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UK Act of Parliament
2018
United Kingdom
Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018
At a glance
Who this Act binds
Business-side actors with duties under this Act, ranked by how often they appear.
- Any Person 3
Plus 6 non-business duties on Crown ministers, regulators, local authorities or tribunals — shown collapsed under each section below.
Step-by-step journeys using this legislation
Walkthroughs that take you from a real business situation to compliance.
Export controlled goods and dual-use items
- 9 steps
Grow your tech business
- 1 step
Run a tech business
- 2 steps
Relevant guidance
Practical guides for businesses affected by this Act, ordered by how closely they engage with it.
Direct — cites this Act
3 guidesMentioned in related content
3 guidesOther Acts binding the same actors
For each actor bound by this Act, the other UK Acts that bind them most often. Useful for understanding the full compliance landscape facing each role.
Any Person also bound by 2338 other Acts (top 5 shown)
- Human Medicines Regulations 2012 2012 169 duties
- Merchant Shipping Act 1995 1995 144 duties
- Insolvency (England and Wales) Rules 2016 2016 101 duties
- Road Traffic Act 1988 1988 95 duties
- Air Navigation Order 2016 2016 95 duties
What this Act requires
Sections that create concrete duties on businesses or carry penalties. Procedural and definitional sections are folded into the “Browse other sections” expander at the bottom of each group. Click any section title to read the source text on legislation.gov.uk.
Part 1 — Sanctions regulations
Designation of a person by name under a designation power
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Ministers must provide reasons and meet specific criteria for sanctions Crown / Minister / Government department
Designation of persons by description under a designation power
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Minister must follow specific procedures when designating groups for sanctions Crown / Minister / Government department
Persons named by or under UN Security Council Resolutions
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Government must designate UN-named persons in UK sanctions regulations Crown / Minister / Government department
Enforcement
10 years imprisonment- Breach of UK sanctions or circumvention of controls Any Person
Enforcement: monetary penalties
Unlimited fine- Breach of sanctions or anti-money laundering requirements Any Person
Procedure for requests to ... appropriate Minister
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Ministers must decide on sanctions requests as soon as possible Crown / Minister / Government department
Guidance about regulations under section 1
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Minister must issue guidance on new sanctions regulations Crown / Minister / Government department
Browse 43 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Power to make sanctions regulations
Additional requirements for regulations for a purpose within section 1(2)
Financial sanctions
Director disqualification sanctions
Immigration sanctions
Trade sanctions
Aircraft sanctions
Shipping sanctions
Other sanctions for purposes of UN obligations
“Designated persons”
Designation powers: general
“Specified ships”
Exceptions and licences
Information
Report in respect of offences in regulations
Enforcement: goods etc on ships
Goods etc on ships: non-UK conduct
Extra-territorial application
Power to vary or revoke designation made under regulations
Right to request variation or revocation of designation
Periodic review of certain designations
Right of UN-named person to request review
Power to revoke specification of ship made under regulations
Right to request revocation of specification of ship
Periodic review where ships are specified
UN-designated ship: right to request review
Review by appropriate Minister of regulations under section 1
Independent review of regulations with counter-terrorism purpose
Periodic reports on exercise of power to make regulations under section 1
Temporary powers in relation to EU sanctions lists
Directions under section 34: further provision
Rights of person on EU sanctions list
Rights of UN-named person on EU sanctions list
Court review of decisions
Court reviews: further provision
Rules of court
Procedure for dealing with goods etc seized from ships
Suspension of prohibitions and requirements
Protection for acts done for purposes of compliance
Revocation and amendment of regulations under section 1
Report where regulations for a purpose within section 1(2) are amended
Power to amend Part 1 so as to authorise additional sanctions
Power to make provision relating to certain appeals
Part 2 — Anti-money laundering
Browse 3 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Part 3 — General
Duties to lay certain reports before Parliament: further provision
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Ministers must lay reports and explanatory statements before Parliament Crown / Minister / Government department
Browse 13 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Crown application
Saving for prerogative powers
Regulations: general
Parliamentary procedure for regulations
Regulations under section 1: transitory provision
Retained EU rights
Consequential amendments and repeals
Meaning of “funds”, “economic resources” and “freeze”
Meaning of “financial services” and “financial products”
Interpretation
Extent
Commencement
Short title
Schedules
Money laundering and terrorist financing etc
2 years imprisonment- Breach of money laundering or terrorist financing regulations Any Person
Browse 75 other Schedules — structural / supplementary
Consequential amendments
Trade sanctions
The purposes referred to in section 5(1) are the purposes...
Preventing— (a) activities of a prescribed description relating (directly or...
Preventing all services, or services of a prescribed description, from...
Preventing all services, or services of a prescribed description, from...
Preventing services, or services of a prescribed description, from being...
Preventing services, or services of a prescribed description, from being...
So far as a UN Security Council Resolution provides for...
Preventing— (a) the export, import, movement, making available or acquisition...
Regulations which include provision for a purpose mentioned in Part...
Regulations which include provision for a purpose mentioned in paragraph...
Regulations which include provision for a purpose mentioned in Part...
Preventing the export of goods of a prescribed description—
Regulations which include provision for a purpose mentioned in Part...
Regulations which include provision for a purpose mentioned in Part...
Regulations which include provision for a purpose mentioned in Part...
Regulations which include provision for a purpose mentioned in Part...
Regulations which include provision for a purpose mentioned in paragraph...
Regulations which include provision for a purpose mentioned in paragraph...
(1) This paragraph applies where regulations include provision for a...
(1) This paragraph applies in relation to any provision of...
(1) For the purpose of the enforcement of any relevant...
Regulations may not contain prohibitions for a purpose mentioned in...
Preventing the import of all goods, or of goods of...
The question whether any such interference is necessary is to...
In this Schedule, any reference to goods, technology, land or...
For the purposes of this Schedule— (a) “export” means export...
For the purposes of this Schedule— (a) “import” means import...
Paragraph 33(b) does not apply to goods imported into the...
For the purposes of this Schedule— (a) goods, technology or...
In paragraph 5 “place” includes— (a) any vehicle, ship or...
In this Schedule— “aircraft” includes unmanned aircraft and aircraft capable...
Nothing in section 3 prevents any reference to services in...
Preventing the movement outside the United Kingdom of goods of...
Preventing a transfer of technology of a prescribed description—
Preventing goods or technology of a prescribed description from being...
Preventing the acquisition of goods or technology of a prescribed...
Preventing land, or land of a prescribed description, from being...
Preventing the acquisition of land, or land of a prescribed...
Without prejudice to the generality of section 49, regulations under...
Make provision enabling supervisory authorities to enter into arrangements with...
(1) Confer investigatory powers on— (a) supervisory authorities, and
(1) Authorise supervisory authorities to impose charges on persons supervised...
(1) Authorise the Financial Conduct Authority and the Commissioners for...
Make provision for and in connection with the grant of...
Make provision— (a) creating criminal offences for the purposes of...
Make provision for and in connection with reviews of, and...
Make provision exempting prescribed persons from prescribed requirements, generally or...
Regulations under section 49 may not provide for an offence...
Regulations under section 49 may provide for the creation of...
(1) Require— (a) the Secretary of State or the Treasury,...
Regulations under section 49 which confer a power to impose...
(1) In this paragraph “relevant regulations” means regulations under section...
(1) Regulations under section 49 may impose requirements in relation...
(1) Sub-paragraphs (2) and (3) have effect for the purposes...
(1) Without prejudice to anything in section 49, paragraphs 1...
In this Schedule— “enforcement partners” means bodies with which supervisory...
Require any person carrying on relevant business who is of...
(1) Require relevant persons to take prescribed measures in relation...
Make provision for and in connection with—
Make provision for and in connection with the creation, production...
(1) Confer supervisory functions on the Financial Conduct Authority, the...
(1) Confer supervisory functions on a prescribed body (an “oversight...
Make provision for and in connection with the registration of...
(1) Section 8B of the Immigration Act 1971 (persons excluded...
In Schedule 3 to the Investigatory Powers Act 2016 (exceptions...
In paragraph 2 of Schedule 1 to the Senior Courts...
(1) Section 18 of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act...
In section 61(1) of the Serious Organised Crime and Police...
(1) Schedule 1 to the Serious Crime Act 2007 (offences...
(1) Part 2 of Schedule 17 to the Crime and...
In Schedule 3 to the Investigatory Powers Act 2016 (exceptions...
(1) Part 8 of the Policing and Crime Act 2017...
The following provisions are repealed or revoked— Title Extent of...
Official guidance
Authoritative sources published by regulators or government explaining this legislation.
- Emerging money laundering and terrorist financing risks from February 2022 (opens in a new tab) from Gambling Commission Detailed Guidance
- The 2023 money laundering and terrorist financing risks within the British gambling industry - Regulatory framework (opens in a new tab) from Gambling Commission Detailed Guidance
- The money laundering and terrorist financing risks within the British gambling industry - Regulatory Framework (opens in a new tab) from Gambling Commission Detailed Guidance
- FCA sanctions guidance (opens in a new tab) from FCA Detailed Guidance
- Reporting sanctions evasions | FCA (opens in a new tab) from FCA Detailed Guidance
- SRA | Sanctions regime - firm-wide risk assessments (opens in a new tab) from SRA Detailed Guidance
- Financial sanctions guidance for HVDs and AMPs (opens in a new tab) Publication
- SRA sanctions guidance for solicitors (opens in a new tab) Detailed Guidance
Enforcement and responsible bodies
The regulators that administer or enforce this legislation.
FCA
PrimaryFinancial Conduct Authority
Regulation of financial services firms and markets. Supervises banks, insurers, investment firms, payment services, and cryptoasset businesses. Issues authorisations and enforces conduct …
Export Control Joint Unit
Administers the UK export licensing system for military and dual-use goods, software, and technology. Part of the Department for Business and Trade. …
Solicitors Regulation Authority
Regulates solicitors and law firms in England and Wales. Sets standards, authorises firms, investigates misconduct, and can impose sanctions including fines and …
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Regulators
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