt of complete documentation, interruptible once by up to 20 or 30 working days to request additional information, evaluating acquirer reputation, financial solidity, and AML/CFT compliance.7
Laws behind it
- Capital Requirements Directive: Directive 2013/36/EU
- Capital Requirements Regulation: Regulation (EU) No 575/2013
Sources
- fi.ee: operating licence credit institution · retrieved 2026-09-24
- riigiteataja.ee: 509072025008 · retrieved 2026-09-24
- eur-lex.europa.eu: HTML (32013L0036) · retrieved 2026-09-24
- eur-lex.europa.eu: HTML (32013R0575) · retrieved 2026-09-24
- riigiteataja.ee: 529072025004 · retrieved 2026-09-24
- fi.ee: supervised entities · retrieved 2026-09-24
- taotlus.fi.ee · retrieved 2026-09-24
Want the Bank licence in Estonia?
Tell us your business model and target markets. We check the fit before you spend on an application, then handle the licence end to end.
A free preliminary assessment: we check your business model against the licence before you spend on an application. We handle this licence and any other fintech licence, including jurisdictions the Atlas does not cover yet.