Credit institution authorisation (Luxembourg)
The Credit institution authorisation is issued by Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier (CSSF) under Directive 2013/36/EU on access to the activity of credit institutions and the prudential supervision of credit institutions and investment firms (CRD IV). It can be passported to the other EU/EEA states by notification. The official register lists 118 current holders. The legal decision period is 6 months from receipt of a complete application, maximum 12 months overall.
At a glance
| Official name | Credit institution authorisation1 |
|---|---|
| Also known as | Luxembourg bank licence · Luxembourg banking licence · Luxembourg credit institution licence · CSSF banking licence |
| Issued by | Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier |
| Jurisdiction | Luxembourg |
| Licence family | Bank / credit institution |
| Legal basis | Directive 2013/36/EU on access to the activity of credit institutions and the prudential supervision of credit institutions and investment firms (CRD IV)2 Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 on prudential requirements for credit institutions and investment firms (CRR)3 |
| Passporting | EU/EEA passport available |
| Application fee | EUR 75,0004 |
| Annual fee | EUR 116,5004 |
| Statutory decision time | 6 months from receipt of a complete application, maximum 12 months overall1 |
| Public register | official register5 |
| Current holders | 1185 |
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: 6 months from receipt of a complete application, maximum 12 months overall1. Observed: not published. 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 notification with an objection period. Acquisition or disposal of qualifying holdings reaching or crossing 10%, 20%, 30%, or 50% of capital or voting rights, or causing an entity to become a subsidiary, requires prior written notification to the CSSF. The CSSF conducts a prudential assessment of acquirer suitability, reputation, financial soundness, and AML risk within 60 working days (interruptible once by up to 20 working days, or 30 working days for non-EU acquirers) under Articles 18 and 18-1 of the Law of 5 April 1993, Article 12 of the Law of 10 November 2009, Article 83 of Regulation (EU) 2023/1114 (MiCA), and Circular CSSF 17/669 adopting the Joint ESA Guidelines.6
Bank in other countries
| Country | Licence | Regulator | Min. capital | Application fee | Statutory time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) | Financial Services Permission for Accepting DepositsFinancial Services Permission for Accepting Deposits (Category 1 Commercial Bank) | FSRA | n/a | USD 70,000 | n/a |
| Bermuda | Banking Licence / Deposit Company Licence / Restricted Banking LicenceBanking Licence / Deposit Company Licence / Restricted Banking Licence (Banks and Deposit Companies Act 1999) | BMA | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Cayman Islands | Bank LicenceBank Licence (Category A and Category B) under the Banks and Trust Companies Act | CIMA | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Czech Republic | Commercial Bank licence | CNB | n/a | CZK 200,000 | n/a |
| Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) | Bank licenceFinancial Services Permission for Accepting Deposits or Providing Credit (Category 1 Commercial Bank) | DFSA | n/a | USD 70,000 | n/a |
| Estonia | Credit institution authorisation (bank) | FI | n/a | EUR 5,000 | ~6 mo |
| Georgia | Commercial bank licence | NBG | n/a | n/a | ~6 mo |
| Germany | CRR) | BaFin | n/a | n/a | ~6 mo |
| Ireland | Banking LicenceBanking Licence (Section 9 Central Bank Act 1971) | CBI | n/a | n/a | ~6 mo |
| Latvia | Credit institution licence (bank) | LB | n/a | n/a | 4-13 mo |
| Lithuania | Specialised bank licence | LB | n/a | EUR 4,157 | ~6 mo |
| Lithuania | Bank licence | LB | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Luxembourg | Credit institution authorisation | CSSF | n/a | EUR 75,000 | ~6 mo |
| Malta | Credit institution licence | MFSA | n/a | EUR 35,000 | ~6 mo |
| Netherlands | Bank licenceBank licence (Vergunning bank / kredietinstelling) | DNB | n/a | EUR 44,300 | ~6 mo |
| Poland | Commercial Bank licence | KNF | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Singapore | Banking LicenceBanking Licence (Full Bank, Wholesale Bank, Digital Bank) | MAS | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Slovakia | Banking licence | NBS | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Spain | Commercial bank licence | BdE | n/a | n/a | ~6 mo |
| Switzerland | FinTech licence (PersonsFinTech licence (Persons pursuant to Article 1b Banking Act | FINMA | n/a | CHF 100 | n/a |
| Switzerland | Banking licence | FINMA | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| United Arab Emirates | Commercial Bank Licence | CBUAE | n/a | n/a | n/a |
Values come from each licence's page, where every figure has its source.
Laws behind it
- Capital Requirements Directive: Directive 2013/36/EU
- Capital Requirements Regulation: Regulation (EU) No 575/2013
Sources
- cssf.lu: law of 5 april 1993 · retrieved 2026-09-24
- EUR-Lex: CELEX 32013L0036 · retrieved 2026-09-24
- EUR-Lex: CELEX 32013R0575 · retrieved 2026-09-24
- cssf.lu: GDR 231222 CSSF fees (PDF) · retrieved 2026-09-24
- searchentities.apps.cssf.lu: entite · retrieved 2026-09-24
- cssf.lu: circular cssf 17 669 · retrieved 2026-09-24
Want the Bank licence in Luxembourg?
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.