Free Standard CDD Checklists: A Practical Guide for Corporate and Individual Client Onboarding
Free Standard CDD Checklists: A Practical Guide for Corporate and Individual Client Onboarding
Customer Due Diligence (CDD) remains one of the most important — and frequently misunderstood — parts of effective AML compliance. While most firms understand what CDD is, many still struggle with applying it consistently and proportionately in practice.
To support firms with this challenge, I’ve published free Standard CDD checklists for both corporate and individual clients, designed to provide a clear, practical framework for client onboarding.
Why standard CDD still matters
Standard CDD is the foundation of a risk‑based AML framework. When applied properly, it helps firms:
Understand who their clients are
Identify ownership and control
Assess the purpose and intended nature of the relationship
Identify money laundering, sanctions, or reputational risks early
Demonstrate compliance to regulators and auditors
Problems tend to arise when CDD is either treated as a tick‑box exercise or applied inconsistently across teams and matters. Clear checklists help bridge the gap between policy and practice.
What the checklists cover
The Standard CDD Corporate Checklist focuses on the core elements required when onboarding corporate clients, including:
Entity identification and verification
Ownership and control
Directors and controllers
Source of funds and source of wealth
Purpose of the relationship and expected activity
Sanctions, PEP, and adverse media screening
Risk assessment, approval, and post‑onboarding monitoring
The Standard CDD Individual Checklist is designed to support consistent onboarding of individual clients and covers:
Identity and address verification
Occupation and nature of income
Purpose of the relationship
Expected activity and transaction profile
Source of funds and source of wealth
Sanctions, PEP, and adverse media screening
Risk assessment and approval
Both checklists are structured to support a proportionate, risk‑based approach, rather than a one‑size‑fits‑all process.
Who these checklists are for
These templates are particularly useful for:
Law firms
Compliance teams
Regulated businesses
Small and mid‑sized firms looking to strengthen onboarding controls
They are intended as practical working tools, not academic guidance, and can be adapted to reflect a firm’s specific risk appetite and regulatory obligations.
How to use them
The checklists are designed to:
Sit alongside your AML policy and procedures
Support consistent decision‑making
Provide a clear audit trail
Help identify when escalation or enhanced due diligence may be required
They should always be applied using professional judgement and in line with your firm’s overall AML framework.
Download the free checklists
You can download the Free Standard CDD Checklists (Corporate & Individual) directly here or from:
Free Standard CDD Checklists (Corporate & Individual) | AML Compliance — BSAH
They are provided for general guidance only and should be applied proportionately based on risk.
