Lending / consumer credit
A lending or consumer credit licence authorises a non-bank company to grant loans, typically to consumers, funded from its own capital rather than deposits. In the EU the Consumer Credit Directive sets conduct rules and national laws set the licensing; many countries also regulate buy-now-pay-later, pawn lending and peer-to-peer lending platforms separately.
Where the Credit licence is available
Comparison by country
| Country | Regulator | Min. capital | Statutory time | Passport |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | ASIC | n/a | n/a | Domestic |
| Cyprus | CySEC | n/a | n/a | EU/EEA |
| Czech Republic | CNB | n/a | n/a | Domestic |
| Czech Republic | CNB | n/a | 3 mo | EU/EEA |
| Estonia | FI | n/a | n/a | Domestic |
| Estonia | FI | n/a | n/a | Domestic |
| Estonia | FI | n/a | n/a | EU/EEA |
| Estonia | FIU | n/a | 2.8 mo | Domestic |
| Estonia | FI | n/a | n/a | Domestic |
| France | AMF | n/a | 3 mo | EU/EEA |
| Ireland | CBI | n/a | n/a | EU/EEA |
| Italy | CONSOB | n/a | 3 mo | EU/EEA |
| Latvia | LB | n/a | n/a | EU/EEA |
| Lithuania | LB | n/a | n/a | EU/EEA |
| Lithuania | LB | n/a | n/a | Domestic |
| Luxembourg | CSSF | n/a | n/a | EU/EEA |
| Netherlands | AFM | n/a | 1.2 mo | EU/EEA |
| Poland | KNF | n/a | n/a | EU/EEA |
| Poland | KNF | n/a | n/a | Domestic |
| Slovakia | NBS | n/a | n/a | EU/EEA |
| Spain | CNMV | n/a | n/a | EU/EEA |
| Spain | BdE | n/a | n/a | Domestic |
| United Kingdom | FCA | n/a | n/a | Domestic |
Values come from each country's page, where every figure has its source.
Activities this family typically covers
All licences in this family
- Credit · Australia
Australian credit licence (ACL)
ASIC
- Credit · Cyprus
European Crowdfunding Service Provider authorisation
CySEC
- Credit · Czech Republic
Non-bank Consumer Credit Provider licence (oprávnění k činnosti nebankovního poskytovatele spotřebitelského úvěru)
CNB
- Credit · Czech Republic
Crowdfunding Service Provider authorization under ECSPR (povolení k činnosti poskytovatele služeb skupinového financování)
CNB
- Credit · Estonia
Operating licence as a credit servicer
FI
- Credit · Estonia
Operating licence as a creditor
FI
- Credit · Estonia
Authorisation as a crowdfunding service provider under ECSPR
FI
- Credit · Estonia
Authorisation for operating as a financial institution (Tegevusluba finantseerimisasutusena tegutsemiseks)
FIU
- Credit · Estonia
Operating licence as a credit intermediary
FI
- Credit · France
Prestataire de services de financement participatif (PSFP) / European crowdfunding service provider authorization
AMF
- Credit · Ireland
Crowdfunding Service Provider Authorisation (ECSPR)
CBI
- Credit · Italy
Fornitore di servizi di crowdfunding / European crowdfunding service provider authorization (ECSPR)
CONSOB
- Credit · Latvia
Crowdfunding service provider authorization
LB
- Credit · Lithuania
Crowdfunding service provider authorization
LB
- Credit · Lithuania
Peer-to-peer lending platform operator
LB
- Credit · Luxembourg
Crowdfunding service provider authorisation
CSSF
- Credit · Netherlands
European Crowdfunding Service Provider (ECSPR) authorisation under Regulation (EU) 2020/1503
AFM
- Credit · Poland
Crowdfunding Service Provider authorization under ECSPR (dostawca usług finansowania społecznościowego)
KNF
- Credit · Poland
Lending Institution registration (instytucja pożyczkowa - RIP)
KNF
- Credit · Slovakia
Crowdfunding service provider authorisation under ECSPR (povolenie na činnosť poskytovateľa služieb kolektívneho financovania)
NBS
- Credit · Spain
Proveedor de servicios de financiación participativa / European crowdfunding service provider authorization
CNMV
- Credit · Spain
Establecimiento financiero de crédito (EFC) / Specialized lending credit institution authorization
BdE
- Credit · United Kingdom
Consumer Credit Full Permission Authorisation (Part 4A FSMA)
FCA
Sources
- Consumer Credit Directive (EU) 2023/2225 · retrieved 2026-09-24
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