Specialized lending credit institution authorization (Spain)
The Establecimiento financiero de crédito (EFC) / Specialized lending credit institution authorization 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 is a national licence: it does not give a passport to other EU/EEA states. The official register lists 22 current holders. Ownership changes need the regulator's approval before completion.
At a glance
| Official name | Specialized lending credit institution authorization1 |
|---|---|
| Local name | Establecimiento financiero de crédito (EFC) |
| Also known as | EFC · establecimiento financiero de crédito · Spanish specialised credit institution licence · Spanish financial credit establishment licence · Spanish EFC licence · Banco de España EFC authorisation |
| Issued by | Bank of Spain |
| Jurisdiction | Spain |
| Licence family | Lending / consumer credit |
| 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 | Domestic only |
| Public register | official register4 |
| Current holders | 224 |
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
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
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
- 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 Entidades.xlsx · retrieved 2026-09-24
- sedeelectronica.bde.es: adquisicion participaciones significativas establecimientos · retrieved 2026-09-24
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