Commercial bank licence (Spain)
The Entidad de crédito (Banco) / Commercial bank licence is issued by Bank of Spain (BdE) under Directive 2013/36/EU on access to the activity of credit institutions and prudential supervision (CRD IV). It can be passported to the other EU/EEA states by notification. The official register lists 42 current holders. The legal decision period is 6 months from receipt of a complete application (or within 12 months from initial filing; silence implies rejection).
At a glance
| Official name | Commercial bank licence1 |
|---|---|
| Local name | Entidad de crédito (Banco) |
| Also known as | Spanish banking licence · Spanish bank licence · Banco de España banking licence · Spanish credit institution licence |
| Issued by | Bank of Spain |
| Jurisdiction | Spain |
| Licence family | Bank / credit institution |
| Legal basis | Directive 2013/36/EU on access to the activity of credit institutions and prudential supervision (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 0 national fee (Credit institution licensing instruction by Banco de España does not accrue a national administrative fee; significant institutions pay ECB supervisory levies)1 |
| Statutory decision time | 6 months from receipt of a complete application (or within 12 months from initial filing; silence implies rejection)1 |
| Public register | official register4 |
| Current holders | 424 |
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
How long it takes
Statutory: 6 months from receipt of a complete application (or within 12 months from initial filing; silence implies rejection)1. 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. Any natural or legal person intending to acquire or increase, directly or indirectly, a qualifying holding reaching or exceeding 10%, 20%, 30%, or 50% of the share capital or voting rights, or to acquire control of an electronic money institution, payment institution, or credit financial establishment, must submit prior notification to Banco de España under Procedure ES_BDE_C056_P247 (or ES_BDE_C056_P114 for banks). Banco de España assesses acquirer reputation, financial soundness, and AML/CFT risks within a statutory maximum period of 60 working days from written acknowledgement of receipt. Closing without non-opposition suspends voting rights and triggers administrative penalties under Ley 10/2014 and Real Decreto 736/2019.5
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
- boe.es: act · retrieved 2026-09-24
- EUR-Lex: CELEX 32013L0036 · retrieved 2026-09-24
- EUR-Lex: CELEX 32013R0575 · retrieved 2026-09-24
- bde.es: Registro EntCredito.xlsx · retrieved 2026-09-24
- sedeelectronica.bde.es: adquisicion participaciones significativas establecimientos · retrieved 2026-09-24
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