Detailed guide: Money laundering supervision: business premises you need to register

Premises to register

You must tell HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) about your premises when you register for anti-money laundering supervision.

You’ll need to pay fees for each premises where you carry out certain types of business and related activities covered by the Money Laundering Regulations.

This includes:

• offices
• shops and auction houses
• call centres
• cruise ships (in UK territorial waters)
• home address or contact address (if you don’t have a business address)
• virtual offices and agent premises

Several outlets at one address

If you run more than one outlet from the same address, such as an airport, you can treat each outlet as a single premises and you’ll only pay one fee. They must all be managed by the business and all staff must be employed by the business. The nominated officer for the business must be responsible for all the outlets.

Premises you don’t need to register

You don’t need to register any premises that are outside the UK or that you only use for:

• storing your business records
• training employees
• generally managing your employees

If any part of processing transactions takes place there though, such as paperwork being completed, you’ll need to register the premises.

Agents or franchisees

You should register your agent’s or franchisees’ premises if:

• you have an overview of transactions from all your agents or franchisees which they don’t have
• you’re responsible for the way their business is run
• you’re putting in place the anti-money laundering controls and procedures used when they deal with your customers

You don’t have to register your agent’s or franchisees’ premises if you have little control over the:

• way they work
• anti-money laundering controls they put in place

They must then apply to register their premises instead.

You should contact HMRC if you’re not sure which premises to include, or you’re an agent or franchisee wanting to know if you need to register.