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 |
|---|---|
| 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
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.europa.eu: HTML (32013L0036) · retrieved 2026-09-24
- eur-lex.europa.eu: HTML (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
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