Licensing, registration and authorisation for you and your business

Whether you need help getting licence-ready, applying for a licence, or ensuring you and your business meet your licence obligations, Strategi is here to help.

Decide what you most want help with, or let us look after the entire licensing and ongoing compliance process for you. From helping advisers through the licensing (authorisation) process, to developing the required policies, procedures, controls, Strategi has applying for a Financial Markets Conduct Act licence covered.

How and when are the rules changing?

The rules for advisers and firms are changing – find out how the changes will affect you.

The start of the new financial advice regime

Who needs to be licensed, authorised or registered?

What are the current rules? Are you and your company compliant?

Do I need to be licensed, registered or authorised?

How do I register as a financial adviser?

Online registration as an RFA and application fees.

How to register as a financial adviser

How do I apply for authorisation?

Assistance for advisers applying for authorised financial adviser (AFA) status.

How to apply for authorisation

FMCA licensing assistance

Help with obtaining your DIMS, MIS, Derivatives Issuer and other licences.

FMCA licensing assistance

Establishing a QFE

Strategi can help your business become a qualifying financial entity.

Establishing a qualifying financial entity

Templates, publications and resources

Licensing templates, manuals, guidance notes and other resources.

Licensing publications and resources

Frequently asked questions

Got a licensing, registration or authorisation problem but don’t know what to ask?

Frequently asked questions about licensing, registration and authorisation

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Search all licensing

Publications & resources

Adviser Business Statement template

An Adviser Business Statement (ABS) template customised to a typical financial planning practice. Use this template and accompanying guidance note to produce your own tailored solution. There is no prescribed length for the ABS. However, the Financial Markets Authority (the regulator) is keen to see it in the vicinity of 7-15 pages, but this will depend on how detailed an adviser... Read more

Publications & resources

AFA primary disclosure statement template

Package includes a disclosure statement guidance note, a sample completed disclosure statement, plus a template for you to customise a disclosure statement to meet your specific situation. This package will save you hours of work and help avoid a regulatory breach. Read more

Publications & resources

AFA secondary disclosure statement template

For AFAs. Package includes a disclosure statement guidance note, a sample completed disclosure statement, plus a template for you to customise a disclosure statement to meet your specific situation. This solution will save you hours of work and help avoid a regulatory breach. Read more

Services

Business in a Box: an integrated solution for financial advice businesses

Business in a Box (BIB) is a suite of tools to help build and ensure the efficiency of a financial advice business. It is a flexible solution, scaleable to business size. All tools work together to provide a fully integrated solution, or alternatively a ‘pick-and-mix’ approach can be taken where businesses simply select the tools they need. The BIB toolbox The BIB suite of tools is... Read more

Do I need to be licensed, registered or authorised?

Registration for individuals All individuals who provide a financial service (broadly comprising of either a financial adviser service, a broking service, or keeping, investing, administering, or managing money, securities, or investment portfolios on behalf of other persons) need to be registered on the Financial Service Providers Register to provide that service. This is a requirement under... Read more

Services

Establishing a qualifying financial entity

Strategi is uniquely positioned and experienced to assist organisations to become a qualifying financial entity (QFE), providing an end-to-end solution including advising on registration, selection of a DRS, construction of an ABS, development of additional documentation and processes, plus staff/adviser training. The entire process could take three to six months – an... Read more

Services

FMCA licensing assistance

Strategi has developed significant expertise in assisting licence applicants to apply for their FMCA licence particularly in regard to DIMS, MIS, and Derivatives Issuer. We can work directly with applicants, or in conjunction with the applicant's other advisers to provide components of a licence application. Strategi can assist adviser businesses, QFEs and networks prepare their... Read more

Frequently asked questions

Below are the questions Strategi is most frequently asked. Use the 'Keywords' or 'Topic' filters to limit the FAQ results to a particular area of interest. Alternatively, to search our whole website for any pages containing specific text or topics, use the site search box at the top right of the page. Read more

Frequently asked questions about licensing, registration and authorisation

The most commonly asked questions in relation to licensing, registration and authorisation are answered below. You may search by keyword, or for questions not limited to licensing, registration and authorisation see all frequently asked questions. Read more

Publications & resources

Guidance Note: Adviser Business Statement

This guidance note provides important information to assist advisers and support staff to prepare a legally compliant Adviser Business Statement (ABS). This guidance note is based on information provided by the Financial Markets Authority published AFA ABS Guide (released in June 2011) and includes relevant information that forms part of the Standard Conditions for ... Read more

Publications & resources

Guidance Note: Adviser Disclosure Statements (Primary and Secondary for AFAs and RFAs)

This guidance note provides important information to assist: Advisers who are authorised financial advisers (AFAs) to prepare a legally compliant primary and secondary disclosure statement complying with the Financial Advisers (Disclosure) Regulations 2010 (Regulations). Advisers who are registered (RFAs) but not authorised (or who are not QFE advisers), to prepare a legally... Read more

Publications & resources

Guidance Note: Developing and maintaining a governance programme for small financial advice businesses

Strategi has developed a governance programme designed to assist the small advisory practice to develop a governance programme for the practice that meets director obligations, meets the FMA’s expectations and delivers an effective outcome for the business. It is recognised that there is a significant difference between the formal board structures and processes recommended in... Read more

Publications & resources

Guidance note: Online steps to apply for registration and authorisation

All individuals who provide a financial service (broadly comprising of either a financial adviser service, a broking service, or keeping, investing, administering, or managing money, securities, or investment portfolios on behalf of other persons) need to be registered on the Financial Service Providers Register to provide that service. This is a requirement under the Financial Service Providers... Read more

Publications & resources

Guidance Note: Renewal of AFA authorisation

It has now been around five years since the authorisation regime for financial advisers was introduced. Adviser authorisation is usually granted for a period of five years and so many of those early authorisations are now coming up for renewal. Check your authorisation expiry date. If you are an AFA and would like to continue providing advice, you may need to apply soon to renew your... Read more

Publications & resources

Guidance Note: Selecting the correct type of financial service when registering on the FSP Register

The Financial Service Providers (Registration and Dispute Resolution) Act 2008 (FSP Act 2008) requires all persons (both individuals and entities) in the business of providing a financial service to be registered (unless an exception in section 7(2) under the Act or under regulation applies). Financial advisers when completing their individual registration (or when registering... Read more

Publications & resources

Guidance Note: Standard Conditions for Authorised Financial Advisers

Advisers who are authorised financial advisers (AFAs) are required to comply with their terms and conditions of authorisation under Section 45 of the Financial Advisers Act 2008. The terms and conditions include Standard Conditions prescribed by the Financial Markets Authority (FMA). AFAs who fail to comply with the Standard Conditions commit an offence and may be liable to a... Read more

How to apply for authorisation

You may choose to apply for your authorised financial adviser (AFA) status at the same time as your registration, or apply at a later date. Applications are lodged via the FSPR website. Before applying to become authorised, you need to: Register on the Financial Service Providers Register (FSPR). Join a dispute resolution scheme (DRS) if providing a financial service to a... Read more

How to register as a financial adviser

Individuals can apply online for registration as a registered financial adviser (RFA) by visiting the FSPR website. The two prerequisites for registration are: If you intend to be a financial adviser providing a financial adviser service to retail clients, you must join an approved dispute resolution scheme (DRS). You will need to supply your DRS membership within ten working days... Read more

Licensing publications and resources

Below are some of the most popular Strategi publications and resources related to licensing. For templates, publications and resources not limited to licensing, see all templates, publications and resources. Read more

QFE made easy

The proposed changes to the Financial Advisers Act 2008 require all those who will be either a financial adviser or an agent to be engaged by a licensed entity called a ‘Financial Advice Firm’. These firms can be a sole trader or a massive entity employing hundreds or even thousands of financial advisers and agents. The key requirements for a Financial Advice Firm are: Must be registered... Read more

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Training solutions from Strategi Institute Read more

Find or enrol in a course

NZ Certificate Level 5

Continuing professional development

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Online learning with Radar

Corporate education solutions

Templates, publications and resources

Frequently asked questions

Ethics, compliance and professional practice Read more

How to become compliant

Stay compliant with Strategi Pilot

Our compliance services

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Templates, publications and resources

Frequently asked questions