A KYC Registration Agency, or KRA, is a SEBI-registered entity that stores and manages the identity records of investors in India’s securities market. Instead of repeating identity verification every time you open a demat account, buy mutual funds, or trade through a new broker, your verified KYC data sits in a central electronic database that any registered intermediary can access. Five KRAs currently operate under SEBI’s oversight: CVL KRA, NDML (NSDL), CAMS KRA, KFintech, and DotEx. The status a KRA assigns to your record decides whether you can transact freely, whether you will have to re-verify every time you switch intermediaries, or whether your account is frozen for new activity.
The Three KYC Statuses and What Each One Means for You
When you look up your record with a KRA, you will see one of three statuses. The difference between them is practical, not cosmetic.
KYC Validated
This is the status you want. It means the KRA has verified your submitted documents directly against the issuing authority’s database. At present, only PAN and Aadhaar can be validated this way, because those are the documents with official electronic databases the KRA can cross-reference. If your record is Validated, you can invest in any mutual fund scheme or trade through any intermediary in the country without resubmitting documents.1Securities and Exchange Board of India. Review of Validation of KYC Records by KRAs
KYC Registered
Registered means your documents are on file and accepted, but the KRA could not verify them electronically with the issuing authority. This typically happens when you used a passport, voter ID, or driving licence rather than Aadhaar for identity or address proof. You can still invest and trade, but your KYC is not fully portable. When you approach a new intermediary, you may be asked to go through verification again.2CVL KRA. Steps to Check Your KYC Status
KYC On-Hold
On-Hold is the status that stops you from transacting. Something is wrong with your record. Common causes include an unvalidated mobile number or email, a PAN not linked with Aadhaar, or a deficiency in the documents you submitted. While your KYC is on hold, you cannot buy, redeem, or switch mutual funds, and your SIP transactions may also be blocked.2CVL KRA. Steps to Check Your KYC Status The specific reason matters, because the fix depends on the cause. Check the mutual fund or RTA website against your PAN to see what the KRA flagged.
How to Check Your KYC Status
Go to the website of any KRA. On CVL KRA, open the KYC Inquiry page, enter your 10-digit PAN and the security captcha, and submit. Your status appears immediately.2CVL KRA. Steps to Check Your KYC Status Because the KRAs are inter-operable, you only need to check one; if your record sits with a different KRA, the system will point you to it.
What Non-Compliance Actually Costs You
SEBI has directed that clients whose KYC attributes cannot be verified by KRAs should not be allowed to transact further in the securities market until those attributes are verified. For demat accounts, this takes the form of a suspension for debit, which prevents you from selling or transferring securities. The only transactions allowed are those settling positions you already had open.3National Securities Depository Limited. Suspension of Demat Accounts in Case of Non-Compliance With 6 KYC Attributes
If you completed your KYC years ago using documents SEBI no longer accepts as primary proof, such as utility bills or bank statements, your account may now show On-Hold even though it was previously compliant. SEBI has allowed existing clients in this position to exit their investments through sales or redemptions, subject to the intermediary’s due diligence. New investments stay blocked until you update your records.1Securities and Exchange Board of India. Review of Validation of KYC Records by KRAs
For recently uploaded records, the window is tight. Records uploaded to the KRA in February 2026 that remained non-compliant faced trading restrictions from March 21, 2026. Once your PAN becomes KRA-compliant, trading is permitted on the next trading day after the KRA reports your compliance.4National Stock Exchange of India. Circular Regarding KRA – Validation of KYC Records
Mobile, Email, and PAN-Aadhaar Linkage
Two routine issues push accounts into On-Hold. The first is contact validation. KRAs independently validate your mobile number and email address. If neither is verified, your status will be placed on hold; at minimum one of the two must be validated for your record to move to Registered. A mobile number is mandatory if you plan to complete your KYC online.
The second is PAN-Aadhaar linking, which is mandatory under Income Tax rules, with exceptions for NRIs, non-citizens, individuals over 80, and residents of Assam, Jammu and Kashmir, and Meghalaya. If the linkage is not verified, you can still transact with your existing intermediary, but your KYC will not be portable across the securities market. Every new broker or fund house will put you through verification again instead of pulling your records from the KRA.5Securities and Exchange Board of India. FAQ on KYC Norms for the Securities Market
How to Register with a KRA
You do not approach a KRA directly. You submit your KYC application through a registered intermediary, such as a stockbroker, mutual fund distributor, or depository participant. The intermediary reviews your documents, performs the initial authentication, and uploads the digitized records to the KRA through a secure portal. SEBI requires the intermediary to upload and dispatch your KYC documents within three working days of receiving them. The KRA then verifies key attributes like your PAN, name, and address against official databases within two days of receiving the upload.1Securities and Exchange Board of India. Review of Validation of KYC Records by KRAs
Aadhaar-based eKYC allows instant online verification and removes the need for physical paperwork. Many institutions also allow In-Person Verification to be completed digitally through video calls or Aadhaar-based authentication, so you may never need to visit a branch.6Securities and Exchange Board of India. Know Your Customer (KYC) – A Key to Secure Financial Transactions If you use the paper route, a certified official at the intermediary’s office will compare your originals with the copies, record the date and the name of the verifying official, and include that data in the upload.
Documents You Need
Your PAN card is the primary identifier and is mandatory for every application. For identity and address, the following Officially Valid Documents are accepted:
- Passport
- Voter ID card
- Driving licence
- NREGA job card
- National Population Register letter
- Aadhaar (if you submit a physical copy, the Aadhaar number must be masked)
If none of these shows your current address, you can supplement with a utility bill (electricity, phone, piped gas, or water) that is no more than two months old, a property or municipal tax receipt, a pension payment order with your address, or a government accommodation allotment letter.7Association of Mutual Funds in India. CKYC and KRA KYC Form for Individuals If your current and permanent addresses differ, you need proof for both. Pick Aadhaar where you can, because that is what gets you to Validated rather than Registered.
Updating Your Record
You can update your details online through a KRA portal or through an intermediary. The modification facility is available if your current status is Registered, On-Hold, or Validated. On the update form, enter your KYC number, tick only the sections you want to change, and leave the rest blank. Fields must be filled in English in block letters, with dates in DD-MM-YYYY format.8CAMS Online. Modifications in KYC
For an address change, submit a certified copy of one of the Officially Valid Documents listed earlier. A deemed proof such as a utility bill must be less than two months old. Copies must be self-attested and shown alongside originals. If originals are unavailable, copies must be attested by an AMC official, R&T agent, Notary Public, Gazetted Officer, or bank manager.7Association of Mutual Funds in India. CKYC and KRA KYC Form for Individuals After one modification is processed, you must wait 7 to 15 business days (depending on the KRA) before submitting another.8CAMS Online. Modifications in KYC
KRA Is Not the Same as the Central KYC Registry
KRAs operate under SEBI regulations and serve SEBI-registered intermediaries such as brokers and mutual fund houses. The Central KYC Registry, or CKYCR, is operated by CERSAI under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act and serves a wider set of financial regulators including the RBI, IRDAI, and PFRDA. Your KRA record is linked to your PAN; CKYC assigns a separate 14-digit KYC Identification Number. In practice, KRAs upload data to the Central KYC Registry as well, so many investors have records in both systems linked by the same PAN. You do not need to register separately with CKYC if your KRA has uploaded your data.
If Something Goes Wrong
Start with the KRA’s own grievance mechanism. Under the SEBI (KYC Registration Agency) Regulations, 2011, each KRA appoints a compliance officer and must resolve complaints within one month of receiving them.9LegitQuest. SEBI KYC (Know Your Client) Registration Agency Regulations, 2011 Contact the KRA’s helpdesk, and hold on to the ticket number. If the KRA does not resolve the issue, escalate to SEBI’s SCORES (SEBI Complaint Redress System) portal, which tracks complaints against all SEBI-regulated entities. Attach your previous correspondence and the KRA ticket number when you file.