Who must complete the questionnaire?

An authorized representative of the client (owner, officer, manager, or designated agent) should complete the form. If ownership is held indirectly, provide details for upstream entities and beneficial owners so compliance can assess true ownership.

Is an electronic signature valid here?

Yes. Electronic signatures are legally enforceable under the ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. ch. 96) and UETA in most states, provided intent, consent, attribution, and record retention requirements are met.

When is notarization or RON required?

Most ownership questionnaires do not require notarization unless explicitly requested by the receiving party or state law. If a notarized certification is required, follow your state notary rules or RON procedures where allowed.

How do I correct errors after signing?

If information is incorrect, submit a corrected questionnaire with a new signature and date. Maintain both versions in the record to preserve an audit trail and note the reason for correction.

What if ownership changes after submission?

Provide an updated questionnaire reflecting the new ownership within your organization’s notification window. Retain the original signed record and the update for audit and compliance purposes.

How long must we keep the completed questionnaire?

Retention depends on the document type and regulations: at minimum retain for the active account period plus applicable federal or industry periods (e.g., IRS, HIPAA). See your retention schedule or legal counsel for specifics.

Electronic Signature
Templates
Miscellaneous
Client Ownership Questionnaire

Client Ownership Questionnaire

This template is fully customizable. Edit the text, fill out the fields, and send it for signature. Give it a try!

CLIENT OWNERSHIP QUESTIONNAIRE

WHEREAS, Client requests review and onboarding by Company and has been asked to provide information regarding ownership, control and beneficial ownership for regulatory, compliance, and internal due diligence purposes; and

WHEREAS, Company requires accurate identification of persons and entities with ownership or control over Client in order to conduct risk assessment, comply with anti-money laundering and related obligations, and to establish the appropriate account and service relationship; and

WHEREAS, Client acknowledges that the information provided will be relied upon by Company and certifies that the information supplied in this questionnaire is complete, accurate and true to the best of Client's knowledge.

Client Identification

Client Name Entity Type (select all that apply)

Individual Corporation Limited Liability Company (LLC) Partnership Trust Other

State/Country of Formation or Domicile Date of Formation or Registration Tax Identification Number Principal Place of Business

Primary Contact for This Questionnaire

Contact Name and Title Contact Email Contact Phone

Beneficial Owners and Control Persons

Provide details for each individual or entity with direct or indirect ownership or control of 10% or more, and for one or more control persons. If none, indicate so in the Additional Owners section.

Owner 1 — Full Legal Name: Ownership %:

Date of Birth: SSN/TIN (last 4 if full not provided):

Owner 1 Address

Nationality: Control Person: Politically Exposed Person (PEP):

Owner 2 — Full Legal Name: Ownership %:

Date of Birth: SSN/TIN (last 4 if full not provided):

Owner 2 Address

Nationality: Control Person: Politically Exposed Person (PEP):

Owner 3 — Full Legal Name: Ownership %:

Date of Birth: SSN/TIN (last 4 if full not provided):

Owner 3 Address

Nationality: Control Person: Politically Exposed Person (PEP):

Owner 4 — Full Legal Name: Ownership %:

Date of Birth: SSN/TIN (last 4 if full not provided):

Owner 4 Address

Nationality: Control Person: Politically Exposed Person (PEP):

Additional Owners or Beneficial Owners (if any)

Corporate Structure and Affiliates

Is the Client publicly traded?

Yes No

List any parent companies, subsidiaries, affiliates or other related entities

Source of Funds and Purpose

Primary source of funds for transactions or capital

Representations, Certification and Use of Information

The undersigned certifies that the information provided in this questionnaire is complete and accurate, that the undersigned is authorized to provide this information on behalf of Client, and that Client will notify Company promptly of any changes to the information provided. Client acknowledges that Company may rely on this information in connection with onboarding, account maintenance, compliance with applicable laws and regulations, and internal due diligence processes.

Client further acknowledges that Company may verify information and request additional documents, and that Company may disclose information to regulators, auditors, payment processors, or as required by law. Except as required by law, Company will maintain the confidentiality of information provided in accordance with the Confidentiality clause below.

Confidentiality

Company will treat information submitted in this questionnaire as confidential and will not disclose such information except (a) as required by applicable law, regulation or court order, (b) to Company affiliates, auditors, legal counsel or service providers who have a legitimate need to know and are bound by confidentiality obligations, or (c) to the extent disclosure is necessary to protect Company’s legal rights. Client acknowledges that Company may retain copies of the information for recordkeeping and compliance purposes.

Governing Law and Entire Agreement

This questionnaire, and any reliance on the information provided herein, shall be governed by the laws of the jurisdiction indicated below without regard to conflict of laws principles. This document constitutes the entire statement of Client’s ownership and control information delivered to Company at this time and supersedes any prior oral or written statements concerning the subject matter herein.

Governing Law Jurisdiction

Acknowledgment and Signature

By signing below, the undersigned authorizes Company to rely on this questionnaire, certifies under penalty of perjury that the statements contained herein are true and correct, and accepts that knowingly providing false information may result in termination of the relationship and legal liability.

Client:

By:

Date:

Company Representative:

By:

Date:

What the Client Ownership Questionnaire Is and when it’s used

A Client Ownership Questionnaire is a standardized form used during client onboarding to capture ownership, control and beneficial ownership details for legal, tax, and compliance purposes. It typically asks for entity type, ownership percentages, control persons, beneficial owners with 25%+ ownership, and taxpayer identification numbers. Organizations use it to satisfy Know Your Customer (KYC), anti-money laundering (AML), and internal risk-review processes and to collect documentation needed for tax reporting or contractual approval.

Why collecting ownership information matters

Accurate ownership data reduces regulatory risk, supports correct tax reporting, and speeds onboarding. It helps firms identify beneficial owners for KYC/AML checks, determines whether backup withholding or enhanced due diligence is needed, and creates a reliable audit trail for future review.

Who completes and relies on the questionnaire

The questionnaire is completed by clients or authorized representatives and reviewed by compliance, legal, and account teams during onboarding.

Compliance teams: verify beneficial owners and run KYC/AML screening.
Finance / accounting: ensure correct tax forms and withholding rules.
Business users: confirm signatory authority and contractual approval chains.

Clear ownership records help downstream teams (finance, legal, operations) meet regulatory, contractual, and internal audit requirements.

Core content every professional Client Ownership Questionnaire should include

A well-constructed questionnaire balances clarity with regulatory completeness. It must gather identity, ownership percentages, control relationships, tax IDs, and document attachments while supporting electronic completion and retention for audit.

Entity Type

Specify corporation, LLC, partnership, trust, or sole proprietorship so reviewers apply the correct ownership thresholds and tax rules.

Ownership Lines

List each owner with ownership percentage and role; include beneficial owners with 25% or greater interest and indirect ownership chains.

Control Persons

Identify officers, managing members, or persons with significant control regardless of equity percentage; useful for authority and AML screening.

Tax Identifiers

Collect EIN or SSN and W-9/W-8 status; mismatches with tax forms can trigger backup withholding and reporting issues.

Supporting Documents

Attach formation documents, operating agreements, stock ledgers, or trust instruments that corroborate ownership claims and signatory authority.

Declaration

A signed statement certifying accuracy under penalty of perjury and confirming consent to electronic recordkeeping where applicable.

Step-by-step process to complete and submit the questionnaire

Follow these steps to complete the questionnaire efficiently and maintain a clear audit trail for compliance checks.

01

Gather Documents: Collect formation, ownership, and tax documents before starting.
02

Enter Ownership Data: Populate owner names, percentages, and roles precisely.
03

Attach Proof: Upload relevant supporting PDFs and ledgers.
04

Sign and Submit: Sign electronically, certify accuracy, and send to compliance.

How electronic completion and review typically flows

A common digital workflow reduces friction and preserves evidence: complete, sign, route, verify, and archive.

Complete: Client fills fields and uploads attachments.
eSign: Authorized signer applies an electronic signature and date.
Route: Form routes to compliance for KYC/AML checks.
Archive: Signed file and audit trail are stored for retention.

Sample digital workflow settings to use with online forms

Configure these settings in your eSignature or document platform to preserve integrity and meet review requirements.

Field	Configuration
Signature Type	Electronic signature with audit trail
Authentication	Email link + SMS code for higher assurance
Attachments Required	Make supporting document upload mandatory
Retention	Archive signed records in read-only storage

Technical considerations for secure eSubmission

Ensure the platform supports secure uploads, an immutable audit trail, and optional advanced signer authentication.

File formats: Accept PDF and DOCX for attachments.
Authentication: Support email, SMS, and optional KBA.
Integrations: Connectors to CRM and document storage systems.

Choose settings that balance signer convenience with required assurance for KYC and contractual validation.

Typical timing expectations for completion and review

Set clear deadlines for clients and internal reviewers to avoid onboarding delays and regulatory exposure.

Client Submission Window:

Provide the questionnaire within 10 business days of request.

Compliance Review:

Internal review typically completes within 5–7 business days.

Follow-up Requests:

Allow 3 business days for clients to supply missing documents.

Escalation:

Escalate unresolved issues after 15 business days.

Retention Start:

Retention begins on the signed date of the questionnaire.

Security and compliance controls to require for electronic questionnaires

Encryption in transit: TLS 1.2/1.3

Encryption at rest: AES-256

Audit trail: Immutable timestamp and IP logging

Regulatory certs: SOC 2 Type II

Healthcare compliance: HIPAA (BAA required)

FDA records: 21 CFR Part 11 support

Penalties and risks from incorrect or missing ownership data

Backup withholding: 24% withholding may apply for incorrect TINs

Tax reporting fines: Penalties for incorrect information returns

AML enforcement: Fines or restrictions for incomplete KYC

Contract risk: Invalid signatory authority can void agreements

Operational delays: Onboarding and funding holdbacks

Reputational harm: Client trust and regulatory scrutiny

Common preparation mistakes that cause verification delays

Entering trade names instead of the registered legal name delays verification and may require resubmission of documents.
Omitting beneficial owners in indirect ownership chains causes incomplete KYC and triggers follow-up requests or escalations.
Uploading low-quality scans or incomplete supporting documents forces manual review and multiple client touchpoints.
Using inconsistent tax identifiers (mismatched EIN/SSN) leads to backup withholding risk and tax reporting errors.

eSignature provider comparison for questionnaire workflows

Comparison of starting price and key features across common eSignature vendors. signNow appears first per vendor ordering rules.

	signNow	DocuSign	Adobe Sign	PandaDoc	HelloSign
Starting Price	$8/user/mo	$15/user/mo	$14/user/mo	$19/user/mo	$15/user/mo
Free Trial	7-day free trial, no credit card	Varies by plan	Varies by plan	Varies by plan	Varies by plan
Bulk Send	Yes (Business Premium)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Varies by plan
Audit Trail	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
HIPAA Compliant	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Envelope Cap	No envelope cap	100 envelopes/user/year limit	Varies by plan	Varies by plan	Varies by plan

Frequently asked questions about the Client Ownership Questionnaire

Answers to common questions about completion, signatures, corrections, and retention. Use these to resolve typical onboarding issues quickly.

Need help? Contact support

Who must complete the questionnaire?
An authorized representative of the client (owner, officer, manager, or designated agent) should complete the form. If ownership is held indirectly, provide details for upstream entities and beneficial owners so compliance can assess true ownership.
Is an electronic signature valid here?
Yes. Electronic signatures are legally enforceable under the ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. ch. 96) and UETA in most states, provided intent, consent, attribution, and record retention requirements are met.
When is notarization or RON required?
Most ownership questionnaires do not require notarization unless explicitly requested by the receiving party or state law. If a notarized certification is required, follow your state notary rules or RON procedures where allowed.
How do I correct errors after signing?
If information is incorrect, submit a corrected questionnaire with a new signature and date. Maintain both versions in the record to preserve an audit trail and note the reason for correction.
What if ownership changes after submission?
Provide an updated questionnaire reflecting the new ownership within your organization’s notification window. Retain the original signed record and the update for audit and compliance purposes.
How long must we keep the completed questionnaire?
Retention depends on the document type and regulations: at minimum retain for the active account period plus applicable federal or industry periods (e.g., IRS, HIPAA). See your retention schedule or legal counsel for specifics.

be ready to get more

Join over 28 million airSlate SignNow users

Sign Now