What Is the Investor Charter for Investment Advisers and Why Should Clients Read It?

The investment adviser investor charter serves a practical purpose: it condenses the most important investor-protection information into a single accessible document. Rather than searching through a lengthy client agreement for information about grievance processes, termination rights or the SEBI SCORES link, the charter presents this information in a structured format designed for investor readability.

This guide explains the investment adviser investor charter, what it must contain and how investors should use it.

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What SEBI's June 2025 Circular Requires

Understanding investment adviser investor charter in this context helps investors and advisory businesses navigate this area. SEBI's June 2025 circular on the investor charter for investment advisers established the mandatory content and publication requirements for the investment adviser investor charter. Every SEBI-registered IA must prepare an investor charter that includes: a description of the services offered under the IA registration, a summary of client rights under the IA framework, the adviser's responsibilities to clients, the risk disclosures applicable to all advisory services, the internal grievance process including the escalation contact and the SEBI SCORES pathway for external escalation and the adviser's SEBI registration details including registration number and registration category. The charter must be published on the IA's official website and provided to each client during onboarding.

Client Rights Section of the Investor Charter

The client rights section of the investment adviser investor charter is the most practically useful element for investors. It should state clearly: the client's right to receive services as described in the agreement, the right to receive a written risk profile, the right to the MITC before the agreement is signed, the right to exit the agreement with the specified notice period, the right to a refund of unexpired advance fees on early termination and the right to file a grievance through the internal process and SEBI SCORES. These rights exist independently of whether they are exercised — the charter makes them visible.

Investor Charter Section	Key Content
Services offered	What advisory services are included and excluded
Client rights	Service rights, fee rights, information rights, termination rights
Adviser responsibilities	Suitability, disclosure, record keeping, conflict management
Risk disclosures	Market risk, return disclaimer, specific advisory risks
Grievance process	Internal contact, resolution timeline, SEBI SCORES escalation
Registration details	Registered entity name, SEBI registration number, category

How Investors Should Use the Investor Charter

The investment adviser investor charter should be read before subscribing — not after. Specific steps: review the services section to confirm the advisory scope matches your expectations, check the client rights section to understand your termination and refund entitlements before paying, note the internal grievance contact details before you need them and save the SEBI SCORES reference in case internal resolution fails. If the advisory service cannot provide an investor charter on request, this is a compliance gap — SEBI-registered IAs are required to have and publish their charter per the June 2025 circular. Univest (SEBI RA Reg. No. INH000013776) publishes its investor charter on the official Univest website, where investors can review client rights and the grievance process before beginning any research subscription.

Univest is a SEBI-registered research platform (SEBI RA Reg. No. INH000013776) operating under NSDL depository infrastructure. Investors who want SEBI-registered research alongside their advisory journey can explore Univest's research tools, stock screener and market analysis available on the official Univest app.

Review the Investor Charter Before Subscribing to Any SEBI-Registered Advisory Research Service

Download the Univest iOS App or Univest Android App to access and review investor charter details before beginning any SEBI-registered advisory engagement.

Conclusion

The investment adviser investor charter is a SEBI-mandated document introduced through a June 2025 circular that every registered IA must publish and provide to clients during onboarding. It covers services offered, client rights (service, fee, information, termination, grievance rights), adviser responsibilities, risk disclosures, grievance process and SEBI registration details. Investors should read the charter before subscribing to understand their rights and the grievance process before they need to use it. A registered IA that cannot provide an investor charter on request has a compliance gap under the June 2025 circular. The investment adviser investor charter principles discussed here help investors make informed decisions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the investor charter for investment advisers?

Ans. The investment adviser investor charter is a SEBI-mandated document introduced by a June 2025 circular. It provides a standardised summary of the advisory relationship covering services offered, client rights, adviser responsibilities, risk disclosures, internal grievance process and SEBI registration details. Every registered IA must publish it on their official website and provide it to clients during onboarding.

What must the investor charter include?

Ans. The investment adviser investor charter must include: a description of services offered, a summary of client rights (service rights, fee rights, termination rights, grievance rights), the adviser's responsibilities to clients (suitability, disclosure, record keeping), applicable risk disclosures, the internal grievance contact and escalation process including the SEBI SCORES link and the registered entity name, SEBI registration number and registration category.

When should investors read the investor charter?

Ans. Investment adviser investor charter is relevant here. Investors should read the investment adviser investor charter before subscribing — specifically to review the services section (does the scope match expectations?), the client rights section (what are termination and refund rights?) and the grievance section (who to contact if the service fails to deliver?). Reading the charter after a problem arises is less useful than understanding rights before the relationship begins.

Is the investor charter different from the MITC?

Ans. Investment adviser investor charter is relevant here. Yes. The MITC (Most Important Terms and Conditions) summarises the key contractual terms of the specific advisory engagement. The investor charter is a broader client-education document covering rights, responsibilities, services and grievance processes in an investor-accessible format. Both documents should be read before subscribing — they serve complementary purposes.

What if a SEBI registered IA does not provide an investor charter?

Ans. Investment adviser investor charter is relevant here. A SEBI-registered IA that cannot provide an investor charter on request is non-compliant with the June 2025 SEBI circular. Investors should request the charter specifically before subscribing. If the IA cannot provide it, this compliance gap can be flagged to SEBI SCORES. The absence of an investor charter is itself information about the IA's compliance culture.

How does the investor charter help in disputes?

Ans. Investment adviser investor charter is relevant here. The investor charter documents client rights in a SEBI-accessible format that can be referenced in dispute situations. When filing a SEBI SCORES complaint, investors can reference the charter's rights section to demonstrate the specific right that was violated. A charter that specifically states termination rights, refund entitlements and the internal grievance process provides a clear reference point for both the investor and the IA in any dispute.