A current status is the start of the check.
Confirm the products and activities the firm can provide, the individual's current role, and that the contact details match the official record.
Check a financial adviser on the FCA Register.
Search official Financial Conduct Authority records by name or reference. Advisedly makes the result easier to read and always links you back to the FCA source.
Check an adviser or firm
Enter a name or an FCA reference number. Firms have a Firm Reference Number (FRN); individuals have an Individual Reference Number (IRN).
Always verify the details on the linked official record.Exact FCA wording
Status text is shown as supplied.
Warnings stay visible
We show any warning included in the search result.
Official source linked
Open the full FCA record at any time.
Regulatory status is essential, but it is not an endorsement.
Confirm the identity, contact details and permissions, then consider experience, service and fees.
What if the name or role is unclear?
Try the legal firm name or its reference, then open the official record to confirm the service you need. Not every individual working at a firm needs FCA approval or a Register entry, so an absent personal name is not enough to settle the check. The FCA recommends checking the firm's relevant permissions.
For a firm and a particular service, use the official FCA Firm Checker. For an appointed representative, establish which principal covers that activity. Confirm contact details through the official record before sharing documents or money.
Once those checks are complete, use the first-meeting pack to ask about experience, scope and fees. A matching record does not establish that a service suits you.
Open the official FCA Register ↗What the FCA status labels mean.
These are Advisedly explanations, not FCA wording. Always read the full record.
The principal firm carries regulatory responsibility.
An appointed representative acts on behalf of one or more authorised principal firms. Check which principal covers the activity you are considering.
This is not direct FCA approval of the individual.
The authorised firm has certified or assessed the person and accepts responsibility for that record. The FCA states that it does not directly approve these individuals.
Do not treat a historic reference as current permission.
The FCA says a firm with either status can no longer carry out regulated financial activities. Read the disciplinary and regulatory-action section where available.
The person may have left a role that required approval.
This status alone does not explain why the role ended or mean the person did something wrong. Check their current roles and the firms they work for.
Still check for a clone firm.
Scammers can copy a genuine firm's name and FRN. Use the phone number, email and website shown on the FCA Register rather than details supplied in an unsolicited approach.
Official guidance: FCA: how to check a firm or individual is authorised ↗