SM&CR certification of staff, every year
SM&CR certification: fit and proper on appointment and at least yearly (reforms under PS26/6).
Who it is owed to
- Owed to
- The Financial Conduct Authority
- Source
- Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, section 63E; FCA Handbook SYSC 27
- Official page
- fca.org.uk
- Applies
- Directly FCA authorised
Checked against the Financial Conduct Authority's official page on 14 October 2026. Not legal advice.
What has to happen, and when
- When
- Yearly per person, firm-specific date
- Evidence usually kept
- F&P assessments, certificates, references
- Usually owned by
- Compliance lead
What goes wrong
A firm must take reasonable care that no employee performs a certification function unless the employee holds a valid certificate issued by the firm. The FCA expects firms to check that each person is fit and proper on appointment and at least once a year, so a missed annual check leaves that person uncertified for the role.
Source: legislation.gov.uk
How the register holds it
- One item owed to the FCA, with a compliance lead as its owner and a due date set from the rule above.
- The owner commits to a date the first time they open it, and the evidence (f&p assessments, certificates, references) is attached before it can be marked done.
- A manager confirms it, a reminder goes by email before it falls due, and the item's history cannot be edited or deleted.
Also owed to the FCA
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