FCA application documents
FCA application documents help explain how a motor dealer will operate, monitor compliance and introduce customers to finance providers.
The documents should explain the actual finance customer journey, not a generic process copied from another business.
The Regulatory Business Plan, website wording, compliance procedures and complaints procedure should describe the same activities.
A document is stronger when staff can understand where disclosures, vulnerable customer steps and complaint records fit in daily work.
Documents help the FCA understand the dealership, its finance activity and its compliance arrangements.
They should be proportionate, consistent and specific to the business.
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.
The business plan explains what the firm does, who its customers are and how regulated activity fits into the dealership.
It should match the actual sales and finance process.
For a dealer, this often means explaining stock profile, sales channels, lender relationships, finance introductions and who is responsible for compliance.
A compliance procedures manual sets out how the firm intends to manage key regulatory areas.
It should be practical enough for the business to use.
A monitoring programme explains how the firm will check that procedures are being followed.
It may include periodic file checks, website reviews and complaint reviews.
A complaints procedure should explain how complaints are identified, recorded, investigated and responded to.
It should be clear to staff and consistent with customer-facing information.
The policy should explain how staff identify and support customers who may need additional care.
It should fit the finance and vehicle sales journey.
A customer journey document maps how customers move from enquiry to finance introduction and vehicle purchase.
This can help show where disclosures and checks happen.
Financial crime procedures should explain proportionate steps for fraud, identity concerns and suspicious activity.
They should reflect the dealership’s actual processes.
Website wording should match the application and the firm’s intended permissions.
Inconsistent wording can make the application less clear.
The documents, website and application answers should describe the same business model.
For document help, see our FCA application support for motor dealers.
If the FCA application says the dealer only introduces customers to a small lender panel, the website and customer journey should not suggest something broader or different.
Documents may include a regulatory business plan, compliance procedures, monitoring programme, complaints procedure, vulnerable customer policy and customer journey information.
A regulatory business plan is commonly used to explain the dealership, its finance activity and its compliance approach.
It is a plan for checking that compliance procedures are followed and records are maintained.
Yes. Website wording should be consistent with the FCA application and the firm’s permissions.
Yes. 009 Compliance can help motor dealers prepare structured FCA application documents.
These official FCA pages may help you check the current position before making decisions or submitting information.
009 Compliance helps motor dealers prepare structured documents for FCA authorisation applications.
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.
