CKYC Registration — Onboarding with the Central KYC Registry
CKYC registration is how a regulated entity, such as an NBFC, bank, insurer or fund house, gets access to the Central KYC Records Registry run by CERSAI. Once live, you upload each new customer within 10 days and download records by KYC Identifier. We prepare the application and coordinate the onboarding.
What it is
The Central KYC Records Registry (CKYCR) is a shared database of customer KYC records. A customer completes KYC once with any regulated entity, receives a unique KYC Identifier, and every other entity can then fetch the same record instead of repeating the exercise. CERSAI operates the registry under the Prevention of Money Laundering framework.
There are two meanings of CKYC registration, and people mix them up. For an individual, it simply happens when a bank, mutual fund or insurer uploads your KYC; you do not apply separately. For a reporting entity, it is a formal onboarding with CERSAI, with a test environment, checks and a live login. This page is about the second. If you are still setting up the lender itself, start with NBFC registration.
Picture a new NBFC in Faridabad that has just received its certificate of registration from the RBI. Its first loans are weeks away. The loan system is built, but nobody has applied to CERSAI. Onboarding takes from a week to a month, so the better plan is to start it alongside the loan launch, not after it.
Who it applies to
NBFCs and lenders
Companies regulated by the RBI that onboard borrowers upload KYC records and can use the registry to identify customers. Housing finance and microfinance companies are covered too.
Banks, insurers and fund houses
Entities regulated by RBI, SEBI, IRDAI and PFRDA are eligible to register customers on the registry.
Fintechs working with a regulated partner
A fintech normally reaches the registry through its regulated partner. Your partner entity holds the registration and your system connects to it.
Why it matters
It is a legal duty, not a choice
The RBI KYC Directions, 2025 require regulated entities to upload KYC records to the CKYC registry within 10 days of starting an account-based relationship.
Onboarding gets faster
A customer who already has a KYC Identifier can be identified by downloading the record. You skip the second round of document collection, and so does the customer.
Inspection readiness
Inspectors look for customer records on the registry and for updates after changes. Timely uploads mean fewer observations.
Documents required
Entity papers
- Signed CERSAI registration form
- Regulator licence or certificate of registration
- PAN of the entity
Admin user papers
- Authorisation letter for each admin user
- Identity proof of each admin user
- Photo ID copy or a signed letter where it is not available
Technical readiness
- Nominated maker and checker users
- Plan for API or file integration with your core system
- Dummy customer records for testing
How it works
Check eligibility and prepare the form
We confirm your regulator and collect the licence and PAN. Then we fill the application, naming two admin users, who will later act as maker and checker.
Register on the test environment
After the first application you receive a reference number and a link to the test environment. You apply there too. Maker and checker credentials usually arrive within a few days.
Test with dummy records
You upload at least five dummy customer records, checked at maker and checker level, and submit the testing checklist for approval. Your technology team does the integration; we coordinate and track the checklist.
Send documents and go live
Signed copies go to the CERSAI office. After approval you receive live credentials. Then comes the part people forget: a daily upload routine and an update routine, which we set up with your team.
Timelines
Test credentials
Reported to take 24 hours to about three days after the application.
Complete onboarding
Typically between a week and a month, depending on how quickly testing and document verification close.
Customer uploads
Within 10 days of the start of an account-based relationship with each customer.
What happens if you do not comply
Supervisory observations
Missing or late uploads can show up in an RBI inspection as KYC non-compliance and lead to supervisory action.
Duplicate and stale records
Without uploads and updates, customers repeat KYC and your records drift out of date. Periodic updation runs at 2, 8 and 10 years for high, medium and low-risk customers.
PMLA exposure
KYC lapses sit inside anti-money-laundering obligations. Penalties come from the regulator and the PMLA framework, and the amount depends on the case.
Frequently asked questions
What is CKYC registration?
For an individual, it is the creation of a KYC record on the Central KYC Records Registry, which happens when a regulated entity uploads your KYC. For an entity, it means onboarding with CERSAI so that you can upload and download records. The registry gives each customer a 14-digit KYC Identifier. We help entities complete the onboarding.
Who can register with the CKYC registry?
Entities regulated by the RBI, SEBI, IRDAI and PFRDA, which means banks, NBFCs, insurers, mutual funds and similar institutions. Fintechs generally connect through their regulated partner. If your company is not yet licensed, registration comes after the licence. We can check where you stand and tell you the next step.
Can an individual apply for a CKYC number?
Not directly. Your KYC Identifier is created when a bank, mutual fund, insurer or NBFC uploads your KYC after you complete verification with them. You can then use the same identifier elsewhere. If you want to know whether you have one, ask the entity that last verified you or use the registry search.
How long does onboarding take?
Reports suggest test credentials arrive in 24 hours to about three days, and the full onboarding takes between a week and a month. The pace depends on how fast your team completes testing with at least five dummy records and how quickly CERSAI verifies documents. We keep the checklist moving.
What is the upload deadline for customer records?
Under the RBI KYC Directions, 2025, a regulated entity uploads KYC records to the registry within 10 days of starting an account-based relationship. Changes to customer details must also be reflected on the registry. We design a daily upload routine so no account misses the window.
What documents does the entity need?
A signed registration form, your regulator licence, PAN, authorisation letters and identity proofs for the admin users, and photo ID copies. We prepare the set and check names and signatures against each other before submission.
Does the registry replace our own KYC policy?
No. The registry holds records; your Board-approved KYC policy still governs customer acceptance, risk grading and monitoring. Records on the registry can be relied on for identification, subject to your policy. Periodic updation applies every 2, 8 or 10 years by risk. We can review your policy against the 2025 Directions.
Do periodic updates also go to the registry?
Yes. When you refresh a customer record, the updated details must be reflected on the registry so that other entities see the current information. The cycle is 2 years for high risk, 8 for medium and 10 for low risk. We can set up a due-date tracker for you.
What it costs
Our fee plus the government fee that applies to your case, quoted before you commit. Tell us the situation and we will price it exactly.
Ready to begin?
Tell us your regulator and your core system, and we will prepare the CERSAI onboarding file.