FCA authorisation guide
Motor dealers may need FCA authorisation when they introduce customers to vehicle finance or carry out credit broking activity. This guide explains the decision points in plain English.
Whether the dealership is simply selling vehicles or also introducing customers to lenders, brokers or motor finance products.
How the customer journey, website wording, application documents and FCA permissions should tell the same story.
What to prepare before an FCA application, FCA licence discussion or post-approval compliance review.
FCA authorisation matters because vehicle finance introductions can fall within regulated consumer credit activity.
A dealership should understand its position before offering finance options to customers.
A car dealer may describe itself as a vehicle retailer, but the finance conversation can still involve regulated activity. The customer journey, lender relationship and website wording need to be checked together.
Introducing a customer to a lender or finance broker can amount to credit broking.
The exact position depends on what the dealer does in practice, not just the wording used on the website or sales documents.
Authorisation may be needed where a dealer introduces customers to finance providers, helps arrange finance, or presents finance options as part of the sales journey.
Dealers should check their activities before starting or expanding finance introductions.
Typical trigger points include adding finance calculators to the website, sending customers to a lender portal, or allowing sales staff to discuss monthly payments as part of the sale.
A business may call itself a car dealer, used vehicle retailer or brokerage, but FCA permissions are driven by activity.
The key question is what the firm actually does with customers and finance providers.
For many dealers, credit broking permission is the main consumer credit permission to consider.
Some firms may need different or additional permissions depending on the services they provide.
Starting finance activity without checking permissions can create avoidable regulatory and commercial risk.
It may also cause issues with lenders, customer disclosures and future FCA reporting.
Review the customer journey, finance process, website wording and any lender or broker arrangements.
If you need help, see our FCA authorisation support for motor dealers.
Map the customer journey from first enquiry to vehicle handover. Mark where finance is mentioned, who introduces the lender, where disclosure wording appears and who keeps the record.
Some car dealers need FCA authorisation, especially where they introduce customers to vehicle finance or carry out credit broking activity.
You may need FCA authorisation if you introduce customers to lenders or brokers. The answer depends on the activity and permissions required.
Credit broking can include introducing customers to finance providers or helping arrange vehicle finance.
Many motor dealers apply for Limited Permission where consumer credit activity is secondary to vehicle sales.
Yes. 009 Compliance can help motor dealers prepare FCA authorisation applications and supporting documents.
These official FCA pages may help you check the current position before making decisions or submitting information.
009 Compliance supports motor dealers with practical FCA application preparation.
This page provides general information only. It is not legal or regulatory advice. Firms remain responsible for checking their own FCA permissions, RegData schedule and reporting obligations.
