Privacy
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Disclaimer
This is a free aid, not legal advice. Use it with your firm's AML policy and your supervisor's guidance. Checked against the Money Laundering Regulations 2017 as amended to November 2026. Some settings are this tool's defaults, not legal requirements: proof of address within 3 months, reviews every 6/12/24 months, and senior approval for all enhanced due diligence.
Last reviewed: November 2026 · KYC tool v1.0
For individuals, sole traders and private limited companies. Not for partnerships, LLPs, trusts, charities, listed or overseas companies, or regulated financial firms. They need different checks.
Purpose. A know-your-client (KYC) and anti-money laundering (AML) record for one client: the customer due diligence required by the Money Laundering Regulations 2017 before acting for a client. It records who the client is, who owns and controls it, how identities were verified, sanctions and PEP screening, the risk assessment and the decision to accept.
Nothing on this page is saved. Fill the record in one sitting, export the PDF, and save it in your firm's secure client records with the ID screenshots, proof of address and Companies House extract. Closing or reloading the page clears it. Complete before the engagement letter is sent: the letter goes out only after this record shows Accept and is saved to your firm's secure client records.
AAppendix
Reference only – not part of the record and not included in the PDF. The content follows the client type chosen in section 0.
A. KYC procedure
Before the call
- Send the Privacy Notice and the ID verification guide (part C) to the clientto the company contact and to each person whose identity will be verified. Record the date in section 0, and each person's date in section 2.
- Search the company on Companies House. Check it is active, and that the name, number and registered office match what the client told you. View the articles of association, the officers and the people with significant control (PSC). Download the company overview or PSC register excerpt and save it to your firm's secure client records (MLR 2017 reg. 30A).
- Ask the client who owns and controls the company. If a shareholder is another company, follow the chain up to the individuals at the top. List every director, beneficial owner, the senior person responsible for operations and whoever will instruct us in section 1.
- Compare the client's answers with the Companies House register. Report a material discrepancy to Companies House (MLR 2017 reg. 30A) and record the date and reference. For a non-material difference, record what differs and why.
- Send your secure upload method to the clienteach person to be verified.
- When each proof of address arrives (not needed where an electronic ID check also verified the address), check:
- it is dated within the last 3 months
- the name and address match the photo ID and the onboarding form
- Fill sections 0 and 1 from the onboarding form and Companies House.
- Arrange the identity check for each person to be verified: a video call, a meeting in person, an electronic ID check through a provider certified on the UK DVS register, or certified copies. For a video call, confirm they know you will take 3 screenshots, what they are for, and that they are kept for 5 years after the relationship ends.
At the identity check
- Do the checks for the method chosen in section 2, for each person. On a video call, take the 3 screenshots.
- Ask the questions in part B (by phone or video if the check was electronic or by certified copies) and check the answers against section 1.
After the check
- Save the screenshots, ID copies or provider reports to your firm's secure client records and enter the file names in section 2.
- Do the screening the same day (section 3), on the official UK Sanctions List search or with a screening service: sanctions, PEP and adverse media, for the company and every person in section 1.
- Complete the risk assessment (section 4) and the sign-off (section 5).
- Export the PDF and save it to your firm's secure client records.
- Close the secure upload link.
- Tell the client the result. If the decision is Accept, send the engagement letter for signature.
Later
- Review the record by the next review date, or sooner if anything changes: a new business, a new address or name, a new service, or anything unusual.new shareholders, directors or beneficial owners, a new address, a new service, or anything unusual. Check Companies House again at each review.
B. Questions to ask on the call
Identity
- Please confirm your full name, date of birth and home address. 1 · Full legal name, Date of birth, Residential address
- Have you ever used any other name? 1 · Other or previous names
Business and income
- Do you run a business on your own as a sole trader, or is this only about your personal tax? (If the client trades through a company, use the Limited company type. If through a partnership, stop: this record is not suitable.) 0 · Client type
- What is the name of your business, and when did you start trading? 1 · Trading name, Trading since
- What does your business do, and where do you see clients? 1 · Nature of business
- How do customers pay you? Do you take any cash, and roughly how much a month? 1 · How the business is paid, Approximate cash income per month
- Roughly what is your annual turnover? 1 · Approximate annual turnover
- Which bank account does the business use? 1 · Business bank(s)
- What is your occupation, and where does most of your income come from? 1 · Occupation / main source of income
- Roughly what is your total annual income, and which bank do you mainly use? 1 · Approximate annual income, Main bank(s)
- Do you send or receive any payments from abroad? 4 · Geography
- Do you have any other income, for example employment, rent or savings? 1 · Other income
Relationship
- What would you like us to do for you, and why do you need an accountant now? 1 · Services you will provide, Purpose of the relationship
- Will anyone else give us instructions or act on your behalf? 1 · Anyone acting on the client's behalf?
- Are there any open HMRC enquiries, or tax you have not paid? 1 · Notes
Politically exposed persons
- Do you, a family member or a close associate hold, or have held in the last 12 months, an important public position in the UK or abroad? For example: an MP, a minister, a senior government official, a judge, a senior military officer, or a board member of a state-owned company. 3 · PEP declaration
Ask each person being verified
- Please confirm your full name, date of birth and home address. 1 · Person › Full name, Date of birth, Residential address, Country of residence
- What is your role in the company? 1 · Person › Role(s)
- Do you, a family member or a close associate hold, or have held in the last 12 months, an important public position in the UK or abroad? For example: an MP, a minister, a senior government official, a judge, a senior military officer, or a board member of a state-owned company. 3 · PEP declaration for that person
The company
- Please confirm the company's name, number and registered office, and where it actually trades from. 1 · Company name, Company number, Registered office, Principal place of business
- What does the company do, and who are its customers? 1 · Nature of business
- How do customers pay? Any cash, and roughly how much a month? 1 · How the business is paid, Approximate cash income per month
- Roughly what is the annual turnover, and which bank does the company use? 1 · Approximate annual turnover, Business bank(s)
- Does the company send or receive any payments from abroad? 4 · Geography
Ownership and control
- Who owns the company, and what share does each owner have? Is any shareholder another company? 1 · Ownership structure; Person › Role(s), Shares or votes held
- Does anyone hold shares for someone else? 1 · Person › Holds the shares in their own name?
- Does anyone control the company in another way, for example through an agreement or by appointing the directors? 1 · Person › Role(s)
- Who are the directors, and who runs the company day to day? 1 · Person › Role(s)
- Who will give us instructions, and what authority do they have? 1 · Person › Person instructing us, Authority to act checked
- Is the company part of a group, or linked to any other company? 1 · Ownership structure
Relationship
- What would you like us to do for the company, and why do you need an accountant now? 1 · Services you will provide, Purpose of the relationship
- Are there any open HMRC enquiries, or tax the company has not paid? 1 · Notes
C. ID verification guide (for the client)
Print client guide
Tick the identity check method(s) to include, then print. Only this guide is printed; choose "Save as PDF" in the print dialog to send it to a client. It follows the client type chosen in section 0 and contains no client details.
Checking your identity: a guide for clients
1. Why we do this
UK anti-money laundering law requires us to check and record your identity and address before we act for you. For a company, this includes the people who own or control it and whoever gives us instructions. We do this for every client.
Everyone who owns or controls more than 25% of the company's shares or votes, or controls it in another way, and the person who will give us instructions, goes through the identity check.
2. What you need
- Photo ID: your original passport or UK photocard driving licence, in date.
- Proof of address: one document dated within the last 3 months, showing your full name and current address, such as a utility bill, a bank or credit card statement, a council tax bill or a letter from HMRC. This is not needed if an electronic ID check also verifies your address.
- Ownership chart: if any shareholder is a company, a chart or list showing who owns it.
If your ID has expired, or you do not have a suitable proof of address, please tell us beforehand.
3. Sending documents
Use the secure upload method we give you. Please do not send ID documents by WhatsApp, WeChat or other messaging apps.
4. How we will check your identity
We will agree one of the methods below with you.
Video call
- Open the link we send you in a browser on your computer or phone, and allow the camera and microphone when asked.
- Hold the photo page of your ID close to the camera, tilt it slightly so we can see the security features, then hold it next to your face.
- We take 3 screenshots (your face, the photo page of your ID, and you holding your ID). We do not record the call.
In person
- Bring the original photo ID and proof of address to the meeting.
- We check them in front of you and keep a copy.
Electronic ID check
- You receive a link from a certified identity checking provider.
- On your phone, you photograph your ID and take a short selfie video.
- The provider sends us the result. If it also checks your address, you do not need to send a proof of address.
Certified copies
- Ask a solicitor, accountant or similar professional to certify copies of your ID and proof of address.
- They must write "certified true copy of the original", sign and date it, and add their name, profession and contact details.
- We will also confirm with you, or with the certifier.
5. A few questions
We will ask a few short questions about you and your businessthe company and its owners, including whether you or a family member hold an important public position in the UK or abroad, for example an MP, a government official or a judge.
6. How we keep your information
- It is used only for anti-money laundering checks.
- It is stored securely.
- It is deleted 5 years after our relationship with you ends, unless the law requires otherwise.
- Details are in our privacy notice.
7. After the check
We confirm the result and send you the engagement letter.
Please keep us updated. Tell us within 14 days of any change in the company's shareholders, directors or beneficial owners.