CKYC number explained: How this 14-digit ID eases opening bank and financial accounts

Do you know your Central Know Your Customer (CKYC) number? This is a unique 14-digit identifier that ensures the opening of bank and financial accounts is seamless and transparent.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI), through press releases and text messages, has sought to educate citizens and urge them to understand the role of their CKYC number.

This unique 14-digit identifier simplifies the account-opening process across banks, facilitates seamless financial transactions and helps open accounts at other financial institutions.

CKYC number is linked to an individual’s KYC records stored in the Central KYC Records Registry (CKYCR). Once your KYC details are registered, financial institutions can access these records when required with your consent, reducing the need for repeatedly initiating the process of KYC submission.

Why is CKYC number important?

CKYC is a system designed to ensure faster, smoother and more efficient customer onboarding. This number ensures that, instead of completing the KYC process separately for each financial institution, bank, brokerage house, mutual fund house, insurance company or non-banking financial company (NBFC), a customer’s CKYC number allows institutions to retrieve their existing KYC details from the central registry.

This eliminates a lot of paperwork, time and avoidable cross-verification, and speeds up the checks and verification process, ensuring a smoother, seamless experience when availing financial services or investing in financial products or services.

How can you find your CKYC Number?

According to the RBI, there are several ways to obtain a CKYC number.

1. Contact your banking or financial institution for guidance on your CKYC number.
2. Give a missed call to 7799022129. You will gain access to your CKYC number.
3. Visit the official CKYC portal to check your details. You can visit the official website by clicking on: https://www.ckycindia.in/ckyc/index.php

The central bank has repeatedly advised citizens to stay informed and vigilant about their CKYC status.

As part of its prominent financial awareness campaign, the RBI encourages citizens to learn more about CKYC rules, regulations and their significance through its “RBI Kehta Hai, Jaankar Baniye, Satark Rahiye” initiative, and to remain vigilant while using financial services.