Frequently asked LEI questions

GlobalLEI issues and maintains Legal Entity Identifiers as a GLEIF-accredited Local Operating Unit (LOU). An LEI is a public identifier that helps banks, regulators, and market infrastructures identify legal entities in financial transactions.

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TOP QUESTIONS

How can I apply for an LEI?

Anyone with a valid connection to the entity: an employee, director, or owner. Third parties can apply via assisted registration with...

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How much does an LEI cost?

GlobalLEI pricing depends on term: 1 year $95, 3 years $255, 5 years $345. Multi-year plans include automatic annual renewal during the…

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Do I need to renew my LEI?

Yes. An LEI must be renewed every 12 months to stay Active in the GLEIF database. Active status keeps regulatory reporting and bank…

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Apply & Issuance

A Legal Entity Identifier is a 20 character alphanumeric code that identifies a legal entity worldwide. Example: 549300O897ZC5H7CY412. You can view any LEI in the public GLEIF database. The LEI becomes public after issuance and entities use it across jurisdictions and systems.

Anyone with a valid connection to the entity: an employee, director, or owner. Third parties can apply via assisted registration with authorisation, often a power of attorney or equivalent approval from the legal entity.

You provide Level 1 (legal name, registered/HQ address, registry details, jurisdiction/legal form, billing) and Level 2 (direct and ultimate parent details or a valid exception). The application form pre-fills from official records where available, and we do not collect UBO or natural person ownership information.

Most LEIs issue within minutes to a few hours when registry data matches. Standard turnaround is 1–12 business hours after payment. Complex entities (trusts, layered ownership) may need extra validation.

No. An LEI identifies one legal entity only. A legal entity cannot hold more than one LEI, and an LEI cannot be reused by another entity.

LEI pricing & billing

See current pricing and multi-year savings here: LEI pricing. Prices include the mandatory GLEIF fee and have no hidden charges.

The fee covers validation of your entity data, issuing the LEI, publishing and maintaining the public record, and annual renewal actions during multi-year terms. It includes the mandatory GLEIF contribution. There are no hidden fees.

Tax is added only where required in your market, itemised at checkout and on your invoice, with the final total shown before you pay.

LEI lookup & verification

The easiest way is to search the public GLEIF database: enter the legal name and confirm jurisdiction, registered address, registry number, and status/last update to avoid name-matching errors. https://search.gleif.org/

In your GlobalLEI confirmation email, on your LEI certificate (sent automatically with all orders), or by searching your entity in the public GLEIF database.

LEI validation is very similar to LEI searching: use the public GLEIF database. Confirm the code, entity details, that the status is Active if needed, and that parent reporting (or valid exceptions) is shown.

Legal name, registered and HQ addresses, registry details and number, entity status and last update, direct and ultimate parent relationships when reported, and the issuing LOU that maintains the LEI.

LEI renewals & validity

Yes. LEIs must be renewed every 12 months to stay “Active” in the global GLEIF database. We send reminders ahead of expiry and offer multi-year or automatic renewal so you never lapse.

An LEI is valid for 12 months from issuance or the last renewal. The code never changes; only the status shifts to Lapsed if you miss renewal, and returns to Active once renewed.

Active means the LEI record is up to date and renewed within the last 12 months. Lapsed means the renewal date passed and the record needs renewal to return to Active. Many regulations and bank processes require Active status.

A lapsed LEI can block onboarding, trading, or reporting. You can renew at any time; once we validate and file the renewal, the status returns to Active.

Yes. A 3- or 5-year renewal lowers cost per year, reduces the chance of a missed renewal, and keeps your LEI Active throughout the term with automatic annual renewals.

LEI transfers & management

Yes. LEIs are portable and you can move management to GlobalLEI. Transfers are free of charge and change the managing LOU but not the LEI code. Start a transfer here: LEI transfer.

Transferring to us keeps your LEI code unchanged; only the managing LOU changes.

If your official data changes, let us know and we will validate and update the LEI record. We refresh everything at renewal each year, but it is best to update promptly so the record stays current between renewals.

GlobalLEI is an accredited LOU, so we issue and maintain LEIs directly. Registration agents do not issue LEIs and add an extra layer that can slow validation and reduce accountability.

LEI requirements & common use cases

Banks and regulators use LEIs to identify legal entities in financial transactions, supporting transparency and risk monitoring. Common drivers include regulatory reporting and onboarding for securities and derivatives, such as EMIR/MiFID II-MiFIR (EU/UK), SEC/CFTC rules (US), and RBI guidance (India).

Requirements depend on activity and regime, but entities often need an LEI if they trade securities or derivatives, hold accounts with investment firms that require an LEI, enter reportable derivatives positions, or participate in certain high-value or cross-border banking processes.

About the GlobalLEI System

GLEIF supervises the GlobalLEI System, a public register used across jurisdictions that was supported by the Financial Stability Board and G20 after the 2008 financial crisis.

An LEI has 20 characters: 4 identify the issuing LOU, 2 are reserved, 12 identify the entity, and 2 are check digits. You can confirm structure and status by searching the LEI in the public GLEIF database.