The Reserve Bank of India has issued the Commercial Banks – Know Your Customer (KYC) Amendment Directions, 2025 with immediate effect to clarify accountability in the use of Central KYC Records Registry (CKYCR) data. The amendment aligns RBI’s KYC framework with the Department of Revenue’s September 18, 2025 office memorandum on CKYCR responsibility under the PML Act regime. A new explanation inserted in paragraph 65 specifies that the regulated entity (RE) which last uploads or updates a customer’s KYC record in CKYCR bears responsibility for verifying the customer’s identity and/or address. Consequently, banks that download and rely on current and compliant CKYCR records are not required to re-verify identity or address. However, such banks continue to remain fully responsible for all other customer due diligence (CDD) obligations under the KYC Directions, except the verification already performed. The amendment seeks to remove duplication, improve efficiency, and clearly allocate liability within the shared KYC ecosystem.
Reserve Bank of India
Reserve Bank of India (Commercial Banks – Know Your Customer) Amendment Directions, 2025
RBI/2025-26/166
DOR.AML.REC.370/14.01.002/2025-26 | Dated: December 29, 2025
Reserve Bank had issuedReserve 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
