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Application process timeline

Factsheet
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When applying for a licence, you should bear in mind the following processing times. The time between submitting your application or draft application and receiving a decision differs for each application.

Published: 12 July 2023

The statutory consideration period for an application to be authorised as a bank is 26 weeks. The consideration period starts when we have received your formal application. We have learned from experience that the total application processing time tends to be longer than 26 weeks. This is because DNB and/or the ECB may suspend the consideration period if information is missing, or if your application prompts additional questions. DNB and/or the ECB will then ask you to provide the additional information. Pursuant to the law, the consideration period is suspended and will not re-start until we have received all relevant information. If you do not supplement your application on request, or not sufficiently so, DNB and/or the ECB may decide to cease consideration of your application within four weeks.

Quality 

The time we need to process your application greatly depends on its quality standard and completeness and the supplementary information that you provide. If for any reason DNB and/or the ECB are unable to come to a decision within the deadline, we will inform you accordingly. Generally speaking, we can say that the better the quality standard of your submitted application (both on content and completeness), the quicker we can process it.

Contact 

If you are considering submitting an application for a licence, please contact our Expert Centre on Market Access to announce your application and inquire after the expected processing time. You can contact the expert centre at: markttoegang@dnb.nl

Information licence application for a bank

License or no license

Licence application

Background information

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