Many trade finance and guarantee businesses search for an "SBLC provider licence" in the EU. There is no such separate licence. A standby letter of credit (SBLC), a documentary letter of credit or a bank guarantee that must come from a bank is issued or confirmed by a licensed bank. A non-bank guarantee institution can work with such banks under a contract. This guide explains how the Estonian route works and what our Package B adds to the guarantee institution package.
The guide is general information, not legal advice.
Who issues what
- An Estonian non-bank financial institution with an FIU authorisation may provide guarantee and surety transactions itself, such as performance bonds, advance payment guarantees and financial guarantees to legal entities. The guarantee institution guide explains the authorisation.
- Where a financial instrument must be issued or confirmed by a licensed bank, the relevant bank remains responsible for that issuance or confirmation. Banking agreements, account openings, credit facilities and individual financial instrument approvals remain subject to the relevant bank's decision.
- An Estonian FIU authorisation is not a banking licence. It does not automatically grant direct SWIFT access, and it does not guarantee that other financial institutions will accept the instruments.
Do you need a bank of your own?
Whether a banking licence is needed depends on the actual business model. Intending to arrange SBLC or LC transactions does not automatically mean that a bank must be established. If the business model does need a bank, our guide on a bank licence in Estonia or Bulgaria explains Package C.
What Package B adds
Package B includes everything in Package A, the company and the complete FIU application. It adds the framework for working with international licensed banking partners:
- the SBLC contractual and operational framework, and documentary letter of credit operating procedures;
- draft banking partner cooperation agreements, and international guarantee customer agreement templates;
- SWIFT messaging procedures and the allocation of responsibilities;
- documentation addressing ISP98, UCP 600 and URDG 758, and international counter-guarantee documentation;
- cross-border AML/KYC procedures and transaction file templates for banking partners;
- the financing and collateral structure, and the regulatory scope documentation.
Time and price
The first complete version of the documentation is ready within one week after we receive all required source information. The official licensing procedure is separate, and its time is set by the supervisory authority. The FIU decides within 60 days after receiving all required documents and data, and may extend this to 120 days (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Prevention Act § 71 (1)). The FIU decides on the authorisation. LexorCorp cannot guarantee that it will be granted.
Package B costs €26,500 (VAT is added where the law requires it). When you order, you pay 50% of our professional fee. The other 50% is paid after the first complete version of the documentation is ready, and before the final package is handed over.
The following are separate:
- The FIU state fee: 3,300 euros (State Fees Act § 269 (1) 2, checked 4 November 2026).
- The banks' own fees and conditions.
- Independent lawyers and auditors.
- Personnel, capital, collateral and IT.
A search for a new banking partner is an add-on on the same order: €2,000. Each bank decides on its own whether to work with you.
Official sources
The laws this article names, each linked to its official text, as read on 9 October 2026. For the Estonian acts we read the English translation in Riigi Teataja; the legally binding text is the Estonian one.
- Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Prevention Act — Riigi Teataja, English translation
- State Fees Act — Riigi Teataja, English translation
To see which of our services your company needs, open the Business Navigator.
Frequently asked questions
Who is responsible for an SBLC issued by a partner bank?
The bank. Where a financial instrument must be issued or confirmed by a licensed bank, the relevant bank remains responsible for that issuance or confirmation, and banking agreements, accounts, credit facilities and individual approvals are subject to the bank's decision.
Does an Estonian guarantee institution get SWIFT access?
Not automatically. An FIU authorisation is not a banking licence; it does not grant direct SWIFT access or guarantee that other financial institutions accept the instruments.
Do I need my own bank to arrange SBLC or LC transactions?
Not necessarily. Whether a banking licence is needed depends on the actual business model; the intention to arrange SBLC or LC transactions does not automatically mean that a bank must be established.
Does the banking partner search guarantee a bank?
No. We identify potential banks, prepare the initial approaches and coordinate their responses; each bank decides independently whether to work with you.