A licence that authorises a person and their representatives to provide financial services to clients. A person must have an Australian Financial Services Licence (AFSL) to provide financial services in Australia as part of a business, unless:

The requirement to hold an AFSL is contained in section 911A of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) (CA 2001) as are some exemptions to that requirement (see section 911A(2)-(6), CA 2001). Providing financial services as a part of a business without an AFSL is an offence under section 1311(1) of the CA 2001.

For information on how to apply to the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) for an AFSL, see Practice note, Introduction to Australian Financial Services Licences (AFSL).