KYC Compliance Checklist UK
Certivus AML team8 minUpdated 2026-06-27
In brief: A KYC compliance checklist helps UK firms collect consistent identity, ownership, risk, screening, and evidence records before accepting or continuing a client.
Key points
- Use the checklist to structure judgement, not replace it.
- Add extra checks when risk is higher.
- Keep the decision note as well as the documents.
KYC compliance checklist
Use this checklist as a starting point for client onboarding:
| Check | Evidence |
|---|---|
| Client identity | ID, address, electronic verification, or reliable documents. |
| Business verification | Company status, directors, PSCs, trading activity, and ownership. |
| Purpose | Why the client needs the service and expected activity. |
| Risk rating | Client, service, geography, delivery channel, and transaction risk. |
| Screening | PEP, sanctions, adverse media, and match-review notes. |
| Enhanced checks | Source of funds, source of wealth, senior approval, or extra monitoring where needed. |
| Decision | Accept, pause, decline, escalate, or review later. |
Common mistake
The common mistake is completing a checklist but not explaining the decision. Supervisors need to see why the evidence was enough for the risk.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Apply it through the Money Laundering Regulations 2017, supervisor guidance, and the firm's own risk-based AML procedures.