An application for permission to form a credit rating company by persons meeting the eligibility criteria accorind to the Credit Rating Company Regulations shall be made to the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan along with a number of documents. The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan on being satisfied that the person seeking permission to form a Credit Rating Company has fulfilled the criteria in terms of the regulations may permit by an order in writing to establish a credit rating company.

The permission granted by the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan to form a Credit Rating Company shall be valid for a period of six months unless extended for a maximum period of further three months under special circumstance, on the application of the promoters made before the expiry of initial six months.

The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan may after making necessary inquiries and after obtaining such further information, as it may consider necessary, and if it is satisfied that each of its promoters or sponsors, directors, chief executive and chairman of the board of directors fulfill the terms and conditions mentioned in the Fit and Proper criteria given grant a licence, subject to compliance with the conditions of the grant of licence as specified in the regulation of Credit Rating Companies.

For renewal of its licence, the Credit Rating Company shall, one month prior to the date of expiry of its licence, apply to the Commission. The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan if satisfied that the applicant continues to meet the requirements for licensing and is eligible for renewal of licence shall renew the licence for one year and issue a certificate of renewal of licence to the Credit Rating Company.

The detailed procedure for grant /renewal of licence and Annexures and Forms as mentioned above may be seen in Credit Rating Companies Regulations, 2016.

The following Credit Rating Agencies were registered according to the Credit Rating Companies Regulations, 2016: