How to obtain authorisation
Obtaining authorisation is a regulated process whereby you can become a participant of Latvia's financial market and commence business after obtaining authorisation.
The operating licence of a payment institution shall be issued by Latvijas Banka in accordance with the Law on Payment Services and Electronic Money (hereinafter – the Law).
For payment institutions whose activities do not require a licence but are to be included in the list of registered payment institutions, please see here: Sections 1, paragraph 1 of the Law defines the payment services, which the payment service provider, including a payment institution, is entitled to provide.
The following payment service providers are entitled to provide payment services:
- a credit institution;
- an electronic money institution;
- a payment institution;
- the European Central Bank, the central bank when carrying out activities other than the implementation of monetary policy or other activities of a public person;
- an institution of direct administration or a derived public person when it performs activities which are not activities of a public person;
- an institution licensed in a Member State which has taken up business in Latvia;
- a savings and loan association.
Qualification requirements for the licensed payment institution:
- persons involved in the management have adequate education and experience to manage the payment institution in accordance with the requirements of Section 20 of the Law;
- persons involved in the management and in the case of shareholders holding 10% or more of their share capital or voting rights with good repute and no criminal record in accordance with the requirements of Section 21 of the Law;
- provision of own funds from 20 000 euro to 125000 euro, depending on the type of payment services selected in accordance with Section 12 of the Law and capital requirement under Section 35 of the Law, except if only an account information service is provided, as in this case no capital requirement is specified.
Payment services and services related to payment services that do not require operating authorisation are specified within the payment service framework, please see Section 3 of the Law.
The process of obtaining authorisation comprises several steps:
- Preparation for the submission of application
- Submission of application
- Assessment of application
- Receipt of authorisation
Preparation for the submission of application: an introductory stage, during which Latvijas Banka organises a meeting with an entrepreneur to discuss its planned activities. At this stage, the enterprise does not necessarily have to be established yet. What does the entrepreneur do What does Latvijas Banka do What should be taken into account Documents to be submitted: Costs Preparing for submission of the application and provision of advice by Latvijas Banka are free of charge. Submission of application: An entrepreneur prepares and submits an application for authorisation. What does the entrepreneur do What does Latvijas Banka do? What should be taken into account? List of documents to be submitted 1. A legal person shall apply for the authorisation of an payment institution. The application shall be prepared in accordance with Annex 1 to FCMC Regulation No 138 (hereinafter referred to also as Regulations No 138), to which the following are added: 2. Documents resulting from the requirements of Section 11 of the Law and Regulations No 138, shall be submitted together with an application for an payment institution licence: 2.1. the programme of operations of the institution, indicating the types of intended payment services; Annex 4 to Regulation No 138; 2.2. the business plan of the institution for not less than the first three financial years, which reflects in detail the operational strategy of the institution, the financial forecasts, as well as the draft balance sheet, profit or loss account, the capital adequacy calculation project, market research plans and other information, as specified in Regulations No 138, which demonstrate that the applicant will be able to provide sound, stable and prudent operation of the institution; Annex 5 to Regulations No 138; 2.3. evidence of the existence of the initial capital; 2.4. description of the measures taken for safeguarding the money of payment service users in accordance with the provisions of Section 38 of the Law, including information regarding the fulfilment of the requirements of Paragraph one of the said Section; Annex 7 to Regulations No 138; 2.5. description of the internal control system and risk management, which also includes a description of the administrative, risk management and accounting procedures necessary to ensure appropriate and sufficient management of an institution; Annex 8 to Regulations No 138; 2.6. procedures of the institution which ensure the establishment and efficient operation of the internal control system for the prevention of money laundering and terrorism and proliferation financing, including a detailed assessment of the risk associated with the services provided; Annex 14 to Regulations No 138; find more detailed information here; 2.7. description of the structural organisation of the institution, including information regarding the agents, branches, outsourcing contracts of the institution and its participation in a national or international payment system; Annex 6 to Regulations No 138; 2.8. information regarding the identity of the persons who have acquired a qualifying holding directly or indirectly in the institution, as well as the amount of their actual holding and a certificate of the compliance of such persons with Article 15 of the Law; Annexes 2, 3, 5 (if applicable), 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 of Regulations No 92 and information and documents indicated in these Annexes, including information on the origin of initial capital funds; 2.9. list of those persons with whom the institution has close links within the meaning of the Credit Institution Law, indicating their identity and the nature of their relationship; 2.10. information regarding the members of the board and council of the institution, who, upon taking significant decisions on behalf of the institution, cause civil liabilities to the institution, the person responsible for the fulfilment of the requirements for the prevention of money laundering and terrorism and proliferation financing, as well as such person who is directly responsible for the management of the operation of payment services of the institution, as well as documents (CV, educational evidence documents, Punishment Register statement) which certify the compliance of the relevant persons with the requirements of Sections 20 and 21 of the Law; Annex 15 to Regulations No 138; 2.11. information on a sworn auditor or a commercial company of sworn auditors, if required in accordance with the Law on the Annual Accounts and Consolidated Annual Reports; Paragraph 4 of Annex 1 to Regulations No 138; 2.12. the articles of association of the institution, if such information is not available in public registers; 2.13. description of the internal control and management system of the institution in relation to security incident management and of the examination of complaints submitted by payment service users in relation to the security and monitoring of information systems, including a mechanism according to which incidents are reported, arising from the requirements of Section 104.2 of this Law, including the procedure for recording and reporting incidents; Annex 9 to Regulations No 138; 2.14. description of the processes developed to record, monitor, track and restrict access to sensitive payment data; Annex 13 to Regulations No 138; 2.15. description of the institution's commercial activity continuity arrangements, including effective emergency plans and a description of the regular verification and review procedures for the conformity and efficiency of these plans; Annex 11 to Regulations No 138; 2.16. description of the process for compiling statistics on the performance of the institution, a procedure or manual, which summarises data on the effectiveness of the activities of the institution, services provided and cases of fraud; Annex 10 to Regulations No 138; 2.17. information to be included in the description of information systems security policy, including a procedure or policy, including a detailed assessment of the risks associated with the services provided, as well as a description of security control and risk mitigation measures; Annex 12 to Regulations No 138; 2.18. policies and procedures for supervision and control of outsourcing functions in order to avoid deterioration of the quality of internal control of the applicant in accordance with Sections 29 to 30 of the Law (if applicable); 2.19. policy and procedure regarding supervision and control of agents and branches within the framework of internal control of the applicant; in accordance with Sections 27 to 28 of the Law (if applicable); 2.20. if the applicant is a subsidiary of a regulated institution in another Member State of the European Union – a description of the management of the group (if applicable). An applicant who further wishes to provide a payment initiation service or account information service shall submit to Latvijas Banka a certified copy of his professional indemnity insurance policy or a document attesting to a guarantee issued by a credit institution comparable to a professional indemnity insurance policy until the date of the decision regarding the issuance of the licence. Costs 5000 euro for examining documents and information submitted for authorisation (should be paid upon official submitting of the application). 450 euro for examining documents and information submitted for obtaining the license of an electronic money institution, if a person intends to offer only an innovative service in the field of electronic payments. Innovative service in the field of electronic payments – a new or significantly improved electronic payment or electronic money service on the scale of Latvia. Payment should be made at the time of the submission of application. Time limit for examining the application Latvijas Banka starts examining the application within 3 months from confirmation that the application is complete. The time limit for examining the application may be extended if the information provided in the application is not sufficient to take a decision on the issue of authorisation. Assessment of application: Latvijas Banka carries out the assessment of the application as to the substance. What does the entrepreneur do What does Latvijas Banka do What should be taken into account? Costs No additional costs associated with the examination of documents during the assessment stage of the application are applied. Receipt of authorisation: Latvijas Banka finalises the examination of the application and takes a decision on the issue or refusal to issue authorisation. What does the entrepreneur do What does Latvijas Banka do What should be taken into account? Costs No additional costs associated with obtaining authorisation during the stage of obtaining authorisation. Supervision: Latvijas Banka supervises activities of the enterprise in accordance with requirements of Law. What does the entrepreneur do What does Latvijas Banka do What should be taken into account Costs An payment institution that has received a licence from Latvijas Banka shall pay 7000 euro per year for financing the activities of Latvijas Banka and additionally up to 1.4 per cent (inclusive) of its gross income related to the provision of payment institution services per year, but not more than 100 000 euro per year. An institution licensed by Latvijas Banka to provide only an account information service or a payment initiation service, or both, shall pay 3000 euro per year and in addition up to 1.4 per cent (inclusive) per annum of its gross revenues related to the provision of payment services, but not more than 100 000 euro per year. Where an institution offers only an innovative service in the field of electronic payments, it shall pay 1000 euro per year for the financing of Latvijas Banka's activities for the next three years from the date on which the institution obtains a licence. Innovative service in the field of electronic payments – a new or significantly improved electronic payment or electronic money service on the scale of Latvia. Latvijas Banka annually issues regulatory enactments for determining the amount of payments for financing Latvijas Banka made by financial and capital market participants and submitting reports, in which the variable part of the payment is determined for each market participant, as well as the procedure for making payments.
Process of obtaining authorisation
Meeting with the prospective service providers
Latvijas Banka specialists offer advice to prospective market participants to help better understand the regulatory requirements on the process of authorisation, as well as to identify potential challenges by developing new and innovative products or business models. Our specialists offer:
- Clarify certain aspects of regulatory requirements;
- Advise on the application of regulation at an early stage of development of an innovative product or business model.
Apply for consultation.
Please apply in advance to agree on the meeting time: