**Executive Summary**
This document is an amendment to the Reserve Bank of India (Commercial Banks – Know Your Customer) Directions, 2025, issued on December 29, 2025. The amendment clarifies the responsibilities of entities uploading and downloading customer KYC records from the Central KYC Records Registry (CKYCR). The amendment comes into force with immediate effect.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Amendment Overview:** The document amends the Reserve Bank of India (Commercial Banks – Know Your Customer) Directions, 2025.
* **CKYCR Responsibility Clarification:** The amendment clarifies the responsibilities of entities uploading and downloading KYC records from CKYCR.
* **Responsibility for KYC Verification:**
* The RE that last uploaded or updated the customer's KYC records in the CKYCR is responsible for verifying the customer's identity and/or address.
* Banks downloading and relying on KYC records from the CKYCR are not required to re-verify the authenticity of the customer's identity and/or address, if the downloaded KYC records are current and compliant with the PML Act, 2002/PML Rules, 2005.
* The bank downloading KYC records remains responsible for all other aspects of the CDD procedure.
* **Effective Date:** The Amendment Directions come into force with immediate effect.
**Impact Analysis**
**Impact: Commercial Banks (REs)**
* **Impact:** Reduced burden of re-verifying KYC details for customers whose records are already verified and available on CKYCR.
* **Action Required:** Update internal KYC procedures to align with the clarified responsibilities regarding CKYCR record uploads and downloads.
Key Entities Referenced
Reserve Bank of India (Commercial Banks – Know Your Customer) Directions, 2025: Primary directions being amended by this document, related to KYC norms for commercial banks.
Reserve Bank of India: The regulator issuing the amendment directions.
Banking Regulation Act, 1949: Act under which the Reserve Bank of India derives its power to issue these directions.
Prevention of Money-Laundering Act, 2002: Act related to the Rules made thereunder, in compliance of the provisions
Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007: Act related to the the powers conferred by section 18
RBI/2025-26/166
DOR.AML.REC.370/14.01.002/2025-26 December 29, 2025
Reserve Bank of India (Commercial Banks – Know Your Customer) Amendment
Directions, 2025
Reserve Bank had issued Reserve Bank of India (Commercial Banks – Know Your
Customer) Directions, 2025 dated November 28, 2025 (hereinafter referred to as the
Directions) in compliance of the provisions of the PML Act, 2002 and the Rules made
thereunder. There is a need to amend the Directions to clarify the responsibility of entities
uploading customer records to and downloading the same from CKYCR, based on the
office memorandum (OM) titled “CKYCR and the ultimate responsibility of REs – reg.”
issued by the Department of Revenue, Govt of India, dated September 18, 2025.
2. Accordingly, in exercise of the powers conferred by section 35A of the Banking
Regulation Act, 1949, section 10(2) read with section 18 of Payment and Settlement
Systems Act, 2007, section 11(1) of the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999, Rule
9(14) of Prevention of Money-Laundering (Maintenance of Records) Rules, 2005 and all
other enabling laws in this regard, the Reserve Bank being satisfied that it is necessary
and expedient in the public interest so to do, hereby issues the Amendment Directions
hereinafter specified.
3. Short Title and Commencement
(1) These Directions shall be called the Reserve Bank of India (Commercial Banks –
Know Your Customer) Amendment Directions, 2025.
(2) These Directions shall come into force with immediate effect.
4. These Amendment Directions modify the Reserve Bank of India (Commercial Banks –
Know Your Customer) Directions, 2025 as under:(1) In paragraph 65, the following “Explanation” is being inserted after sub-paragraph
(10):
“Explanation: The RE that has last uploaded or updated the customer’s KYC records in
the CKYCR shall be responsible for verifying the identity and / or address of the customer,
as applicable. Accordingly, any bank downloading and relying on such records from the
CKCYR shall not be required to re-verify the authenticity of the customer’s identity and /
or address, provided the KYC records downloaded from CKYCR are current and
compliant with the PML Act, 2002 / PML Rules, 2005. The bank downloading and relying
on KYC records downloaded from the CKCYR shall remain responsible for all aspects of
CDD procedure and provisions of these Directions, except verification of identity and / or
address of the customer.”
(Veena Srivastava)
Chief General Manager