Authorisation for operating as a financial institution (Estonia)
The Authorisation for operating as a financial institution (Tegevusluba finantseerimisasutusena tegutsemiseks) is issued by Estonian Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) under Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Prevention Act (Rahapesu ja terrorismi rahastamise tõkestamise seadus). It is a national licence: it does not give a passport to other EU/EEA states. The legal decision period is 60 working days as of the date of submission of the application. The application fee is EUR 3,300.
At a glance
| Official name | Authorisation for operating as a financial institution1 |
|---|---|
| Local name | Tegevusluba finantseerimisasutusena tegutsemiseks |
| Also known as | tegevusluba finantseerimisasutusena tegutsemiseks · Estonian financial institution licence · Estonian FIU financial institution authorisation · Financial institution authorisation (Estonia) |
| Issued by | Estonian Financial Intelligence Unit |
| Jurisdiction | Estonia |
| Licence family | Lending / consumer credit |
| Legal basis | Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Prevention Act (Rahapesu ja terrorismi rahastamise tõkestamise seadus)2 Directive (EU) 2015/849 on the prevention of the use of the financial system for the purposes of money laundering or terrorist financing (AMLD IV)3 Regulation (EU) 2024/1624 on the prevention of the use of the financial system for the purposes of money laundering or terrorist financing (AMLR)4 |
| Passporting | Domestic only |
| Application fee | EUR 3,3005 |
| Annual fee | EUR 0 (no annual supervisory fee; no state fee applies for licence amendment)5 |
| Statutory decision time | 60 working days as of the date of submission of the application6 |
What it lets you do
| Lending | Granting loans, including consumer credit, mortgage credit, factoring and financing of commercial transactions. |
|---|---|
| Consumer credit | Granting or promising credit to consumers, including buy-now-pay-later, subject to consumer protection rules on information, creditworthiness and withdrawal. |
Where it is valid
Cost
How long it takes
Statutory: 60 working days as of the date of submission of the application6. 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
Notification only. Under Section 30 of the General Part of the Economic Activities Code Act and Section 70 of the MLTFPA, licensees must notify changes in beneficial owners (>25% shareholding or control), management board members, procurators, or compliance officers via the Register of Economic Activities (MTR). The FIU conducts fit and proper checks on new owners and managers to ensure impeccable reputation and absence of criminal convictions; failure to satisfy requirements initiates licence revocation proceedings under MLTFPA Section 76.6
Credit in other countries
| Country | Licence | Regulator | Min. capital | Application fee | Statutory time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | Australian credit licence (ACL) | ASIC | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Cyprus | European Crowdfunding Service Provider authorisation | CySEC | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Czech Republic | Non-bank Consumer Credit Provider licence | CNB | n/a | CZK 50,000 | n/a |
| Czech Republic | Crowdfunding Service Provider authorizationCrowdfunding Service Provider authorization under ECSPR | CNB | n/a | CZK 20,000 | ~3 mo |
| Estonia | Operating licence as a credit servicer | FI | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Estonia | Operating licence as a creditor | FI | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Estonia | Authorisation as a crowdfunding service providerAuthorisation as a crowdfunding service provider under ECSPR | FI | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Estonia | Authorisation for operating as a financial institution | FIU | n/a | EUR 3,300 | ~2.8 mo |
| Estonia | Operating licence as a credit intermediary | FI | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| France | European crowdfunding service provider authorization | AMF | n/a | n/a | ~3 mo |
| Ireland | Crowdfunding Service Provider Authorisation (ECSPR) | CBI | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Italy | European crowdfunding service provider authorization (ECSPR) | CONSOB | n/a | n/a | ~3 mo |
| Latvia | Crowdfunding service provider authorization | LB | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Lithuania | Crowdfunding service provider authorization | LB | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Lithuania | Peer-to-peer lending platform operator | LB | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Luxembourg | Crowdfunding service provider authorisation | CSSF | n/a | EUR 30,000 | n/a |
| Netherlands | European Crowdfunding Service Provider (ECSPR) authorisationEuropean Crowdfunding Service Provider (ECSPR) authorisation under Regulation (EU) 2020/1503 | AFM | n/a | EUR 200 | ~4.2 mo |
| Poland | Crowdfunding Service Provider authorizationCrowdfunding Service Provider authorization under ECSPR | KNF | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Poland | Lending Institution registration | KNF | n/a | PLN 616 | n/a |
| Slovakia | Crowdfunding service provider authorisationCrowdfunding service provider authorisation under ECSPR | NBS | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Spain | European crowdfunding service provider authorization | CNMV | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Spain | Specialized lending credit institution authorization | BdE | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| United Kingdom | Consumer Credit Full Permission Authorisation (Part 4A FSMA) | FCA | n/a | n/a | n/a |
Values come from each licence's page, where every figure has its source.
Laws behind it
- Fourth Anti-Money Laundering Directive (as amended by the fifth, 2018/843): Directive (EU) 2015/849
- Anti-Money Laundering Regulation (single rulebook): Regulation (EU) 2024/1624
Sources
- fiu.ee: authorisation economic activity · retrieved 2026-09-24
- Estonian State Gazette (Riigi Teataja): current · retrieved 2026-09-24
- EUR-Lex: CELEX 32015L0849 · retrieved 2026-09-24
- EUR-Lex: CELEX 32024R1624 · retrieved 2026-09-24
- fiu.ee: state fee · retrieved 2026-09-24
- fiu.ee: process application · retrieved 2026-09-24
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