Fees, refunds and payments for credit licences

Fees are payable when you apply, renew or change some of your details on a licence. The total amount payable is usually made up of a Consumer Credit Licensing Fee and a Consumer Credit Jurisdiction (CCJ) Levy. Maintenance charges and the CCJ levy are also payable every five years after you have been issued an indefinite licence.

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What do I have to pay?

The Consumer Credit Licensing Fee covers the cost of considering and processing your application. The CCJ levy is an industry levy to fund the Financial Ombudsman Service. For more detailed information on the CCJ levy see General Notice 95: Funding of the Consumer Credit Jurisdiction including contributions imposed on applicants for a standard consumer credit licence or renewal of such a licence (pdf 71kb).

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How much does it cost to apply for a new licence?

For applications received on or before 31 March 2013, if you are a sole trader the total cost is £575, made up of:

• £435- Consumer Credit Licensing Fee
• £140 - CCJ Levy.

If you are a partnership, company or other organisation the total cost is £1215, made up of: 

• £1075 - Consumer Credit Licensing Fee
• £140 - CCJ Levy.

For applications received on or after 1 April 2013, if you are a sole trader the total cost is £670, made up of:

• £530- Consumer Credit Licensing Fee
• £140 - CCJ Levy.

If you are a partnership, company or other organisation the total cost is £1466, made up of:

• £1326 - Consumer Credit Licensing Fee
• £140 - CCJ Levy.

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How much does it cost to to renew a licence?

For five-year licences due to expire on or before 30 March 2013, if you are a sole trader the total cost is £575, made up of:

• £435- Consumer Credit Licensing Fee
• £140 - CCJ Levy.

If you are a partnership, company or other organisation the total cost is £1215, made up of:

• £1075 - Consumer Credit Licensing Fee
• £140 - CCJ Levy.

For five-year licences due to expire on or after 31 March 2013, if you are a sole trader the total cost is £670, made up of:

• £530- Consumer Credit Licensing Fee
• £140 - CCJ Levy.

If you are a partnership, company or other organisation the total cost is £1466, made up of:

• £1326 - Consumer Credit Licensing Fee
• £140 - CCJ Levy.

There are different fees for:

• applying for group licences
• validating your agreements

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Do I have to pay?

You are unlikely to have to pay if the application relates solely to debt adjusting and/or debt counselling and/or the provision of credit information services where neither the applicant or any associate of the business charges a fee in the course of any credit business or ancillary credit business - or if you are a friendly society or credit union registered in the appropriate manner.

Additionally, you do not have to pay the CCJ levy if your business is subject to the Compulsory Jurisdiction of the Ombudsman Scheme, for example, because it is directly authorised by the Financial Services Authority.

For more information on fees see General Notice 93 - consumer credit fees (pdf 77kb).

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How much does it cost to change the details on a licence?

There is a fee to vary your licence, but no fee to notify us. Find out which details need to be varied and which can be notified.

The fees to varying a licence are:

• £80 - for the first name change
• £60 - for each subsequent name change
• £80 - to add or delete licence categories

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How much is the licence maintenance charge?

The majority of licences granted after 6 April 2008 are indefinite. If you hold an indefinite licence you will be expected to pay a maintenance charge. For 2013/14, the maintenance charge will be £208 if you are a sole trader, and £505 if you are a partnership, company or other organisation. Your first maintenance charge is due five years after your indefinite licence was issued, or five years after your licence was renewed on an indefinite basis. We will write to you in advance of your maintenance charge being due.

If you do not pay the maintenance charge before the due date your licence will terminate. Once a licence has terminated it cannot be used. You will need to apply for a new licence.

For more information on maintenance charges see General Notice 94 - consumer credit maintenance charges (pdf 51kb) or Maintenance Charges Q and A.

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Can I get a refund?

A full refund of the Consumer Credit Licensing fee or maintenance charge will be given :

• if an application or payment is made because the OFT gave incorrect information
• if an application is withdrawn within two working days of being received by the OFT
• if  a maintenance charge payment is withdrawn on or before the due date.

A full refund of the CCJ levy will be given:

• if an application or payment is made because the OFT gave incorrect information
• if an application is withdrawn or refused for any reason
• if a maintenance charge payment is withdrawn on or before the due date
• where no levy is payable but payment has mistakenly been made
• if before, or on the day the licence is issued, the applicant becomes subject to the compulsory jurisdiction of the Ombudsman Scheme.

You will also be refunded if you make an overpayment.

A 50 per cent refund of the Consumer Credit Licensing fee will be given if an application is withdrawn between three and 15 working days of being received by the OFT.

No refund will be given on the Consumer Credit Licensing fee if an application is refused or is withdrawn after 15 working days of receipt. No refund will be given on the maintenance charge after the due date.

For more information on refunds see General Notice 48 - Refunds of fees in respect of consumer credit licence applications (pdf 124kb).

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How do I make a payment?

You can pay for a licence application, renewal or variation by credit or debit card when you apply online. We accept payments by Visa, Visa Debit, Mastercard, Debit Mastercard and Maestro/Switch.

Payments do not have to be made with cards in the name of the applicant; they can be made on your behalf by a third party.

If you can not make a payment in this way please call the Enquiries team on 08457 22 44 99 or email enquiries@oft.gsi.gov.uk. The office is open from 9am to 5pm.

Maintenance charges can only be paid by cheque, postal order or bank draft, and should be sent, with the appropriate remittance slip, to the address specified on the invoice. Maintenance charges cannot be paid online. You must ensure that your maintenance charge reaches the OFT before the due date. If you do not pay the maintenance charge before the due date your licence will terminate. For more information about maintenance charges - including information about the circumstances in which you may be able to apply to extend the payment period - please see Maintenance Charges Q and A.

 

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