KYC Full Form: Documents, Video KYC, Re-KYC and CKYC Number
Independent guide. We are not part of RBI, NPCI or any bank, and we never ask for your account details, PIN or OTP.
KYC stands for Know Your Customer. It is how a bank, wallet or NBFC confirms who you are and where you live, using Aadhaar, an officially valid document and your PAN (or Form 60). It is needed to open an account and must be refreshed periodically. If nothing has changed, a self-declaration is enough.
- Full form
- Know Your Customer
- Rules set by
- RBI (banks, wallets, NBFCs); SEBI (mutual funds, brokers)
- Law behind it
- Prevention of Money-laundering Act and Rules
- Basic documents
- Aadhaar or another OVD, plus PAN or Form 60
- Re-KYC
- At least every 2 / 8 / 10 years (high / medium / low risk)
- No change in details?
- Self-declaration by email, mobile, ATM, app or letter
- CKYC number
- 14 digits, from CKYCR
- KYC fraud
- Call 1930 or cybercrime.gov.in
What is KYC and why is it needed?
KYC is a set of checks every entity regulated by RBI must do before it opens an account for you or lends to you: identify you, verify your address, and understand the kind of transactions you will do. It exists to stop accounts being opened in false names and used for money laundering, fraud or terror financing.
You meet KYC when you open a bank account, get a full wallet (PPI), take a loan from a bank or NBFC, invest in mutual funds or shares, or buy insurance. Banks and NBFCs each have their own RBI KYC Directions (both issued 28 Nov 2025), with the same core rules.
Your bank also places you in a risk category (low, medium or high), based on things like your occupation, location and type of transactions. It decides how often your KYC is refreshed. The bank doesn't have to tell you your category.
Documents accepted for KYC
For an individual, a bank takes one of these as proof of identity and address, plus your PAN (or e-PAN) or, if you don't have one, Form 60:
- Aadhaar number, authenticated with UIDAI (e-KYC), if you choose to give it or need it for a government benefit;
- Proof of possession of Aadhaar, checked by offline verification (see below);
- Any officially valid document (OVD), or its signed e-version from DigiLocker;
- Your CKYC number, with your consent for the bank to download your record from the central registry.
| Officially valid documents (OVDs) | Address proof only, if your OVD has an old address ("deemed OVD") |
|---|---|
| Passport | Utility bill (electricity, telephone, post-paid mobile, piped gas, water) not more than 2 months old |
| Driving licence | Property or municipal tax receipt |
| Proof of possession of Aadhaar number | Pension payment order from a government department or PSU, if it shows the address |
| Voter ID card issued by the Election Commission | Official accommodation allotment letter from a government, PSU, bank, listed company and similar employers |
| NREGA job card signed by a State Government officer | With a deemed OVD, you must give an OVD with your current address within 3 months. |
| National Population Register letter with name and address |
A PAN card is not an OVD for address; it is needed separately. If you hand over a copy of your Aadhaar where authentication isn't needed, mask the Aadhaar number. Get your Aadhaar details right first on our Aadhaar guide.
Ways to complete KYC
At the branch or with an agent
You show the original document; an officer takes a live photo of you and the document in the bank's "digital KYC" app, with location. A bank's business correspondent (BC) can do this for you.
Aadhaar e-KYC (biometric or OTP)
The bank authenticates your Aadhaar with UIDAI by biometrics (such as your fingerprint) or by an OTP. You may give a different current address by self-declaration.
Aadhaar offline verification
You download a digitally signed, password-protected Aadhaar file (or use the secure QR code) from UIDAI and share it with the bank, along with its password (share code).
Video KYC (V-CIP)
A live video call with a trained bank official. You show your original PAN card (or share e-PAN); the official matches your face and checks you are in India. A printout of an e-document is not accepted.
Accounts opened by Aadhaar OTP alone, without meeting the bank, are limited: total balance up to ₹1 lakh, total credits up to ₹2 lakh a year, term loans up to ₹60,000 a year. Complete full KYC (in person or by V-CIP) within one year, or a deposit account is closed and a loan account allows no further debits.
CKYC: do KYC once, use it everywhere
The Central KYC Records Registry (CKYCR), run by CERSAI, stores your KYC record. When your record is first uploaded, it gives you a 14-digit KYC Identifier (also called the CKYC number or KIN).
- The bank must tell you the number once it is generated. You can also look it up on the CKYCR portal.
- Give this number to another bank, NBFC or fund house, and it must download your record instead of asking for the same documents again (unless your details have changed or need re-checking).
- When you update KYC at one place, the registry tells the others where you have accounts, so they update their records too.
New account vs re-KYC
- Keep your Aadhaar (or another OVD) and PAN ready, or your CKYC number if you have one.
- Choose a mode: branch, agent, Aadhaar e-KYC, or video KYC.
- Give a current address. If it isn't on your document, give a deemed OVD now and an updated OVD within 3 months.
- The bank verifies your PAN with the issuing authority and uploads your record to CKYCR; you then get your CKYC number.
No documents at all? A bank must still open a small account for you with just a self-attested photo and your signature or thumb impression in front of a bank officer. Limits: credits up to ₹1 lakh a year, withdrawals and transfers up to ₹10,000 a month, balance up to ₹50,000 (government grants and welfare benefits don't count towards the balance limit). It works for 12 months, extendable by 12 more if you show you have applied for an OVD. No foreign remittances.
Re-KYC (periodic updation) keeps your record current. It is due at least once every 2 years if you are high risk, 8 years if medium risk, and 10 years if low risk, counted from account opening or your last update. Banks may ask more often under their own policy.
| Your situation | What you give |
|---|---|
| Nothing has changed | A self-declaration through your registered email or mobile number, ATM, internet or mobile banking, or a letter. You can also give it through the bank's BC agent after Aadhaar biometric authentication. |
| Only your address changed | A self-declaration of the new address, by the same channels. The bank confirms it within 2 months (for example, by letter or a visit). Some banks may also ask for an address proof. |
| Name, photo or other details changed | Fresh documents, at any branch of your bank, by Aadhaar e-KYC, or by video KYC. |
| Account opened as a minor, now 18 | A fresh photo, and current documents if the bank's are outdated. |
Whenever a document you gave changes (for example a new address on Aadhaar), give the updated copy to the bank within 30 days.
How to complete re-KYC by self-declaration
- Open your bank's own app or internet banking (or reply from your registered email or mobile number, as the bank's notice says).
- Choose "no change in KYC information", or "change in address only" and enter the new address.
- Confirm the self-declaration with the OTP or your banking credentials.
- Save the acknowledgement. The bank must also tell you once your record is updated.
- No app? Visit any branch of your bank, use its ATM if it offers the option, send a letter, or go to its BC agent.
What if you don't update KYC?
- You must be warned first. Since 1 Jan 2026, banks must give at least three advance notices before the due date and at least three reminders after it, each set including one letter, explaining how to update, where to get help, and what happens if you don't.
- Low-risk customers get time. For a low-risk individual, the bank must allow all transactions for up to one year after KYC falls due, while it gets the update done.
- Then restrictions or closure. RBI's KYC FAQs say a bank may close the account after due notice if you still don't give updated records. Government re-KYC campaigns have also warned that accounts may be frozen for transactions and nomination updates until re-KYC is done.
- No PAN or Form 60? The bank must temporarily stop operations in the account until you give one, after an accessible notice and a chance to be heard.
- Rejected? A bank can't reject a KYC or re-KYC application automatically; an officer must review it and record the reason. If you disagree, complain to the bank and then under RB-IOS at cms.rbi.org.in.
Free re-KYC camps: the Department of Financial Services is running a nationwide campaign in 2.70 lakh gram panchayats and urban local bodies from 21 Oct to 31 Dec 2026, covering re-KYC of Jan Dhan and other savings accounts and generating pending CKYC numbers. An earlier campaign (1 Jul to 30 Sep 2025) had completed re-KYC of over 35 lakh accounts by 11 Aug 2025.
KYC fraud: how to stay safe
"Your account will be blocked today, update KYC now" is the classic scam. RBI has warned (13 Sep 2021 and 2 Feb 2024) that fraudsters call, SMS or email, create false urgency, and get you to share login details or install an app through a link.
- Never click a KYC link in an SMS or email, and never install an app a caller asks you to.
- Never share your OTP, PIN, password or card details, or copies of your KYC documents with unknown people.
- Contact your bank directly, using the number on its official website, to check any KYC request.
- Lost money? Call 1930 or report on cybercrime.gov.in at once, and tell your bank.
KYC beyond bank accounts
Wallets and prepaid cards
A small PPI needs only a verified mobile number and self-declared details, and holds up to ₹10,000. Full KYC (video KYC allowed) raises it to ₹2 lakh and allows sending money and UPI.
NBFC loans and loan apps
An NBFC follows RBI's NBFC KYC Directions. A loan app may take camera, microphone or location access once, only for onboarding or KYC, with your consent.
Mutual funds and shares
Under SEBI rules, your KYC is held by a KRA. Once it shows as "validated" (checked against official databases, with PAN-Aadhaar linked), you can invest through other fund houses and brokers without repeating it.
History of KYC rules in India
RBI issues its Master Direction on KYC, used by all its regulated entities for nearly a decade.
RBI first cautions the public against frauds in the name of KYC updation (repeated on 2 Feb 2024).
RBI eases re-KYC: self-declaration via BC agents, a one-year window for low-risk customers, and compulsory advance notices.
RBI issues separate KYC Directions for commercial banks, NBFCs and other entities.
Nationwide financial inclusion and re-KYC campaign begins, running to 31 Dec 2026.
FAQs
What is the full form of KYC?
Know Your Customer: the identity and address checks a bank, wallet, NBFC or broker must do before serving you.
Is Aadhaar compulsory for KYC?
No, unless you want a government benefit or subsidy credited to the account. You can use any other OVD, such as a passport, driving licence or voter ID, along with your PAN or Form 60.
I don't have a PAN. Can I still open an account?
Yes. Fill in Form 60 instead. If you have no documents at all, ask for a small account.
How often do I need to do re-KYC?
At least every 2 years if you are high risk, 8 years if medium and 10 years if low risk. Your bank's notice tells you when yours is due.
Do I have to visit the branch for re-KYC?
Not if nothing has changed, or only your address has. A self-declaration through your registered email or mobile, ATM, app, internet banking, letter or a BC agent is enough. You can also use any branch of the same bank, not only your home branch.
What is my CKYC number and where do I find it?
A 14-digit KYC Identifier given by the central registry. Your bank must tell you once it is generated, and you can look it up on ckycindia.in.
I got an SMS saying my account will be blocked unless I update KYC. What should I do?
Don't click any link or call the number in it. Check with your bank through its official app, website or branch. If you lost money, call 1930 immediately.
Can video KYC be done from abroad?
No. The bank's video KYC system must block connections from outside India and records your live location.
Official sources
- RBI – Reserve Bank of India (Commercial Banks – Know Your Customer) Directions, 2025 (updated as on 1 Oct 2026) (accessed 31 Oct 2026)
- RBI – Reserve Bank of India (Non-Banking Financial Companies – Know Your Customer) Directions, 2025 (accessed 31 Oct 2026)
- RBI – Master Direction – Know Your Customer (KYC) Direction, 2016 (accessed 31 Oct 2026)
- RBI – FAQs on Master Direction on KYC (9 Jun 2025) (accessed 31 Oct 2026)
- RBI – KYC (Amendment) Directions, 2025: periodic updation, 12 Jun 2025 (accessed 31 Oct 2026)
- RBI – RBI cautions against frauds in the name of KYC updation, 2 Feb 2024 (accessed 31 Oct 2026)
- RBI – Visits by Governor and Deputy Governors to re-KYC camps, 11 Aug 2025 (accessed 31 Oct 2026)
- PIB – Saturation campaign of financial inclusion schemes, 21 Oct to 31 Dec 2026 (accessed 31 Oct 2026)
- CERSAI – Central KYC Registry Operating Guidelines (14-digit KYC identifier), via SEBI (accessed 31 Oct 2026)
- SEBI – Review of validation of KYC records by KRAs, May 2024 (accessed 31 Oct 2026)
- UIDAI – About Aadhaar Paperless Offline e-KYC (accessed 31 Oct 2026)
- PIB – Nationwide financial inclusion and re-KYC campaign launched, 7 Jul 2025 (accessed 31 Oct 2026)
- Ministry of Home Affairs – National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (accessed 31 Oct 2026)
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