Directory of certified and assessed persons

Under the Senior Managers and Certification Regime (SM&CR)[1], we will publish and maintain a directory of certified and assessed persons[2] on the Financial Services Register[3], so consumers and professionals can check the details of key individuals working in financial services.

Publication of Directory Persons (DPs) data

DPs data for firms regulated solely by the FCA and by both the FCA and PRA is now published on the FS Register. Solo regulated and dual regulated firms must ensure they comply with the Policy.

Preparing your certified and assessed person submission

Our Policy Statement (PS19/7)[4] provides useful background about certified and assessed persons and information for preparing your submission. Page 5 includes a full list of all the certified and assessed persons information that will appear publicly on the FS Register. Please read this before preparing your submission.

Adding or amending your certified and assessed persons data

Use the new DPs Connect form[10] which offers 2 ways of adding or amending your data: using a single entry form for a single record notification, or a template where you can add or amend multiple entries.

For help, refer to our user guides on:

• single adding/amending DP data[11]
• adding multiple DP data[12]
• amending multiple DP data[13]

And our templates on:

• adding multiple entries[14]
• amending multiple entries[15]

More information for your submission

Certified and assessed persons consist of:

• all certified staff (those holding a certification function under the SM&CR)
• directors who are not performing Senior Manager Functions (SMFs) – both executive and non-executive
• other individuals who are sole traders or ARs (including those within ARs) where they are undertaking business with clients and require a qualification to do so

Certified and assessed persons information to be published on the Financial Services Register includes:

• name and any previous names
• roles with start and end dates
• activities undertaken

Customer-facing roles requiring a qualification must include:

• customer engagement methods
• workplace location (where relevant)
• memberships of professional bodies

Annual Directory Persons’ attestation

If your firm has submitted Directory Persons’ data to the FCA, this means your firm is subject to SUP 16.26.18-20[16] reporting requirements. These reporting requirements mean that all relevant firms must attest to the FCA that their Directory Persons’ data is up to date and accurate, if no changes have been made to their Directory Persons’ data in the last 12 months. It is a firm’s responsibility to submit a Directory Persons attestation form. To be compliant with our rules, you must update and/or confirm your Directory Persons’ data is accurate within 12 months of when you last updated it and/or confirmed its accuracy. If you fail to do this, you will receive a late return notification and a £250 late return fee. We may also take enforcement action against you. The firm’s data will also be marked as being out of date on the Financial Services Register.

Why is it important for you to confirm your Directory Persons’ details

Making sure your Directory Persons’ data is accurate is in your best interests. We publish the information you give us on the Financial Services Register[3]. FS Register users, including your clients and potential clients, must have the correct information about your firm, so they can contact the right people. This is also a reputational issue for you. The FS Register is one of your most important ‘shop windows’. Almost 7.5 million people consult it every year. If your information is showing as incomplete or out-of-date, it gives a poor impression of your business. Also, having incorrect data showing can open a window for scammers and fraudsters. Please help us to help you.

How and when to confirm your Directory Persons’ details

Please complete your Directory Persons’ notification on Connect[17]. If there have been changes to your firm’s Directory Persons, then the relevant ‘Add or Amend Directory Persons’ form must be completed within 7 business days of the change taking place. Firms must not wait until the attestation is due before notifying us of a change to their Directory Persons’ data.

For help submitting a Directory Persons’ attestation form, please refer to our user guide[18].

If you need more help

Read our 5 top tips for submitting correctly

When using the multiple add template or multiple amend template, make sure you:

1. Save your upload as a CSV UTF-8 file. Once converted to CSV UTF-8, do not make further changes to it. If changes are required, update your original Excel file (.xlsx) and then convert it back to CSV UTF-8. 
2. Provide a role start date and FRN for each certified and assessed person.
3. Use the drop-down values in the template and don’t ignore cell formatting. Pay particular attention to dates, ensuring Excel recognises them as dates rather than ‘general’ or ‘text’ (see the number format box in Excel).
4. Avoid using commas and special characters in the template, and avoid leaving blank spaces in the national insurance field.
5. Use the latest version of the templates.

Our Questions and Answers[5] cover a range of topics such as reporting, the submission process and use of data.

If you have general questions about the directory persons, either call us on 0300 500 0597 from the UK, on +44 207 066 1000 from abroad, or email us.