FCA Register: How to Check a Firm, Its Permissions and People

The FCA Register is the public record the FCA keeps of firms, individuals and other bodies that are, or have been, authorised by the FCA or the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA). It is the first place to check whether a firm is allowed to do what it says it does. This guide explains what the Register shows, how to read it, and how it relates to the Firm Checker, the Warning List and the separate Mutuals Public Register.

What is the FCA Register?

The FCA describes the Financial Services Register as a public record of firms, individuals and other bodies that are, or have been, authorised by the FCA or the PRA. People also search for it as the "FS Register", the "FCA registry" or the "financial conduct register". These all point to the same service, which you search at register.fca.org.uk. The FCA's own explanation of the service is on its Financial Services Register page.

The Register covers more than authorised firms. According to the FCA, it also lists unauthorised firms the FCA has been told about, the contact details they use, and whether they falsely claim to be an authorised firm (a "clone firm"). It includes Directory Persons data for FCA-solo and dual-regulated firms, so you can look at individuals as well as businesses.

Because it holds history as well as current status, the Register can also answer a different question: was this firm authorised when I first bought a product from it? The FCA says you can use the FS Register to find that out.

How do you check a firm on the FCA Register?

The FCA's consumer guidance separates two tools. The Firm Checker tells you whether a firm is authorised and has permission for the product or service you are considering. The FS Register is the official public record for all firms and individuals, including history. In practice you can use either, but the steps are the same.

1. Search by firm name or Firm Reference Number (FRN). The FRN is a unique number that the FCA gives to each firm it authorises or registers. If you are given an FRN, search on it, because names can be similar.
2. Read the status. Is the firm authorised, registered, or an appointed representative? The next section explains what each means.
3. Read the permissions. Confirm that the firm's permissions cover the exact service you want. A firm can be authorised and still have no permission for your product.
4. Compare the details. Check that the FRN and contact details you were given match those on the Register.
5. Contact the firm using the Register's details, not links or numbers from an email, advert or the firm's own site. The FCA warns that some firms pretend to be authorised firms.
6. Check the Warning List (see below).
7. If you cannot find the firm on the Firm Checker, the FCA says to call it on 0800 111 6768.

The FCA also notes that checking whether a firm has the right permissions is the most effective and simplest way to reduce your risk. If a firm lacks the authorisation or permission it needs, the FCA says you should avoid dealing with it.

What do "authorised", "registered" and "appointed representative" mean?

These three labels sit at the heart of the Register, and mixing them up is the most common mistake. The legal backdrop is the general prohibition in section 19 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (FSMA): nobody may carry on a regulated activity in the UK, or purport to, unless they are an authorised person or an exempt person.

The FCA's page on how to check a firm or individual is authorised is the source for these definitions. If you are a principal or thinking of becoming an AR, our guide to the appointed representative and principal regime explains the obligations that sit behind the label. The FCA's appointed representatives page lists duties such as a written agreement, pre-appointment checks, and notifying the FCA at least 30 days before the appointment takes effect.

A word on job titles. A phrase such as "registered financial consultant" does not describe a status on the Register. What matters is whether the firm itself is authorised or registered, and for what. Search for the firm, not the title.

What are FCA permissions and how do you read them?

"FCA permissions" are the regulated activities an authorised firm is allowed to carry on. The FCA says both the Register and the Firm Checker show whether firms are authorised or registered and what products and services they are allowed to offer. Three practical points:

• Match the permission to your need. A firm authorised for mortgage advice has not thereby been authorised for investment advice.
• Read the scope. In some sectors permissions come in more than one form. Consumer credit firms, for example, hold either full permission or limited permission, and limited permission covers a narrower set of activities. Our explainer on full versus limited permission sets out the difference.
• Remember what the Register does not cover. Some activities need neither authorisation nor registration. The FCA lists these separately, so a missing entry is not always a red flag, but you should find out why.

If you are not sure whether your own activity needs authorisation at all, start with the "do I need FCA authorisation?" explainer.

Can you look up individuals on the Register?

Yes, with limits. Individuals who work at financial firms sometimes need to be approved by the FCA or certified by their firm. Under the Senior Managers and Certification Regime (SM&CR), the FCA maintains a Directory of certified and assessed persons on the Register. For each person it shows current and former names, roles with start and end dates, and the activities they undertake. For customer-facing roles that need a qualification, it also shows how they engage with customers, their workplace location where relevant, and professional body memberships. The FCA describes the Directory's purpose as letting consumers and professionals check details of key individuals working in financial services. See the Directory of certified and assessed persons.

Two cautions from the FCA. First, not every individual at a firm needs approval, so a person may legitimately not appear on the Register. Second, FCA employees are not listed. An individual's absence is therefore not proof of a problem, but a firm's absence deserves caution.

For our own sector guidance on the regime behind these entries, see SM&CR.

What is the FCA Warning List?

The FCA Warning List is a searchable database of unauthorised firms and individuals the FCA is aware of that are not allowed to operate in the UK, or that are running scams. Entries are marked as new, updated or as clones of an authorised or registered firm, and show the date added or updated. You can search by name, and the FCA offers an RSS feed and a daily email alert for new warnings.

The FS Register does not replace the Warning List, and the Warning List does not replace the Register. The FCA is clear that the Warning List has limits: if a firm is not on it, the firm may still be unauthorised or a scam, because unauthorised firms often change names and the list can lag behind. Use both, and treat an unexpected approach with caution. If a financial business contacts you unprompted, contact it using the details on the Firm Checker, since scammers may pose as authorised firms.

How is the Mutuals Public Register different?

The FCA also runs a Mutuals Public Register, a public record of mutual societies registered by the FCA, including those no longer registered. It covers registered societies (including co-operative and community benefit societies), credit unions, building societies and friendly societies. If you are checking a credit union, building society or co-operative, the Mutuals Public Register is the place for society registration details. For the firm's authorisation to carry on regulated activities, use the FS Register.

If you are a firm: what the Register says about you

When the FCA approves an application, the firm is added to the Financial Services Register, receives a Firm Reference Number, and is sent a letter confirming its permissions. From then on the Register is how customers, counterparties, banks and other regulators see you. Keep your permissions, contact details and, where relevant, your appointed representatives and individuals accurate. Principals should also keep the FCA's data on each AR up to date.

If you are planning to apply, our FCA authorisation service page and the authorisation checklist are practical starting points.

How MEMA can help

MEMA helps firms get onto the Register correctly and stay there. If you are preparing an application, see our FCA authorisation service, or run a quick sense-check with the authorisation checklist. If you are weighing an appointed representative arrangement, start with our appointed representative and principal firms guide.