Learn why choosing an AML-registered and regulated nominee director provider is essential for legal compliance, privacy, and business integrity. Discover how CG Incorporations Limited ensures full AML compliance for non-UK residents.

What Does AML Registration Mean?

AML stands for Anti-Money Laundering. In the UK, any business offering corporate services such as nominee director services or nominee shareholder services must comply with AML laws to prevent criminal misuse of corporate structures.

An AML-registered nominee provider is legally authorised to conduct due diligence checks, verify client identity, and monitor transactions to ensure that all UK company formations are legitimate and transparent.

Key Responsibilities of an AML Registered Provider

• Conducting identity verification (Know Your Customer – KYC) for all clients, in line with UK due diligence requirements
• Screening clients against international sanctions and watchlists
• Maintaining transparent and accurate corporate records
• Reporting suspicious activity to the relevant authorities
• Ensuring nominee roles are used ethically and lawfully

Nominee Directors and the PSC Regime – Why a Nominee PSC is Not Allowed

The UK has a Person with Significant Control (PSC) regime which requires every company to disclose the real individuals who ultimately own or control it. The PSC must be the genuine beneficial owner or controller, not a stand-in or nominee. You can read more about this in our guide to the register of people with significant control.

A typical nominee director has no real control over the company — they act strictly on instructions and under a nominee director service agreement. Because they do not meet the statutory tests for “significant control”, they should not be listed as the PSC simply to hide the real owner.

Deliberately putting a nominee director on the register as if they were the PSC, when they are not the true controller, can amount to providing false or misleading information to Companies House. This may constitute a criminal offence under the Companies Act and the PSC regulations, exposing both the company and its officers to investigation, fines or prosecution.

For this reason, CG Incorporations Limited will never act as a “nominee PSC”. We ensure that the correct beneficial owner is recorded as PSC in accordance with UK law, while still helping you manage what appears on the public register wherever lawful protections exist.

Why It Matters When Choosing a Nominee Director Service

Using an unregulated or non-AML-registered nominee provider exposes you to serious legal and financial risks. Under UK law, failure to comply with AML and PSC regulations can result in investigations, company dissolution, civil penalties or even criminal sanctions.

Choosing an AML-compliant firm like CG Incorporations ensures:

• Legal protection and compliance with UK AML and company law
• Accurate PSC disclosures and avoidance of false filing offences
• Secure handling of your corporate and personal data
• Ethical representation of your company in the UK
• Reduced risk of HMRC or Companies House intervention

At CG Incorporations Limited, all directors, officers, and systems operate under HMRC supervision and current UK legislation, helping ensure your UK company remains compliant at every stage.

Using an Unregistered Nominee Provider – The Hidden Risks

Some unregulated providers offer nominee director or shareholder services without proper AML supervision. They may also offer to list the nominee as the PSC to conceal the real owner. This is not only high-risk – it can be unlawful.

The potential consequences include:

• Companies House querying or removing filings it believes are false or misleading
• Regulatory investigations into the company and its beneficial owners
• Frozen UK business bank accounts for non-UK residents or refusal by banks to onboard the company
• Criminal offences for providing false information or failing to identify the true PSC
• Serious reputational damage, particularly where economic crime laws are engaged

By contrast, as an AML-registered and regulated provider, CG Incorporations Limited will only accept instructions that comply with UK law, protecting you from arrangements that could put your business at risk.

AML Compliance and Non-UK Resident Entrepreneurs

For non-UK residents, working with an AML-registered nominee director provider is even more critical. UK regulations require enhanced due diligence for overseas clients, and only regulated service providers are permitted to conduct these checks properly.

If you are considering non-resident company formation in the UK, CG Incorporations streamlines this process — verifying your documentation securely while ensuring your company meets all UK legal and financial standards, including the PSC regime and current Companies House requirements.

Why Choose CG Incorporations Limited?

CG Incorporations Limited is a trusted ACSP (Authorised Corporate Service Provider) and TCSP approved under UK AML regulations. Our team adheres to the highest standards of due diligence, ensuring that every nominee director and shareholder appointment is compliant, ethical, and secure.

We provide:

• Nominee Director Services
• Nominee Shareholder Services
• UK Company Formation and specialist non-UK resident company formation guides
• Tax and Accounting Services for UK companies owned by overseas directors
• UK Apostille, legalisation and document certification services