LEI Renewal and Data Maintenance

A Legal Entity Identifier is not issued once and then forgotten. The system is built around the idea that reference data should stay accurate over time, which means every LEI needs to be reviewed and renewed on a regular basis. This page explains how that process generally works and why it matters.

Why renewal is required

Companies change. Registered addresses move, legal names are updated, ownership structures shift as entities are acquired, merged or restructured. If the information linked to an LEI were never updated, the global database would gradually become unreliable, undermining the entire point of having a single trusted identifier.

To prevent this, accredited issuers are expected to confirm or update an entity's record on a periodic basis, commonly once a year. This renewal process is sometimes called recertification, and it typically involves the issuer reaching out to the entity, or its authorised representative, to confirm that the existing details are still correct or to collect updated information.

What happens during renewal

During renewal, the entity is usually asked to confirm core details such as its legal name, registered address, legal form and parent company relationships. If anything has changed since the last confirmation, the updated information is submitted and verified in a similar way to the original application.

In many cases, if the entity's details have not changed, renewal can be a relatively quick confirmation step rather than a full reapplication. The specific process and any associated requirements depend on the issuing organisation handling the record.

What a lapsed status means

If an LEI is not renewed by its due date, its status in the global database is typically updated to reflect that it has lapsed. A lapsed code still exists and its historical information remains visible, but it is flagged as not having been recently verified.

This status can create practical difficulties. Some financial institutions, trading venues and regulators will not accept a lapsed LEI for new transactions or regulatory filings, since the purpose of the system is to provide current, verified information. In such cases, the entity typically needs to complete the renewal process before the code can be used again for that purpose.

Reactivating a lapsed code

A lapsed LEI can generally be reactivated by completing the overdue renewal with an accredited issuer. This usually involves confirming or updating the entity's details in the same way as a standard renewal, after which the status in the global database is updated to reflect that the information is current again.

Keeping track of renewal dates

Since renewal is usually required annually, it is worth keeping an internal record of when an entity's LEI was last confirmed and when the next renewal is due. Many issuing organisations send reminder notices as the renewal date approaches, but relying solely on external reminders can be risky if contact details change or messages are missed.

Changing issuing organisation

An entity is generally able to move its LEI record to a different accredited issuer if it wishes to do so, for example if another organisation offers more convenient renewal support. The code itself does not change when this happens, since the identifier belongs to the entity rather than to any single issuer, but the entity's point of contact for future renewals changes accordingly.

Why accurate data matters beyond compliance

Keeping LEI data current is not only about meeting regulatory requirements. Because the global database is publicly searchable, accurate records also make it easier for counterparties, suppliers and financial institutions to quickly verify who they are dealing with, which can simplify onboarding and reduce the need for separate verification paperwork in other parts of a business relationship.