(1)A justice of the peace may issue a warrant under this section if satisfied on information on oath given by or on behalf of the Secretary of State, [F1367either regulatorF1367] or an investigator that there are reasonable grounds for believing that the first, second or third set of conditions is satisfied.
(2)The first set of conditions is—
(a)that a person on whom an information requirement has been imposed has failed (wholly or in part) to comply with it; and
(b)that on the premises specified in the warrant—
(i)there are documents which have been required; or
(ii)there is information which has been required.
(3)The second set of conditions is—
(a)that the premises specified in the warrant are premises of [F1368a person to whom subsection (3A) appliesF1368] ;
(b)that there are on the premises documents or information in relation to which an information requirement could be imposed; and
(c)that if such a requirement were to be imposed—
(i)it would not be complied with; or
(ii)the documents or information to which it related would be removed, tampered with or destroyed.
[F1369 (3A)This subsection applies to the following persons—
(a)an authorised person;
(b)an appointed representative;
(c)a relevant parent undertaking of an FCA investment firm;
(d)a person who provides a service to an FCA investment firm or to a relevant parent undertaking of such a firm.
[F1370 (e)a person who is or has been subject to a relevant Part 5A requirement.F1370,F1369]]
(4)The third set of conditions is—
(a)that an offence mentioned in section 168 for which the maximum sentence on conviction on indictment is two years or more has been (or is being) committed by any person;
(b)that there are on the premises specified in the warrant documents or information relevant to whether that offence has been (or is being) committed;
(c)that an information requirement could be imposed in relation to those documents or information; and
(d)that if such a requirement were to be imposed—
(i)it would not be complied with; or
(ii)the documents or information to which it related would be removed, tampered with or destroyed.
(5)A warrant under this section shall authorise a constable—
(a)to enter the premises specified in the warrant;
(b) to search the premises and take possession of any documents or information appearing to be documents or information of a kind in respect of which a warrant under this section was issued (“the relevant kind”) or to take, in relation to any such documents or information, any other steps which may appear to be necessary for preserving them or preventing interference with them;
(c)to take copies of, or extracts from, any documents or information appearing to be of the relevant kind;
(d)to require any person on the premises to provide an explanation of any document or information appearing to be of the relevant kind or to state where it may be found; and
(e)to use such force as may be reasonably necessary.
[F1371 (5A)A warrant under this section may be executed by any constable.
(5B)The warrant may authorise persons to accompany any constable who is executing it.
(5C)The powers in subsection (5) may be exercised by a person authorised by the warrant to accompany a constable; but that person may exercise those powers only in the company of, and under the supervision of, a constable.F1371]
(6)M11In England and Wales, sections 15(5) to (8) and section [F137216(3) to (12)F1372] of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (execution of search warrants and safeguards) apply to warrants issued under this section.
(7)M12In Northern Ireland, Articles 17(5) to (8) and [F137318(3) to (12)F1373] of the Police and Criminal Evidence (Northern Ireland) Order 1989 apply to warrants issued under this section.
F1374 (8). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
(9)In the application of this section to Scotland—
(a)for the references to a justice of the peace substitute references to a justice of the peace or a sheriff; and
(b)for the references to information on oath substitute references to evidence on oath.
(10) “Investigator” means a person appointed under section 167 or 168(3) or (5).
(11) “Information requirement” means a requirement imposed—
(a)F1376,F1378by [F1375a regulatorF1375] under section ... 165 [F1377, 165A, 169AF1377] or 175; ...
[F1379 (aa)by the FCA under regulation 26, 28 or 33 of the Public Offers and Admissions to Trading Regulations 2024; [F1380 orF1380,F1379]]
[F1381 (ab)by the FCA by virtue of regulation 21 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Cryptoassets) Regulations 2026; orF1381]
(b)by an investigator under section 171, 172, 173 or 175.
342.An investigator appointed by the Authority or the Secretary of State may obtain a warrant for entry to any premises from a justice of the peace, or in Scotland from a justice of the peace or a sheriff. Such a warrant can then be executed by a police constable (subsection (5) sets out what the constable may do in the exercise of the warrant).
343.To issue the warrant the justice of the peace or sheriff must be satisfied that there are reasonable grounds for believing:
a request for information under this Part has not been wholly complied with, and that the documents or information may be found on the premises concerned; or
the premises are the business premises of an authorised person or appointed representative, that information or documents on those premises could be required by the Authority or the investigator, but that a request for that information or those documents would not be complied with, or would result in the information or documents being removed, tampered with or destroyed; or
a serious offence has or is in the process of being committed, and that there is information or are documents on those premises which are relevant to that offence, which could be required by the Authority or the investigator, but which would not be produced, or which might be removed, tampered with or destroyed.
344.Subsections (6) and (7) apply to these warrants certain safeguards and other protections that apply to warrants issued under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 and the equivalent order in Northern Ireland. This includes giving the constable the right to employ reasonable force to gain entry.
345.Subsection (8) provides for documents seized under a warrant to be held for up to 3 months, or for longer if relevant proceedings are instituted during that period.