How to Apply for an LEI: A Step-by-Step Guide

To apply for an LEI, check whether the entity already has one, then provide its register data and parent-company details through an LEI issuer or Registration Agent, confirm your authority to act, and pay. At LEIFast, verification usually takes 1 business day; complete applications with clean register data are often done the same working day, while complex parent structures can take longer.

Key points before you apply

• Search for an existing LEI before starting a new application.
• Choose an issuer accredited for the entity’s jurisdiction, or apply through a Registration Agent.
• Have the entity’s legal name, registry number, address, contact details and parent information ready.
• Be prepared to confirm that you may act for the entity. Extra documents may be needed in specific cases.
• Plan to renew the LEI annually after it is issued.

An LEI is a 20-character code under ISO 17442, according to GLEIF – LEI Questions and Answers (2024). The application is about identifying the legal entity accurately, including its accounting-consolidation relationships where applicable. Preparing those details before you begin can help you answer the application questions consistently with the entity’s records.

Check for an existing LEI first

Start with GLEIF LEI Search, the free public lookup for LEI records and their status. Search for the entity before submitting a new LEI application. An existing record may show a status of ISSUED or LAPSED; finding a record changes the task from obtaining a new code to checking what action that record needs.

Check that the record belongs to the legal entity in question rather than relying on a similar name alone. The LEI record is the useful starting point for discussing an existing code with the person handling the application. For more on reading search results and record status, see the LEI lookup and record status guide.

Who can apply, and where?

A company, fund or other legal entity seeking an LEI can contact an LEI issuer. GLEIF explains that an entity is not limited to an issuer domiciled in its own country: it can use any issuer accredited for its jurisdiction. The GLEIF – Get an LEI page lists issuers by jurisdiction and includes a filter for fund registration.

A Registration Agent offers another route for making the application. LEIFast is a Registration Agent, not the LEI issuer. Whichever route you choose, check the issuer’s jurisdictional accreditation rather than assuming that the issuer must be based in the same country as the entity.

The person completing the application should also be able to confirm their right to act for the entity. This is particularly relevant when someone other than a board member is submitting the details. If authority or a parent relationship needs to be established, be ready for a request for supporting documents rather than assuming the register entry alone will answer every question.

What data do you need?

Gather the entity’s details before opening the order form. Use the legal entity’s information, not the personal details of the person filling in the form, for the entity-identification fields.

Data item	Where to check it
Legal name	The entity’s register data.
Registry number	The entity’s register data.
Address	The entity’s register data.
Contact details	The details for the person handling the application.
Direct and ultimate accounting consolidating parent	The entity’s information about its accounting-consolidation relationships, if parents exist.
Authority to act	Confirmation that the applicant may act for the entity; supporting documents may be requested in the circumstances described below.

Parent companies and Level 2 data

Parent information is part of the application, not an optional detail to consider only after the code arrives. Under GLEIF – Level 2 data: who owns whom, legal entities that have or acquire an LEI report their direct accounting consolidating parent and ultimate accounting consolidating parent. If those parents have LEIs, their LEIs are published with the child entity’s record.

Identify the relevant accounting-consolidation relationships before you submit. A complex parent structure can require more verification, and LEIFast may request evidence if a parent link must be proved. If you are unsure how the reporting description applies to the entity’s structure, check the details with an appropriate adviser.

How to apply for an LEI: an ordered checklist

Before starting, check LEI Search, prepare the entity’s register data and parent details, and confirm that you may act for the entity. You can apply for an LEI through LEIFast’s order form. The LEIFast process has four steps:

1. Choose a term. Pick 1, 3 or 5 years. You can review LEIFast prices before selecting.
2. Confirm the company details. LEIFast looks up the company in the relevant business register; you confirm the details.
3. Pay. Pay by bank link, card or invoice. The GLEIF fee is included.
4. Receive the code. The GLEIF-accredited issuing LOU publishes the code, and LEIFast emails a PDF when the record is live.

Usually, no documents beyond the register data are needed. The exceptions matter because an application with an unresolved question about authority or a parent relationship may require additional information. Preparing accurate details at the outset does not remove the possibility of a follow-up request.

How long does it take, and what happens next?

At LEIFast, verification usually takes 1 business day. Complete applications with clean register data are often done the same working day, but that is not a promised turnaround time. Complex parent structures can take longer, so allow for further checks if the reported relationships need clarification.

Once issued, the entity receives its LEI code. Its public record can be checked in GLEIF LEI Search, including the record’s status. If you need a broader introduction to related LEI topics, the LEIFast blog provides further reading.

After issue: plan for annual renewal

Issuance is not the end of the administrative work. GLEIF states that LEIs are renewed annually, although issuers may offer multi-year contracts. A multi-year contract should therefore not be confused with a change to the annual renewal cycle.

Keep track of the entity’s LEI and its record status so that the next renewal is not overlooked. If the entity already has an LEI, check its record before placing a new order. If a renewal is needed, use the LEIFast LEI renewal page rather than starting an application for a new code.