RRBs: New KYC Docs for Proprietary Concern Accounts
Current · Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2010-11/193 · issued 09 Sep 2010 · ~1 min read
Quick answerRBI now allows RRBs to accept Central/State Government registration or licensing documents, plus IEC from DGFT, as valid KYC for proprietary concern accounts. This expands the earlier document list from April 2010.
The rule, in the simplest words
RRBs can now accept Central/State Government registration or licensing documents as valid KYC for proprietary concern accounts.
The Importer Exporter Code (IEC) issued by DGFT is also a valid identity document for opening proprietary concern accounts.
RRBs must verify these documents as per their customer identification procedures.
How it plays out — a real example
A KYC & compliance officer in Indore at a Regional Rural Bank (RRB) is opening a new account for a small business owner. The business owner provides a registration document issued by the State Government Authority, which the officer verifies as per the RRB's customer identification procedures. The account is successfully opened, and the business owner can now access banking services.
What changed
RBI clarified that RRBs can now accept any registration or licensing document issued by Central or State Government authorities for proprietary concerns. Additionally, the Importer Exporter Code issued by DGFT is also a valid identity document for opening such accounts.
What it means for you
This gives RRBs more flexibility in onboarding proprietary concerns, reducing reliance on a limited set of documents. It should ease account opening for small businesses and traders, potentially increasing current account and savings account volumes. However, RRBs must ensure these documents are verified as per their customer identification procedures.
What you must do
Update your KYC policy and customer identification procedure to include government registration/licensing documents and IEC as valid identity proofs for proprietary concerns.
Train branch staff on the new acceptable documents to ensure consistent implementation.
Review and amend account opening forms and checklists to reflect the expanded document list.
Acknowledge receipt of this circular to your respective Regional Office as instructed.
Can we accept any government-issued document for proprietary concerns?
Yes, any registration or licensing document issued by the Central Government or a State Government Authority/Department is now acceptable, in addition to the earlier list.
Is the IEC code mandatory for all proprietary concerns?
No, it is an optional additional document. It can be used as an identity document if the concern has one, but it is not mandatory.
📜 Read the original circular — full text as issued by RBI
RBI/2010-11/193
RPCD.CORRB.AML.BC.No.19/03.05.33(E)/2010-11
September 9, 2010
The Chairmen
All Regional Rural Banks (RRBs)
Dear Sir,
Know Your Customer (KYC) guidelines – accounts of proprietary concerns
Please refer to our circular RPCD. CO. RRB. AML. No. 67/03.05.33 (E) /2009-10 dated April 9, 2010 advising all RRBs to lay down criteria in their customer identification procedure for opening accounts of proprietary concerns.
2. In this connection, it is clarified that in addition to the documents listed in paragraph 2(i) of our circular referred to above for opening a bank account in the name of a proprietary concern, RRBs may also accept any registration/licensing document issued in the name of the proprietary concern by the Central Government or State Government Authority/Department. RRBs may also accept IEC (Importer Exporter Code) issued to the proprietary concern by the office of DGFT as an identity document for opening of bank account.
3. Please acknowledge receipt to our Regional Office concerned.
Yours faithfully,
(B.P.Vijayendra)
Chief General Manager
Reproduced for reference with acknowledgment — Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2010-11/193 · issued 09 Sep 2010. The plain-English explanation above is BankPulse’s own independent summary.
Train branch staff on the new acceptable documents to ensure consistent implementation.
Review and amend account opening forms and checklists to reflect the expanded document list.
📜 Compliance
Update your KYC policy and customer identification procedure to include government registration/licensing documents and IEC as valid identity proofs for proprietary concerns.
Acknowledge receipt of this circular to your respective Regional Office as instructed.
Grouped from the action items above — a single circular may involve more than one team.
Worked example & action-note template
Example: if you are a Compliance officer at a bank this circular applies to (Regional Rural Banks, Proprietary concern customers, Branch operations teams handling account opening), your first concrete step on “RRBs: New KYC Docs for Proprietary Concern Accounts” is: “Update your KYC policy and customer identification procedure to include government registration/licensing documents and IEC as valid identity proofs for proprietary concerns.” (RBI issued this 09 Sep 2010).
Circular: RBI/2010-11/193 -- RRBs: New KYC Docs for Proprietary Concern Accounts
Issued: 09 Sep 2010
Action required: Update your KYC policy and customer identification procedure to include government registration/licensing documents and IEC as valid identity proofs for proprietary concerns.
Action required: Train branch staff on the new acceptable documents to ensure consistent implementation.
Action required: Review and amend account opening forms and checklists to reflect the expanded document list.
Action required: Acknowledge receipt of this circular to your respective Regional Office as instructed.
Owner: ____________ Target date: ____________
Board/committee approval needed? Y / N
Evidence filed in compliance register on: ____________
Built only from this circular’s own published fields — not legal advice; always confirm against the official RBI source.
💬 Banker Discussion
Discuss this circular with fellow bankers — reply, upvote what helps, report what doesn’t belong. Be professional; no client data. Views are the commenter’s own, not BankPulse’s.
BankPulse Compliance Evidence Pack — generated 03 Aug 2026 · status cross-checked against RBI’s official withdrawal register (refreshed weekly). Official RBI source: https://www.rbi.org.in/Scripts/NotificationUser.aspx?Id=5986&Mode=0 — Plain-English summary by BankPulse (bankpulse.ai), reviewed by our expert reviewer, CA Amit Jain. Independent platform, not affiliated with the Reserve Bank of India; is our own plain-English paraphrase, not RBI’s original wording.
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