How to get a money lender's licence in Uganda?

Two years ago, in 2024, I attempted to write this article explaining the process of obtaining a money lending licence in Uganda. At the time, I could not find a single detailed guide online that clearly explained the process from start to finish.

Now that we have successfully obtained the licence ourselves, I can finally write this guide based on real experience. My goal is to help anyone interested in starting a lending business in Uganda and doing it legally.

If you're looking for a system to manage your loans, check out PesaLend. We use it for our own lending operations, and it is specifically built for money lenders in Uganda.

Requirements for Obtaining a Money Lending Licence in Uganda

Before you can be issued a money lending licence in Uganda, you need the following:

1. A company registered with
   1. URSB (Uganda Registration Services Bureau)
   2. URA (Uganda Revenue Authority) and
   3. KCCA (if operating in Kampala)
2. A physical office or business location

That is basically the minimum setup required. Once you have those in place, the next step is preparing the company documents, filling in the application forms, and paying the required fees.

Company Documents Required

Before starting the application process, make sure you have the following documents:

1. Certified Certificate of Incorporation (from URSB)
2. Beneficial Ownership Form (from URSB
3. Notice of Situation of Registered Office (from URSB)
4. Form 20 – Particulars of Directors
5. Articles of Association (Memarts). Your Articles of Association must include lending or money lending as one of the company activities. If it is not included, you may be required to amend the articles before your application is approved
6. Photocopies of National IDs for all company directors listed in Form 20
7. A Trading Licence in the company’s name. If your business is located in Kampala, this is obtained from KCCA

Other Documents Required for the Application.

In addition to the company documents above, you will also need:

1. Declaration Form for Loan Products and Rates( This can be downloaded from the UMRA website)
2. A copy of your Loan Agreement

The interest rate in your loan agreement should not exceed the legally permitted rate.

Fees for the lending licence in Uganda.

As of 2026:
- Application Fee: UGX 50,000
- Annual Licence Fee: UGX 500,000
Both payments are made through URA. However, when submitting the application, you only need to pay the application fee first.

How to Apply for the Licence

There are two ways to apply:

1. Apply online
2. Visit the UMRA offices physically

If visiting physically, go to the UMRA offices at Rwenzori Towers and ask at the reception for assistance with a money lending licence application.

Process of Applying Online for the money lending licence

1. The first step is to visit the UMRA Licensing Portal. Create an account by clicking the Sign Up button. You will be required to enter:
   1. Name
   2. Username
   3. Email address
   4. Password
2. After registering and logging into the portal, click on New Money Lending Licence Application.

3. You will then fill in details about your company, including:
   1. Company name
   2. Date of incorporation
   3. Company registration number
   4. Business location
   5. District
4. You will also complete sections about:
   1. Office location
   2. Company directors
   3. Any history of misconduct involving directors
5. Finally, upload all the required documents listed earlier and submit the application.

4. Once done with filling all the required sections, submit the application

What Happens After Submitting the money lending licence Application?

After submitting your application, either online or physically, expect to wait around 2 to 4 weeks before following up.

You can follow up by:

• Visiting the UMRA offices
• Checking the status on the online portal

physical follow-ups are usually more reliable.

UMRA will then schedule a site inspection where an officer visits your office to verify the information you provided in the application.

After the inspection, they will issue a document confirming that the inspection was completed successfully. You can then proceed to pay the licence fee.

How to Pay the Money Lending Application Fee or Licence Fee Through URA

1. The first step is to log in to the URA portal
2. After logging in:
   1. Go to eServices
   2. Click Payment
   3. Select Generate Payment Slip
3. On the payment slip page:
   1. Under Payment Type, select DT
   2. Select Other NTR
   3. Under Details of Other NTR Payments, choose the following:
      1. For Ministry/Department/Agency, select UGANDA MICRO FINANCE REGULATORY AUTHORITY
      2. For Category select MONEY LENDERS
      3. For Tax Head
         1. For application fee: select Application for Licence and Renewal of Licence
         2. For annual licence fee: select Annual Licencenumber
1. For Number of Copies, Enter 0
   Important: If you enter 1, the system may double the fee to UGX 100,000. This appears to be a known system issue.
4. Under payment methods, Leave the payment method as:
   1. Other Payment Options (Cash, Cheque, Mobile Money, Demand draft, Point of Sale)
      
      Fill the capture section(where you put fill the text in the image)
5. Fill in the captcha and click Accept and Register
6. The system will generate a Payment Registration Number (PRN), which you can use to pay via mobile money, bank, or Bank agents
7. Make the payment and keep the payment receipt safely because it will be required as proof of payment.

What Happens After the Site Inspection?

After the site inspection and payment of the licence fee, approval and printing of the licence can take anywhere from one to three months.

At this stage, regular follow-up becomes important.

Frequently visiting the UMRA offices can be tiring, so it helps to get a phone number for one of the officers handling your application. This makes it easier to check the status of your licence without making repeated physical visits.

Conclustion

That is basically the entire process of obtaining a money lending licence in Uganda.

I hope this guide saves you time and helps you avoid unnecessary confusion during the application process.

Happy lending.

PS:
If you are looking for a system to manage your lending business, including:

• Borrower management
• Loan tracking
• NIN capture and verification
• Credit verification
• Mobile money repayment collection

then check out PesaLend,

We use it for our own lending operations, and it is already being used by other money lenders across Uganda.