**Executive Summary**
This document is the Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) Amendment Directions, 2025, concerning Know Your Customer (KYC) procedures for Rural Co-operative Banks. Issued on December 29, 2025, it amends the RBI's existing KYC Directions of November 28, 2025, to clarify responsibilities related to uploading and downloading customer KYC records from the Central KYC Records Registry (CKYCR), effective immediately.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Purpose:** To amend the existing "Reserve Bank of India (Rural Co-operative Banks – Know Your Customer) Directions, 2025" dated November 28, 2025.
* **Authority:** Issued under sections of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949; the Banking Regulation Act (AACS), 1949; the Payment and Settlement Systems Act 2007; the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999; the Prevention of Money-Laundering (Maintenance of Records) Rules, 2005 and other enabling laws.
* **Short Title and Commencement:** These directions are called the "Reserve Bank of India (Rural Co-operative Banks - Know Your Customer) Amendment Directions, 2025," and come into effect immediately.
* **Modification to Existing Directions:** The amendment modifies the existing "Reserve Bank of India (Rural Co-operative Banks – Know Your Customer) Directions, 2025."
* **Clarification on CKYCR Responsibility:** An "Explanation" is added to paragraph 64 of the original directions.
* The RE (Regulated Entity) that last uploaded or updated a customer’s KYC record to the CKYCR is responsible for verifying the customer's identity and/or address.
* Banks downloading KYC records from 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 and relying on CKYC records remain responsible for all aspects of CDD procedures and provisions of these Directions, except verification of identity and/or address of the customer.
**Impact Analysis**
**Impact** Rural Co-operative Banks
* Must adhere to the amended KYC directions.
* Banks that upload or update KYC records into CKYCR are responsible for ensuring the identity and address of the customer is verified.
* Banks that download KYC records from the CKYCR can rely on them (provided they are compliant with the PML Act) without re-verifying the customer’s identity and address.
**Action Required** Rural Co-operative Banks
* Update KYC procedures to reflect the clarification regarding CKYCR responsibilities.
* Ensure compliance with the amendment when verifying KYC records and using the CKYCR.
Key Entities Referenced
Reserve Bank of India (Rural Co-operative Banks – Know Your Customer) Amendment Directions, 2025: The main subject of the document, outlining amendments related to KYC compliance for rural cooperative banks.
Reserve Bank of India (Rural Co-operative Banks – Know Your Customer) Directions, 2025: The original directions that are being amended by this document.
PML Act, 2002: Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 - referenced for compliance requirements.
Banking Regulation Act, 1949: Referenced for the powers exercised by the Reserve Bank of India.
CKYCR: Central KYC Records Registry - plays a role in the KYC record updates and verification process.
RBI/2025-26/163
DOR.AML.REC.367/14.01.005/2025-26 December 29, 2025
Reserve Bank of India (Rural Co-operative Banks – Know Your Customer)
Amendment Directions, 2025
Reserve Bank had issued Reserve Bank of India (Rural Co-operative 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 sections 35A of the Banking
Regulation Act, 1949, the Banking Regulation Act (AACS), 1949, read with section 56 of
the Act ibid., section 10(2) read with section 18 of Payment and Settlement Systems Act
2007 (Act 51 of 2007), section 11(1) of the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999,
Rule 9(14) of the 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 (Rural Co-operative
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 (Rural Co-operative
Banks – Know Your Customer) Directions, 2025 as under:(1) In paragraph 64, 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