RBI issues regulations under the amended Factoring Regulation Act, 2011

Government of India has recently amended the Factoring Regulation Act, 2011 ("the Act") which widens the scope of companies that can undertake factoring business. The Act permits Trade Receivables Discounting System (TReDS) to file the particulars of assignment of receivables transactions with the Central Registry on behalf of the Factors for operational efficiency. Further, the Act empowers the Reserve Bank of India to make regulations prescribing the manner of grant of certificate of registration and for prescribing the manner of filing of assignment of receivables transactions by TReDS on behalf of the Factors.

In exercise of the powers conferred under the Act, the Bank has issued the following regulations:

• Registration of Factors (Reserve Bank) Regulations, 2022 issued vide Notification No. DOR.FIN.080/CGM(JPS) – 2022 dated January 14, 2022 (published in Official Gazette – Extraordinary – Part-III, Section 4 dated January 17, 2022).
• Registration of Assignment of Receivables (Reserve Bank) Regulations, 2022 issued vide Notification No. DOR.FIN.081/CGM(JPS) – 2022 dated January 14, 2022 (published in Official Gazette – Extraordinary – Part-III, Section 4 dated January 17, 2022).

Under the provisions of the regulations mentioned above, all existing non-deposit taking NBFC-Investment and Credit Companies (NBFC-ICCs) with asset size of ₹1,000 crore & above will be permitted to undertake factoring business subject to satisfaction of certain conditions. This will increase the number of NBFCs eligible to undertake factoring business significantly from 7 to 182. Other NBFC-ICCs can also undertake factoring business by registering as NBFC-Factor. Eligible companies may apply to the Reserve Bank for seeking registration under the Act. Further, in respect of trade receivables financed through a Trade Receivables Discounting System (TReDS), the particulars of assignment of receivables shall be filed with the Central Registry on behalf of the Factors by the TReDS concerned within 10 days.

(Yogesh Dayal)      
Chief General Manager