How long must AML records be kept in the UAE?
UAE regulated entities must retain all records, documents and data relating to transactions and customer due diligence and ensure they are immediately available to the competent authorities on request. The prevailing standard, reflected in the Executive Regulations and long-standing UAE guidance, is a minimum retention period of five years, generally running from the end of the business relationship or the completion of the transaction.
Records to be kept include customer identification and verification documents, beneficial owner information, transaction records, the enterprise risk assessment, and copies of any reports filed with the Financial Intelligence Unit. Good record keeping supports investigations, demonstrates compliance during inspections, and protects the entity if its decisions are later questioned. Retention systems should allow prompt retrieval, because delay in producing records is itself a compliance failure.
Legal Reference (UAE):
· Federal Decree-Law No. 10 of 2025, Article 19(1)(f) — requires retention of transaction records and immediate availability to authorities
· Cabinet Resolution No. 134 of 2025 (Executive Regulations) — detailed record-keeping periods
For more details, consult the full text of Federal Decree-Law No. 10 of 2025 or seek guidance from your AML compliance officer.