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Customer Due Diligence Policy

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Customer Due Diligence Policy

This Customer Due Diligence Policy (the Policy) is entered into by and between Company Name: and Approving Authority: Effective Date:

Recitals

WHEREAS, the Company provides financial products and services that require procedures to verify customer identity, assess risk, and detect suspicious activity in order to comply with applicable anti-money laundering and counter-financing of terrorism obligations; and

WHEREAS, the Approving Authority is responsible for oversight and approval of policies that govern customer onboarding, monitoring, recordkeeping, and escalation procedures; and

WHEREAS, the parties intend to establish a uniform, risk-based framework for Customer Due Diligence that assigns responsibilities, sets minimum controls, and documents retention and escalation practices;

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants set forth herein, the parties adopt the following Policy.

1. Purpose

The purpose of this Policy is to require the implementation of risk-based customer due diligence procedures to: (a) verify the identity of customers and beneficial owners; (b) assess money laundering and terrorism financing risk; (c) provide for enhanced due diligence where risk indicators are present; (d) establish ongoing monitoring and suspicious activity reporting; and (e) maintain records sufficient to demonstrate compliance with applicable legal and regulatory obligations.

2. Scope

This Policy applies to all business units, branches, subsidiaries, and affiliates of the Company that open accounts, originate transactions, or provide ongoing services to customers, including retail, commercial, institutional, and intermediary relationships. Business units subject to this Policy include:

Retail Banking Commercial Banking Wealth Management Brokerage / Capital Markets

3. Definitions

For purposes of this Policy, the following definitions apply in addition to any statutory definitions:

"Customer Due Diligence" means the set of procedures used to collect and verify identifying information about a customer and any beneficial owners, to assess the customer's risk profile, and to monitor transactions on an ongoing basis.

"Beneficial Owner" means any natural person who, directly or indirectly, owns or controls a customer, including any person who exercises ultimate effective control over a legal entity client, according to the procedures in Section 4.3.

"Politically Exposed Person (PEP)" means an individual who is or has been entrusted with a prominent public function, and their immediate family members and close associates, requiring enhanced scrutiny under this Policy.

4. Customer Identification and Verification

4.1 Customer Identification Program. The Company shall implement a Customer Identification Program (CIP) requiring that, at account opening or initial engagement, the Company obtain and verify the customer's name, date of birth (for individuals), legal form (for entities), address, and an identifier such as a taxpayer identification number or government-issued identifier. Verification shall be conducted using documentary and non-documentary methods consistent with the customer's risk rating.

4.2 Acceptable Identity Evidence. Documentary evidence shall include government-issued photo identification, certified corporate formation documents, and certified copies of beneficial owner identification where required. Where documentary verification is not feasible, non-documentary verification shall include independent third-party sources, reliable public records, and corroborating information from customer-supplied data.

4.3 Beneficial Ownership Identification. For all legal entity customers, the Company shall identify and verify the natural persons who are beneficial owners pursuant to the Company’s risk-based thresholds. Where ownership or control is not transparent, the Company shall apply enhanced due diligence, obtain additional documentation, and escalate to the Compliance Officer.

5. Risk Assessment and Customer Risk Rating

5.1 Risk-Based Approach. The Company shall apply a risk-based approach to categorize customers as Low, Medium, or High risk based on factors including product and service type, delivery channel, customer type, geographic risk, expected transaction activity, and adverse information.

5.2 Risk Criteria. The Compliance function shall maintain objective criteria and scoring for each risk factor. Examples of criteria and illustrative risk indicators are maintained in the Risk Criteria Appendix and include high-value cash transactions, offshore counterparties, and customers subject to negative media.

6. Enhanced Due Diligence (EDD)

6.1 Triggers for EDD. Enhanced Due Diligence shall be performed for customers assessed as High risk, PEPs, non-resident customers in high-risk jurisdictions, correspondent banking relationships with payable-through accounts, and any relationship where the source of wealth or funds cannot be reasonably determined.

6.2 EDD Procedures. EDD requires corroboration of identity, independent source verification of beneficial ownership, documented senior management approval prior to account opening, more frequent reviews, and, where appropriate, independent approval for transactions above designated thresholds.

7. Ongoing Monitoring and Transaction Surveillance

7.1 Ongoing Monitoring. Customer relationships shall be subject to ongoing monitoring proportional to the customer's risk rating. Monitoring includes review of transactions against expected activity, periodic updating of customer information, and timely investigation of anomalies.

8. Recordkeeping

The Company shall retain copies of customer identification, verification records, beneficial ownership information, transaction records, and risk assessments for a minimum period specified by applicable law and in any event for not less than the retention period set forth below.

9. Training and Personnel

The Company shall provide mandatory AML/CFT and customer due diligence training to all employees within customer-facing and compliance functions at least as frequently as set forth below. Training shall be documented and refreshed upon material changes to this Policy or related procedures.

10. Third-Party Reliance and Outsourcing

Where the Company relies on third parties to perform due diligence, the Company shall ensure that contractual arrangements require the third party to apply equivalent standards of identification, verification, and recordkeeping. The Company remains ultimately responsible for compliance and must retain sufficient evidence of the third party’s performance.

11. Reporting and Escalation

Employees shall promptly report suspicious activity to the designated Compliance Officer. The Company will maintain clear escalation paths for high-risk or suspicious matters and will determine whether and when to file internal or external reports as required by law and this Policy.

12. Internal Controls, Audit and Review

The Company shall maintain internal controls, periodic independent testing, and audit procedures to assess compliance with this Policy. The Compliance function shall produce periodic reports to senior management and the Approving Authority documenting program effectiveness and remedial actions.

13. Data Protection and Confidentiality

Customer information gathered under this Policy shall be handled in accordance with the Company’s data protection requirements. Access to CDD documentation shall be limited to personnel with a legitimate business need, and disclosures shall be governed by applicable confidentiality and legal disclosure obligations.

14. Breach Response

Any breach of this Policy or failure to follow prescribed CDD procedures must be reported immediately to the Compliance Officer and appropriate corrective measures shall be taken, including retraining, disciplinary action, and remediation of deficient controls.

15. Governing Law

This Policy shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of:

16. Notices

All notices required or permitted under this Policy shall be in writing and shall be delivered to the addresses set forth below or to such other address as a party designates by written notice.

17. Amendments; Waiver; Severability; Entire Agreement; Counterparts

17.1 Amendments. This Policy may be amended only by a written instrument signed by both the Company and the Approving Authority.

17.2 Waiver. No failure or delay by either party in exercising any right under this Policy shall operate as a waiver of that right, and any waiver must be in writing and signed by the waiving party.

17.3 Severability. If any provision of this Policy is held to be invalid or unenforceable in any jurisdiction, the remainder of this Policy shall remain in full force and effect and the invalid provision shall be reformed only to the extent necessary to make it enforceable.

17.4 Entire Agreement. This Policy constitutes the entire agreement of the parties with respect to its subject matter and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings, whether written or oral, relating to the subject matter hereof.

17.5 Counterparts. This Policy may be executed in counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, and all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

Acknowledgment

The undersigned represent and warrant that they are duly authorized to execute and deliver this Policy on behalf of their respective parties and that by signing below the parties agree to be bound by the terms and procedures set forth herein.

Company:

By:

Date:

Approving Authority:

By:

Date:

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What a Customer Due Diligence Policy Is and Why It Matters

A Customer Due Diligence Policy is an internal document that sets required steps for identifying customers, verifying identity, determining beneficial ownership, assessing risk, and retaining records. It provides a consistent framework for Know-Your-Customer (KYC) checks, ongoing monitoring, and escalation when suspicious activity is detected, supporting compliance with anti-money laundering obligations and industry-specific regulatory expectations.

The purpose of a clear, enforceable CDD policy

A written CDD policy reduces legal and financial exposure by standardizing identity verification, risk scoring, and recordkeeping. It demonstrates an auditable compliance program for regulators and helps staff apply consistent risk controls across onboarding and ongoing relationships.

The purpose of a clear, enforceable CDD policy

Which teams use the Customer Due Diligence Policy and how

Front-line and compliance teams rely on the policy to apply uniform KYC checks and escalate issues consistently.

  • Compliance and AML teams: Implement policy, perform high-risk reviews, and prepare regulatory filings.
  • Customer-facing operations: Use defined questionnaires and ID checks during onboarding and account changes.
  • Legal and audit: Validate policy alignment with statutes and maintain audit-ready documentation.

The policy aligns roles, responsibilities, and escalation paths so each team knows when and how to act.

Primary signatories and policy approvers

Compliance Officer

Responsible for adopting, updating, and enforcing the CDD policy. Typically drafts procedures, conducts periodic reviews, and signs attestations confirming implementation across business units.

Senior Management

Board-level or executive approval confirms organizational commitment. Senior management must review major revisions, allocate resources, and certify that required controls are in place and functioning.

Core components to include in a professional CDD policy

A complete CDD policy defines the rules, processes, and evidence required at each stage of a customer relationship, from onboarding through ongoing monitoring and termination.

Customer Identification

Specify acceptable identity documents, verification methods, and information capture standards for individuals and legal entities to satisfy KYC requirements.

Beneficial Ownership

Require collection and verification of beneficial owners per applicable rules; detail thresholds that trigger ownership collection and how to document ownership chains.

Risk Assessment

Define a risk-rating methodology that assigns low/medium/high risk based on factors such as jurisdiction, product, transaction size, and customer profile.

Ongoing Monitoring

Describe transaction monitoring, periodic reviews, red-flag criteria, and triggers for enhanced due diligence and internal escalation.

Recordkeeping & Retention

Set retention periods for identity documents, due diligence files, and monitoring records with references to federal and industry retention requirements.

Reporting & Escalation

Outline procedures for internal reporting, suspicious activity review, and filing regulatory reports where required, including roles and timelines.

Step-by-step: completing a Customer Due Diligence review

Follow these sequential steps to onboard a customer and document due diligence decisions consistently.

  • 01
    Collect Data: Gather identity and entity documents as specified in Required Documents.
  • 02
    Verify Identity: Confirm authenticity using ID checks, credential analysis, or electronic verification.
  • 03
    Assess Risk: Apply the Risk Rating Criteria to classify the customer's risk level.
  • 04
    Document & Approve: Record findings, obtain required approvals, and store records per retention rules.

Configuring an online CDD workflow

Map each required step to a digital action and gate to ensure consistent execution in e-signature and case management tools.

Field Configuration
Identity Upload Require PDF/JPG uploads; max file size and accepted formats.
Verification Step Enable ID credential analysis or manual review flag.
Risk Scoring Automatic calculation or manual entry depending on plan.
Approval Gate Assign approver role and required number of approvals.

Where to submit documents and how routing works

A typical CDD routing process sends documents through verification, risk scoring, and approval stages with audit logging at each step.

  • Customer Upload: Customer provides identity documents through a secure form or portal.
  • Verification Queue: Documents route to verification specialists or an automated verifier.
  • Compliance Review: High-risk or flagged cases route to compliance for additional checks.
  • Record Storage: Completed files are archived with an audit trail for future inspection.

Technical considerations for e-submission and signing

Choose platforms that support secure upload, audit trails, and conditional workflows to match policy gates.

  • File formats: Accept PDF, DOCX, and image formats for ID and entity documents.
  • Authentication: Support email/SMS, KBA, or advanced authentication for high-risk customers.
  • Audit Trail: Maintain timestamps, IP addresses, and action logs for all events.

Ensure integrations with CRM, case management, and secure storage to enable automated routing and long-term retention.

Key timing and review requirements to include

Define specific deadlines for onboarding checks, periodic reviews, and regulatory filings so staff can meet compliance windows.

Onboarding Verification:

Complete identity verification before account activation.

Periodic Review:

Conduct reviews at intervals defined in Review Frequency (commonly 12–36 months).

Enhanced Due Diligence:

Initiate immediately when red flags or high-risk criteria appear.

Suspicious Activity Report:

File SARs per FinCEN guidance—typically within 30 days of detection.

Policy Review:

Update policy at least annually or after material regulatory changes.

Milestones from onboarding to periodic re-evaluation

Track key milestones to ensure every customer moves through verification, acceptance, and ongoing monitoring with documented outcomes.

01

Initial Onboarding

Collect baseline identity and entity documentation and run verification checks.

02

Risk Determination

Apply scoring rules and categorize the customer for monitoring intensity.

03

Monitoring Phase

Conduct transaction and profile monitoring, escalating red flags to compliance.

04

Periodic Re-Review

Reassess documents and risk rating per the Review Frequency schedule.

Common pitfalls when preparing or enforcing a CDD policy

  • Ambiguous risk criteria that leave decisions to individual judgment and create inconsistent outcomes across teams.
  • Incomplete documentation capture, such as missing beneficial owner details for legal entities, which undermines audit readiness.
  • Failure to integrate screening and transaction monitoring, causing delayed detection of suspicious activity and late filings.
  • Overly rigid workflows that block legitimate customers or create manual workarounds that circumvent controls.

Regulatory and business risks of an inadequate CDD policy

Regulatory Fines: Civil penalties and enforcement actions for AML/KYC failures.
SAR Filing Failures: Late or missing SARs can increase enforcement exposure.
Reputational Harm: Customer trust and partner relationships can be damaged.
Operational Disruption: Manual remediation consumes staff time and resources.
Financial Loss: Fraud losses increase without effective monitoring.
Contractual Risk: Breach of partner or vendor obligations tied to due diligence.

Required security and compliance elements to reference

Encryption: AES-256 at rest, TLS 1.2/1.3 in transit
Audit Trail: Tamper-evident logs with timestamps
Access Control: Role-based permissions and SSO
BAA Requirement: HIPAA: include BAA when handling PHI
Standards: SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001
Retention Policy: Documented retention and deletion controls

Real-world examples of CDD policy use

Practical examples illustrate how businesses apply CDD policies to streamline onboarding and maintain compliance.

Optica Ventures LLC

Optica centralized identity checks to reduce variability in onboarding.

  • The team automated document capture and verification.
  • The result improved consistency for customers and internal teams while preserving audit-ready records and lowering manual review time.

Martin Properties

A real estate firm digitized owner verification for remote closings.

  • They used secure uploads and conditional approvals.
  • This allowed closing without in-person meetings while meeting state notary and transaction verification requirements for property transfers.

Comparing signNow pricing and capabilities for CDD workflows

A compact vendor comparison focusing on starting price, trial availability, bulk sending, audit trails, HIPAA support, and envelope limits to aid procurement discussions.

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 Varies by plan Varies by plan Varies by plan Varies by plan
Bulk Send Yes Yes Yes Yes No
Audit Trail Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
HIPAA Compliant Yes Yes Yes No No
Envelope Cap No cap 100 envelopes/user/year Varies by plan Varies by plan Varies by plan

Frequently asked questions about Customer Due Diligence Policy

Answers to common implementation and compliance questions to help teams avoid mistakes and maintain regulatory readiness.


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