- Enforced by
- HMRC, FCA, SRA, LSB, Home Office
- Status
- Amended (in force with amendments)
- Penalty ceiling
- Imprisonment 15 of 102 obligations carry an unlimited fine. 16 carry different penalties and 71 have no criminal penalty — flagged in the list below.
Does it bind you?
Business-side roles with duties under this instrument.
Plus 26 duties on the regulator, Crown ministers and public bodies — folded into the section list below.
Other Acts binding the same actors
If a role above is yours, these are the other instruments that most often bind it.
Any Person — also bound by 2340 other Acts
Trader — also bound by 825 other Acts
Responsible Person — also bound by 108 other Acts
Director or Officer — also bound by 429 other Acts
Financial Services Firm — also bound by 167 other Acts
Trustee — also bound by 104 other Acts
Employer — also bound by 682 other Acts
Operator — also bound by 746 other Acts
What it requires
Regulations creating concrete business duties or carrying penalties, grouped as the instrument is structured. Titles link to the source text — blue means you’re leaving for legislation.gov.uk.
Introduction
1 of 7 sections shown- Identify which regulator supervises your anti-money laundering complianceResponsible Person
6 other sections in this Part — procedural and definitional
Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing
12 of 23 sections shownOther duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- The Treasury must assess risks related to weapons of mass destruction financingCrown / Minister / Government department
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- HM Treasury and Home Office must conduct and publish UK money laundering risk assessmentsCrown / Minister / Government department
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Supervisors must assess sector risks and provide guidance to businessesStatutory regulator
- Assess and record proliferation financing risksAny Person
- Assess your business risk for proliferation financingResponsible Person
Unlimited fine
- Assess your business risks for money laundering and terrorist financingResponsible Person
- Carry out and record a money‑laundering risk assessmentAny Person
Unlimited fine
- Establish and maintain proliferation financing policies and controlsResponsible Person
- Maintain policies and controls to prevent proliferation financingTrader
Unlimited fine
- Establish and maintain anti-money laundering policies and proceduresResponsible Person
- Establish, maintain and update AML policies, controls and proceduresTrader
Unlimited fine
- Establish and maintain anti-money laundering procedures across your groupDirector or Officer
- Implement and maintain AML policies across the whole groupDirector or Officer
- Set up internal anti-money laundering controls and appointmentsResponsible Person
- Train relevant staff and agents on anti-money laundering requirementsResponsible Person
- Follow FCA supervisory directionsEmployer
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Supervisors must review and may restrict high-risk overseas operationsStatutory regulator
- Act as manager/officer or be beneficial owner without regulator approvalAny Person
- Operating a regulated business without proper management approvalAny Person
11 other sections in this Part — procedural and definitional
Customer Due Diligence
6 of 13 sections shown- Carry out customer due diligence checks when requiredResponsible Person
- Check ownership registers and report discrepanciesResponsible Person
- Report material discrepancies in beneficial‑ownership registersAny Person
Unlimited fine
- Verify customer and beneficial‑owner identity before doing businessAny Person
- Verify customer identity before starting a business relationshipResponsible Person
- Perform enhanced due diligence on overseas banking partnersFinancial Services Firm
- Apply enhanced due diligence to third‑country correspondent relationships and avoid shell banksTrader
- Assess and apply simplified customer due diligence for low-risk clientsResponsible Person
- Apply simplified due diligence only where risk is lowAny Person
Unlimited fine
- Monitor electronic money transactions for suspicious activityFinancial Services Firm
7 other sections in this Part — procedural and definitional
Reliance and Record-keeping
1 of 3 sections shown- Provide data‑protection statement to new customersAny Person
- Limit use of anti-money laundering data and notify customersResponsible Person
2 other sections in this Part — procedural and definitional
Beneficial Ownership Information
5 of 6 sections shown- Provide corporate and ownership information to business partners or authoritiesAny Person
- Maintain and disclose trust beneficial ownership recordsTrustee
- Maintain and provide records of trust beneficial ownersAny Person
- Register non-taxable express trusts with HMRCTrustee
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- HMRC must provide trust register information to persons with a legitimate interestStatutory regulator
- Register your trust and its beneficial owners with HMRCTrustee
- Provide and keep up‑to‑date information on taxable trusts to HMRCAny Person
Unlimited fine
1 other section in this Part — procedural and definitional
Requests for information about accounts and safe-deposit boxes
0 of 8 sections shown8 other sections in this Part — procedural and definitional
Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing: Supervision and Registration
13 of 23 sections shown- Publish an annual AML reportAny Person
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Self-regulatory organisations must publish annual anti-money laundering reportsStatutory regulator
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Supervisory authorities must monitor and enforce anti-money laundering rulesStatutory regulator
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Supervisors must provide up-to-date money laundering risk informationStatutory regulator
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- FCA must provide detailed guidance on Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs)Statutory regulator
- Put in place governance and resources for AML supervisory dutiesAny Person
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Self-regulatory bodies must ensure independent and effective anti-money laundering supervisionStatutory regulator
Unlimited fine
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Supervisory authorities must co-operate and share informationStatutory regulator
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Supervisory authorities must collect and share regulatory informationStatutory regulator
- Disclose confidential AML informationAny Person
- Unlawfully disclose confidential anti-money laundering informationAny Person
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- FCA and HMRC must maintain registers of money laundering regulated businessesStatutory regulator
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- FCA and HMRC may maintain registers of certain financial and business typesStatutory regulator
- Register your business and keep registration details up to dateAny Person
- Inform customers about lack of regulatory protectionFinancial Services Firm
- Inform customers when activity is not covered by FOS or FSCSTrader
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Regulators may suspend or cancel your money laundering registrationStatutory regulator
10 other sections in this Part — procedural and definitional
Transfer of Funds (Information on the Payer) Regulations
2 of 4 sections shownOther duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Supervisory authorities must monitor and enforce payment service complianceStatutory regulator
- Be able to respond quickly to authorised law‑enforcement enquiriesTrader
- Respond to law enforcement enquiries about fund transfersOperator
Unlimited fine
2 other sections in this Part — procedural and definitional
Cryptoasset Transfers
6 of 8 sections shown- Include and verify required information for cryptoasset transfersTrader
- Verify cryptoasset transfer information and manage discrepanciesTrader
- Verify and manage information for incoming cryptoasset transfersTrader
- Check and obtain required information before transferring cryptoassetsTrader
- Verify cryptoasset transfer information as an intermediaryTrader
Unlimited fine
- Pass on information during cryptoasset transfersTrader
- Ensure required information travels with cryptoasset transfersTrader
Unlimited fine
- Request AML information for unhosted wallet transfersTrader
- Assess risks and restrict unhosted wallet transfersTrader
Unlimited fine
- Provide requested information to law enforcement promptlyTrader
- Respond to law enforcement requests for cryptoasset informationTrader
Unlimited fine
2 other sections in this Part — procedural and definitional
Information, Investigation and Directions
4 of 13 sections shown- Cooperate with the retention of records seized during inspectionsAny Person
- Provide information to the FCA when requestedFinancial Services Firm
- Appoint a skilled person and cooperate with FCA report requestTrader
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- FCA may require a skilled person's report on your cryptoasset businessStatutory regulator
Unlimited fine
- Comply with FCA directions and respond to noticesTrader
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- FCA may issue specific directions to cryptoasset businessesStatutory regulator
9 other sections in this Part — procedural and definitional
Enforcement
10 of 18 sections shown- Breach of money laundering and terrorist financing regulationsDirector or Officer
Unlimited fine
- Serious or systematic failure to provide fund transfer informationAny Person
- Employing an individual banned from management rolesAny Person
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- HMRC must follow specific procedures when imposing money laundering sanctionsStatutory regulator
- Keep FCA warning notices confidentialAny Person
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- FCA must publish details of money laundering decision and final noticesStatutory regulator
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- HMRC must publish details of money laundering sanctions and breachesStatutory regulator
- Breach of money laundering or terrorist financing requirementsAny Person
- Fail to comply with money‑laundering requirementsAny Person
- Interfering with money laundering investigationsAny Person
- Prejudice a money‑laundering investigationAny Person
- Provide false information or disclose restricted info to regulatorsAny Person
- Provide false or misleading information or unlawful disclosureAny Person
- Officer liable for corporate money‑laundering offenceDirector or Officer
- Personal liability for officers behind company money laundering offencesDirector or Officer
8 other sections in this Part — procedural and definitional
Appeals
4 of 8 sections shown- Notify the Commissioners within 30 days if you want a reviewAny Person
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- HMRC must review a decision if you accept their offer of a reviewStatutory regulator
- Request a review out of timeAny Person
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- HMRC must review a decision if a late request has a reasonable excuseStatutory regulator
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- HMRC must conduct and notify the outcome of a manual reviewStatutory regulator
- Appeal a Commissioner decision within the prescribed timeAny Person
4 other sections in this Part — procedural and definitional
Miscellaneous Provisions
2 of 11 sections shown- Pay FCA supervision charges when imposedAny Person
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- FCA and HMRC may charge fees for anti-money laundering supervisionStatutory regulator
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- NCA must provide annual feedback on suspicious activity reportsStatutory regulator
9 other sections in this Part — procedural and definitional
Schedules
2 of 189 shown- Make a false statement under oath (perjury)Any Person
- Fail to notify FCA of acquisition or increase in control of a cryptoasset businessAny Person
187 other schedules
Help complying
Guvnor’s practical routes through this instrument.
Meet anti-money laundering requirements
Essential guide to AML compliance for UK businesses in regulated sectors. Covers registration with supervisors, customer due diligence, suspicious activity reporting, appointing …
Manage your export compliance
Ongoing compliance for established exporters - export controls, sanctions, bribery prevention, and regulatory requirements
Export controlled goods and dual-use items
Compliance-critical guidance for exporting military items, dual-use technology, or goods subject to sanctions - with penalties up to 10 years imprisonment
Start a financial services business
Launch an FCA-regulated financial services business with proper authorisation
Start a fintech business
Launch a financial technology business requiring FCA authorisation
Ongoing compliance for law firms
Learning path for maintaining regulatory compliance at an authorised law firm: annual renewal cycle, COLP and COFA reporting, client account management, AML …
Anti-money laundering (AML) compliance
Essential guide to AML compliance for UK businesses under the Money Laundering Regulations 2017.
Anti-money laundering compliance for law firms
How to meet anti-money laundering obligations as a solicitor or law firm in England and Wales. Covers the firm-wide risk assessment, client …
Cryptoasset Business Regulation
Regulatory requirements for cryptoasset businesses in the UK - how token classification determines whether you need full FCA authorisation or Money Laundering …
Legal professional privilege and SAR reporting: when the exemption applies
When legal professional privilege exempts solicitors from suspicious activity reporting obligations and when it does not. Covers the POCA 2002 s.330(6) privilege …
Managing export business risk and corruption
UK Bribery Act compliance, due diligence on overseas buyers, political risk assessment, and IP protection abroad.
Set up a property letting business
Five mandatory compliance requirements for lettings agents operating in England. Register before you trade to avoid penalties up to £30,000.
UK sanctions compliance for businesses
How to comply with UK financial sanctions. Includes OFSI enforcement powers, asset freeze requirements, screening obligations, breach reporting, licensing procedures, and major …
10 more guides that reference this instrument
Duty extraction and severity labels are Guvnor’s analysis of the instrument, not the instrument itself. Always verify against the linked source text.