Withdrawal procedure: costs drivers
Withdrawal of a digital-asset authorisation ends the holder's right to run the register-based activity it once covered. The procedure moves through a formal request, a document check, a decision by the supervisor, and a public update of the register entry. Cost depends on how many registers and jurisdictions are affected, and on whether a dispute is open when withdrawal starts.
What changes once withdrawal starts
A withdrawal request opens a review, not an immediate exit. The supervisor checks the file, confirms the holder's identity, and verifies that no unresolved complaint blocks the closure. Only after this check does the register entry change.
Until the decision is signed and published, the holder still carries the duties tied to the authorisation. Access controls, reporting lines, and audit trails stay live. Closing these in parallel with the filing avoids a gap between the paper decision and the operational shutdown; the related security wind-down is described in Security duty scope in data and security.
The point of no return is the moment the decision becomes final and the register entry is removed. Before that moment, a withdrawal request can usually be paused or amended. After it, restoring the authorisation means starting a fresh application, not reopening the closed file.
Cost drivers
The table below lists the factors that move the cost of a withdrawal file, independent of any tariff figure.
| Factor | Effect on the file |
|---|---|
| Number of registers affected | Each register runs its own filing and its own review cycle. |
| Number of jurisdictions | Cross-border holders face parallel procedures with separate deadlines. |
| Open dispute or complaint | A pending complaint suspends the clock and adds a hearing stage. |
| Data and access wind-down | Closing access rights and audit logs is a distinct task, run alongside the filing. |
| Urgency of the request | A voluntary, undisputed withdrawal is the fastest and least demanding path. |
What to do
- Confirm which registers list the authorisation. The holder, or its counsel, checks each register separately.
- Assemble the closing file: identity documents, the original authorisation record, and a short statement of reason.
- File the withdrawal request with the supervisor that granted the authorisation.
- Answer the supervisor's queries inside the set window. A missed deadline restarts the review.
- Confirm the deregistration entry once it is published and keep the confirmation for internal records.
- Close related access rights and logs in the same window, so the operational shutdown matches the paper decision.
A comparable staged sequence applies to other registrable rights. The logic of assembling a file, waiting on a review window, and meeting an objection deadline is set out for a different register in Proof of use step by step.
Who decides
The supervisor that granted the original authorisation decides on its withdrawal. It is the only forum for the request; there is no separate withdrawal register or parallel body. The supervisor sets its own internal deadline for a decision once the file is complete, and that deadline restarts each time it asks for missing documents.
Branches
If the holder requests withdrawal voluntarily and no complaint is open, the supervisor processes the request on paper. The register updates once the decision is signed, and the file closes without a hearing.
If a counterparty disputes the withdrawal, the case moves to a hearing stage before the same supervisor decides. This can arise where a licence tied to tokenised rights is contested; see When a smart contract conflicts with the written licence for a related decision on who has the final say over tokenised terms.
If the authorisation covers several registers, each register runs its own timeline. The point of no return is reached separately in each register, once that register's own notice period lapses.
What this page does not cover
This page does not set out which grounds justify a withdrawal, or which register applies to a given activity; those questions belong to the definition of the authorisation itself. It does not state a fee, since fees are set by each register and published in its own tariff. It also does not decide ownership questions that can surface once a holder's authorisation lapses mid-project.
Verified
This overview was last checked on 10 March 2025 against the published procedural guidance of the relevant registers. It does not reproduce statutory text, because register-specific steps vary by jurisdiction and change without notice. Where a step differs between registers, the holder should confirm the current sequence with the register itself before relying on any timeline stated here.
Related publications
Authorisation in authorisation practice sets out the terms used across this practice, including the register entry that a withdrawal removes.
FAQ
How long does withdrawal procedure take in practice?
Timing depends on the register and on whether a dispute is open. A voluntary, undisputed request typically clears review faster than a contested one, which adds a hearing stage before a decision.
Which documents are needed to start?
A complete file needs identity documents for the holder, the original authorisation record, and a short statement of reason for the withdrawal. Missing documents restart the supervisor's review window.
What happens if the other side does not respond?
Where a counterparty or complainant does not respond inside the set window, the supervisor can proceed on the file as filed. Silence does not block a decision; it simply removes one voice from the record.
Next step
Where the withdrawal coincides with a wider wind-down of a joint project, ownership of work produced before the authorisation lapsed can become a separate question. See When a development partner claims joint ownership for the first steps on that point.