Financial Services Provider licence - Category I (South Africa)
The Financial Services Provider licence - Category I (advice and/or intermediary services, non-discretionary, incl. crypto assets) is issued by Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) under Financial Advisory and Intermediary Services Act 37 of 2002. The application fee is R2,697. Ownership changes need the regulator's approval before completion.
At a glance
| Official name | Financial Services Provider licence - Category I (advice and/or intermediary services, non-discretionary, incl. crypto assets)1 |
|---|---|
| Also known as | Category I FSP licence · Cat 1 FSP · FAIS Category I licence · South African Cat 1 broker licence |
| Issued by | Financial Sector Conduct Authority |
| Jurisdiction | South Africa |
| Licence family | Investment firm / broker-dealer |
| Legal basis | Financial Advisory and Intermediary Services Act 37 of 20022 Financial Markets Act 19 of 20123 |
| Passporting | Domestic only |
| Application fee | R2,6974 |
| Annual fee | levy per representative/key individual of R520-R551.20 for 2024/25 (Cat I/IV Long-Term Insurance subcategory A only: R250), plus other components; FSCA does not publish one flat annual fee5 |
What it lets you do
| Investment advice | Giving personal recommendations to a client about one or more transactions in financial instruments. |
|---|---|
| Reception and transmission of orders | Receiving client orders in financial instruments and passing them to another firm for execution. |
Where it is valid
How long it takes
Statutory: not set in law. Observed: reported 8-12 weeks in practice, as the FSCA Licensing Committee meets once a month to approve licences6. 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
Notification only. A 'significant owner' under FSR Act s157 is anyone able to control or materially influence an FSP's business or strategy, presumed at the power to appoint 15% of the governing body or holding a qualifying stake. For an ordinary FSP (not a bank, insurer, market infrastructure or CIS manager), FSR Act s158 prior-approval does not apply; the FSP must instead notify the FSCA of significant ownership. A new key individual, however, needs FSCA fit-and-proper approval (FAIS s8(4)(b), form FSP4D) before acting, and non-compliance must be notified within 30 days.7
Ready-made companies holding this licence: see verified positions.
IF in other countries
| Country | Licence | Regulator | Min. capital | Application fee | Statutory time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) | Investment firm licenceFinancial Services Permission for Dealing in Investments as Principal (Category 2) | FSRA | n/a | USD 40,000 | n/a |
| Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) | Investment firm licenceFinancial Services Permission for Dealing in Investments as Agent or Matched Principal (Category 3A) | FSRA | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) | Investment firm licenceFinancial Services Permission for Advising on Investments or Arranging Deals in Investments (Category 4) | FSRA | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Australia | Australian financial services licence (AFSL) | ASIC | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Bermuda | Investment Business LicenceInvestment Business Licence (standard licence, under the Investment Business Act 2003) | BMA | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| British Virgin Islands | Investment Business LicenceInvestment Business Licence (Categories 1-4: dealing, managing, advising, custody/administration of investments) | BVI FSC | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Cayman Islands | Securities Investment Business Licence / Registered Person | CIMA | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Cyprus | Cyprus Investment Firm (CIF) authorisation | CySEC | n/a | EUR 7,000 | ~6 mo |
| Czech Republic | Investment Firm licence | CNB | n/a | CZK 20,000 | ~6 mo |
| Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) | Investment firm licenceFinancial Services Permission for Dealing in Investments as Principal (Category 2) | DFSA | n/a | USD 40,000 | n/a |
| Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) | Investment firm licenceFinancial Services Permission for Dealing in Investments as Agent or Operating an Alternative Trading System (Category 3A) | DFSA | n/a | USD 25,000 | n/a |
| Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) | Investment firm licenceFinancial Services Permission for Advising on Financial Products or Arranging Deals in Investments (Category 4) | DFSA | n/a | USD 15,000 | n/a |
| Estonia | Authorisation as an investment firm | FI | n/a | EUR 3,000 | ~2 mo |
| France | Financial investment adviser status | AMF | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Germany | Investment firm licence | BaFin | n/a | EUR 6,336 | ~6 mo |
| Hong Kong | Type 1 Licence for Dealing in Securities | SFC | n/a | HKD 4,740 | ~3.5 mo |
| Hong Kong | Type 2 Licence for Dealing in Futures Contracts | SFC | n/a | HKD 4,740 | ~3.5 mo |
| Hong Kong | Type 4 Licence for Advising on Securities | SFC | n/a | HKD 4,740 | ~3.5 mo |
| Hong Kong | Type 6 Licence for Advising on Corporate Finance | SFC | n/a | HKD 4,740 | ~3.5 mo |
| Hong Kong | Type 7 Licence for Providing Automated Trading Services | SFC | n/a | HKD 4,740 | ~3.5 mo |
| Ireland | Investment Firm Authorisation (MiFID II) | CBI | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Italy | Investment firm licence (SIM) | CONSOB | n/a | n/a | ~6 mo |
| Latvia | Investment firm licence | LB | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Lithuania | Financial brokerage firm licence | LB | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Luxembourg | Investment firm authorisation | CSSF | n/a | EUR 50,000 | ~6 mo |
| Malaysia (Labuan) | Securities Licensee licenceSecurities Licensee licence (dealing in / advising on securities) | Labuan FSA | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Malta | Investment services licence (Category 1, 2, or 3) | MFSA | n/a | EUR 7,250 | ~6 mo |
| Mauritius | Investment Adviser Licence | FSC | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Mauritius | Investment Dealer Licence | FSC | n/a | USD 500 | ~0.5 mo |
| Netherlands | Investment firm licenceInvestment firm licence (Vergunning beleggingsonderneming) under Wft Article 2:96 and MiFID II | AFM | n/a | EUR 200 | ~3 mo |
| Poland | Brokerage House licence (dom maklerski) | KNF | n/a | EUR 4,500 | ~2 mo |
| Seychelles | Securities Dealer's Licence | FSA | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Singapore | Capital Markets Services (CMS) Licence | MAS | n/a | SGD 1,000 | n/a |
| Slovakia | Investment firm licence | NBS | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| South Africa | Financial Services Provider licence - Category IFinancial Services Provider licence - Category I (advice and/or intermediary services, non-discretionary, incl. crypto assets) | FSCA | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| South Africa | Financial Services Provider licence - Category II (discretionary FSP) | FSCA | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| South Africa | Over-the-Counter Derivative Provider (ODP) authorisationOver-the-Counter Derivative Provider (ODP) authorisation under the Financial Markets Act | FSCA | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Spain | AV) investment firm licence | CNMV | n/a | EUR 10,000 | ~6 mo |
| Spain | Empresa de Asesoramiento Financiero (EAF) licence | CNMV | n/a | EUR 1,000 | ~6 mo |
| Switzerland | Portfolio manager licence | FINMA | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Switzerland | Securities firm licence | FINMA | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| United Kingdom | MIFIDPRU Investment Firm Authorisation (Part 4A FSMA) | FCA | n/a | GBP 2,820 | ~6 mo |
Values come from each licence's page, where every figure has its source.
Laws behind it
- Financial Advisory and Intermediary Services Act, 2002: Act No. 37 of 2002
Sources
- fsca.co.za: New Financial Service Provider · retrieved 2026-09-24
- gov.za: financial advisory and intermediary services act · retrieved 2026-09-24
- gov.za: financial markets act · retrieved 2026-09-24
- dealable24.com: south africa fsp license · secondary · retrieved 2026-09-24
- ctb.co.za: levies for financial services providers fsps 2024 2025 · secondary · retrieved 2026-09-24
- fsca.co.za: LR FAIS New Applications · secondary · retrieved 2026-09-24
- moonstone.co.za: honesty and integrity requirement now applies to the signifi · secondary · retrieved 2026-09-24
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