FCA Regulatory Perimeter Assessment
Discover your regulatory requirements in minutes. Enhanced with FCA good practice guidance, this assessment evaluates your authorisation readiness and provides practical examples for each activity. Includes PERG/RAO mapping, sourcebook references, and tailored implementation support.
Why Use This Tool?
Comprehensive regulatory intelligence at your fingertips
Instant Clarity
Get immediate answers on which FCA permissions and sourcebooks apply to your business model.
PERG/RAO Mapping
Direct references to Perimeter Guidance (PERG) and Regulated Activities Order (RAO) for each activity.
FCA Good Practice
Incorporates FCA's published good practice guidance to help you avoid common application pitfalls.
Readiness Assessment
Score your application readiness based on business model clarity, conduct understanding, and resource preparedness.
8 Regulatory Areas Covered
Comprehensive coverage across FCA-regulated activities
What activities will your firm conduct?
Select all that apply. Click any activity to see practical examples.
Why This Tool Exists
Operating outside the FCA's regulatory perimeter — or inside it without authorisation — is a criminal offence under s19 FSMA (the general prohibition). Many businesses unknowingly carry on regulated activities, particularly in areas like credit broking, insurance distribution, and payment services. This tool helps you assess whether your activities require FCA authorisation before it becomes an enforcement issue.
Who This Tool Is For
Start-ups and fintechs
Determining whether a new business model requires FCA authorisation before launch
Existing businesses expanding
Assessing whether new products or services cross the regulatory perimeter
Legal advisers
Supporting clients with perimeter analysis for novel business models
Compliance teams
Auditing current activities against permissions to identify any scope creep
How to Use This Tool
Describe your business activities
Select the activities your business performs from a structured list covering lending, broking, advising, dealing, arranging, and managing.
Check against regulated activities
The tool maps your activities against the Regulated Activities Order (RAO) to identify which require authorisation.
Review your perimeter position
Receive a clear assessment of which activities are regulated, which exemptions may apply, and what authorisation you need.
Common Mistakes This Tool Prevents
Assuming an activity is unregulated because no money changes hands directly
How this tool helps: Identifies regulated activities like arranging and advising that don't require direct financial transactions
Relying on exclusions that don't actually apply to the firm's specific circumstances
How this tool helps: Tests each claimed exclusion against its conditions to verify it genuinely applies
Not recognising that introducing customers to financial products is credit broking
How this tool helps: Flags common activities like referral arrangements that constitute regulated credit broking
Failing to update the perimeter assessment when the business model changes
How this tool helps: Provides a structured framework for reassessing the perimeter when activities evolve
Related Guidance
Need Perimeter Advice?
Our regulatory experts can conduct a detailed perimeter analysis for your business, advise on whether you need authorisation, identify the right permissions, and guide you through the application process.
Need Implementation Support?
Our regulatory experts help firms navigate FCA authorisation, implement compliance frameworks, and maintain ongoing regulatory obligations.
📞 Phone: 0330 133 0811
📧 Email: contact@memaconsultants.com