Apply for an AFS licence

Information on how to apply for an Australian Financial Services (AFS) licence using ASIC’s Regulatory Portal.

Before you apply

To make sure your application is assessed quickly, it is important that the information you supply to ASIC is correct and complete.

Refer to our AFS Licensing Kit which contains information about the application process including supporting regulatory guidance, sample application questions, templates and FAQs.

Steps to apply

Start your application

Apply for an AFS licence using ASIC’s Regulatory Portal.

ASIC’s Regulatory Portal

You can pause or resume your application at any time and check the progress after submission. To do this, you will need your:

application reference number
username
password.

Note: There is no standard paper AFS licence application. If you are unable to apply online through Regulatory Portal phone, contact ASIC on 1300 300 630.

Review and submit your application

Before you select the ‘Submit’ button, review your application. To ensure your application is assessed quickly, it is important the information you supply to ASIC is correct and complete, and that you submit all documents requested in the application form.

If your application does not meet our requirements, it could be returned to you or refused or there could be substantial delays while we seek further information from you.

Pay the fee

There is a fee to apply for an AFS licence. See Information Sheet 30 for relevant fees:

Information Sheet 30 Fees for commonly lodged documents (INFO 30).

After you submit your application, your AFS licence fee and payment instructions will show on the screen. You can save a copy as a PDF.

After you apply

In assessing your application, we will consider whether you:

are competent to carry on the kind of financial services business specified in the application
have sufficient financial resources to carry on the proposed business, and
can meet the other obligations of an AFS licensee (such as training, compliance, insurance and dispute resolution).

The information in your application must be correct and complete. As part of the application form on the Regulatory Portal, we will request all information required to submit a complete application.

If your application does not meet our requirements, it could be returned to you or refused, or there could be substantial delays while we seek further information from you.

More information

Applicants to which specific financial requirements apply

Ensure you refer to Regulatory Guide 166 Licensing: Financial requirements (RG 166), including the relevant appendix that applies to you, if you are a:

responsible entity
operator of Investor directed portfolio services
custodial or depository services provider (including as a provider of incidental custody services)
trustee company providing traditional services
issuer of margin lending facilities
foreign exchange dealer
retail OTC derivative issuer.

RG 166 sets out in detail the financial requirements that apply to licensees who provide financial services in the above areas. Please ensure that you understand your obligations to comply with these financial requirements before you start your application.

Regulatory Guide 166 Licensing: Financial requirements (RG 166)

Australian financial services licence conditions (Pro Forma 209)

Pro Forma 209 Australian financial services licence conditions (PF 209) sets out the standard licence conditions which, subject to individual circumstances, will usually be applied to licences authorising a person to provide financial services under an Australian financial services (AFS) licence. The prescribed conditions under reg 7.6.04 of the Corporations Regulations also apply in addition to the conditions in this pro forma.

Download AFS licence conditions [PF 209] or see more Financial services pro formas.

ASIC and the Tax Practitioners Board

If you are applying for registration or are already registered with the Tax Practitioner's Board (TPB), the TPB may provide data to ASIC regarding disciplinary matters, including:

rejected tax (financial) adviser registrations,
terminated tax (financial) adviser registrations,
investigations relating to tax (financial) adviser and tax agents that provide financial services where there has been a breach of the Tax Agents Services Act.

ASIC will consider this information when assessing an application for, or a variation to an Australian Financial Services licence.

Find out more about financial advisers providing tax advice or visit the Tax Practitioners Board's website.