Temporary Licenses FAQs

Temporary licenses allow applicants to conduct business in the registration capacity for which they have applied while NFA is conducting the required background checks. NFA grants temporary licenses to applicants for registration as associated persons, floor brokers, individual floor traders, or guaranteed introducing brokers if they meet certain conditions.

AP applicants who are eligible will receive a TL online after the sponsor files the electronic Form 8-R. The AP must file the verification and NFA must receive the fingerprint cards, the registration fee and, if applicable, evidence from FINRA that the applicant has passed a proficiency examination within 20 days after the sponsor files the Form 8-R. If NFA does not receive any of these items within the 20 days, the TL will be withdrawn, the AP's status will be set to pending, and the AP may not continue to engage in activities that require registration. 

Yes. This could occur if an AP has a TL with one sponsor and a second sponsor files an application for the AP to be associated with it as well. The same will be true if the individual is applying to be both an AP and an FB or FT. If the applicant is otherwise eligible, the fact that the applicant already has one TL will not prevent the applicant from obtaining additional TLs.

NFA will grant a TL to a guaranteed IB after all filings have been made for the IB and each of its individual principals and NFA has determined that the IB and each of its individual principals meet the eligibility requirements for obtaining a TL. The FCM or RFED that guarantees the IB must also file its certification before the TL can be issued.

Eligible FB and individual FT applicants will receive a TL after NFA has received notice that a contract market has granted trading privileges and the FB/individual FT applicant has electronically filed the Form 8-R in ORS, submitted fingerprint cards and paid the required fee.