# Financial Services Provider licence - Category I (advice and/or intermediary services, non-discretionary, incl. crypto assets) (South Africa)

Source page: https://protegra.io/licensing/licences/investment-firm/south-africa-fsp-cat1/

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] |
| --- | --- |
| Issued by | [Financial Sector Conduct Authority](https://protegra.io/licensing/regulators/fsca-south-africa/) |
| Jurisdiction | [South Africa](https://protegra.io/licensing/jurisdictions/south-africa/) |
| Licence family | [Investment firm / broker-dealer](https://protegra.io/licensing/licences/investment-firm/) |
| Legal basis | Financial Advisory and Intermediary Services Act 37 of 2002 [2]; Financial Markets Act 19 of 2012 [3] |
| Passporting | Domestic only |
| Application fee | R2,697 [4] |
| 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 fee [5] |

## What it lets you do

- [Investment advice](https://protegra.io/licensing/activities/investment-advice/)
- [Reception and transmission of orders](https://protegra.io/licensing/activities/order-reception-transmission/)

- **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

_Valid in South Africa._

## Cost

_Regulatory costs from the official sources above. Professional fees, staff, office and audit come on top and depend on the business model._

## 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 licences [6]. 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](https://protegra.io/companies/investment-brokerage/).

## Laws behind it

- [Financial Advisory and Intermediary Services Act, 2002](https://protegra.io/licensing/laws/za-fais-act-2002/): Act No. 37 of 2002

## Sources

1. [fsca.co.za: New Financial Service Provider](https://www.fsca.co.za/New-Financial-Service-Provider/): retrieved 2026-09-24
2. [gov.za: financial advisory and intermediary services act](https://www.gov.za/documents/financial-advisory-and-intermediary-services-act): retrieved 2026-09-24
3. [gov.za: financial markets act](https://www.gov.za/documents/financial-markets-act): retrieved 2026-09-24
4. [dealable24.com: south africa fsp license](https://dealable24.com/licenses/south-africa-fsp-license): retrieved 2026-09-24
5. [ctb.co.za: levies for financial services providers fsps 2024 2025](http://ctb.co.za/2024/09/02/levies-for-financial-services-providers-fsps-2024-2025/): retrieved 2026-09-24
6. [fsca.co.za: LR FAIS New Applications](https://www.fsca.co.za/LR-FAIS-New-Applications/): retrieved 2026-09-24
7. [moonstone.co.za: honesty and integrity requirement now applies to the signifi](https://www.moonstone.co.za/honesty-and-integrity-requirement-now-applies-to-the-significant-owners-of-fsps/): retrieved 2026-09-24

Last verified 2026-09-24 · Author: Danil Marmysh · Reviewed by Anastasia Sidorenkova · © Protegra. Data: CC BY 4.0, cite "Protegra Licensing Atlas". Not legal advice.