What is the business verification (KYB) form template?
Know-your-business checks need a lot of information, and chasing it one email at a time is slow. This business verification form asks for everything up front: who the company is, where it's registered, who owns and controls it, what it does, and the documents that prove it.
The business gives its registered name, legal form, registration number and date, registered and trading addresses, and a contact. Ownership questions cover stock exchange listings and corporate owners, with a structure chart required if another entity is involved, plus a list of directors. Up to three beneficial owners can be entered in detail, with an upload for more, followed by the business's activity, turnover, countries and higher-risk sectors.
The last page collects company documents, proof of address and ID for owners and directors, with a declaration and signature. It's all saved as a PDF in your vault for your review.
- Best for
- Payment firms, lenders, professional services and B2B platforms
- Filled in by
- A director or authorised person at the business customer
- Time to complete
- About 20–30 minutes with documents ready
- Includes
- Beneficial owner sections, structure chart, higher-risk activity check, uploads
Who uses a business verification (KYB) form?
- A payments company onboards a new merchant
- An accountancy firm verifies a new limited company client
- A lender checks a business before a loan application goes further
- A marketplace verifies business sellers before they can trade
- A wholesale supplier checks a new trade customer for credit
- A firm refreshes information on existing corporate clients
Questions on this business verification (KYB) form
50 questions over 5 pages · includes signature, file upload, conditional questions, multiple pages, consent checkbox.
1 The business
- Registered company name*
- Trading name, if different
- Legal form* Limited company / LLC · Corporation · Partnership or LLP · Sole trader / sole proprietor · Trust · Charity or non-profit · Other
- Registration number*
- Country of incorporation*
- Date of incorporation*
- Tax or VAT number
- Website
- Registered office address*
- Is the main trading address the same?*
- Main trading address* asked only when it applies
- Your name*
- Your role*
- Email*
2 Ownership & control
- Is the business, or its parent, listed on a stock exchange?*
- Exchange and ticker* asked only when it applies
- Is it owned in whole or part by another company, partnership or trust?*
- Ownership structure chart* asked only when it applies
- Directors and senior managers*
3 Beneficial owners
- Full name*
- Date of birth*
- Nationality*
- Ownership (%)*
- Politically exposed person?*
- Is there another beneficial owner?*
- Full name* asked only when it applies
- Date of birth* asked only when it applies
- Nationality* asked only when it applies
- Ownership (%)* asked only when it applies
- Politically exposed person?* asked only when it applies
- Is there another beneficial owner?* asked only when it applies
- Full name* asked only when it applies
- Date of birth* asked only when it applies
- Nationality* asked only when it applies
- Ownership (%)* asked only when it applies
- Politically exposed person?* asked only when it applies
- Details of further owners asked only when it applies
4 Activity
- Industry*
- Annual turnover (USD equivalent)* Under 250,000 · 250,000 – 1 million · 1 – 10 million · 10 – 50 million · Over 50 million
- What does the business do?*
- Countries you operate in or trade with*
- What will you use our services for?*
- Does the business deal in any of these?* Large volumes of cash · Crypto assets · Gambling · Precious metals or stones · Arms or defence · Money transfer or exchange · None of these
5 Documents & declaration
- Company documents*
- Proof of trading address*
- ID for each beneficial owner and director*
- Declaration*
- Verification checks*
- Name and title of the person signing*
- Signature*
The business verification (KYB) form, page by page
1 The business
Registered and trading names, legal form, registration number, country and date of incorporation, tax or VAT number and website, the registered office address and, if different, the main trading address. The person filling it in gives their name, role and email.
2 Ownership & control
Whether the business or its parent is listed (and where), whether another company, partnership or trust owns part of it, which requires a structure chart through every layer, and a list of directors and senior managers.
3 Beneficial owners
A note explains who counts as a beneficial owner. For each person, up to three: full name, date of birth, nationality, ownership percentage and whether they're politically exposed. A yes/no question reveals each extra owner, and past three an upload takes the rest.
4 Activity
Industry, turnover band, what the business does and for whom, countries it operates in, what it will use your services for, and whether it deals in higher-risk areas such as cash, crypto assets, gambling, precious metals, arms or money transfer.
5 Documents & declaration
Company documents (certificate of incorporation, articles, register of members), proof of trading address, and ID for each beneficial owner and director. The signatory confirms the information is complete, acknowledges registry and screening checks, gives their name and title, and signs.
Make the template yours
- Change the beneficial ownership note if a different threshold applies to you
- Adjust the higher-risk list to your own risk appetite
- Add more owner sections if your customers often have more than three
- Set turnover bands in your currency
- Send personal invitations to each applicant rather than a public link
- File responses into a restricted compliance folder
Tips for a better business verification (KYB) form
- Check the registration details against the official company registry
- Follow the ownership chart all the way up to individuals, not just the first corporate layer
- Ask for certified or original documents where your procedures require them
- Keep a note of any ownership changes the customer tells you about later
- Only ask for the information your procedures need
Every response becomes a PDF in your vault
The submission becomes a PDF with all uploaded documents, filed in the vault folder you choose. Your team is emailed right away, and the signatory receives a copy.
Your compliance team then checks the registry, screens the business and the people named, and records the risk assessment in your own system. The Responses table shows high-risk activity answers and PEP flags for each business.
- Start from this template. It opens in the FileIt Forms designer — change any question, add pages, set the rules for when questions appear.
- Share it. Turn on a public link, or send it to people by email, each with their own link. They don’t need a FileIt account.
- Get the answers as PDFs. Each response is saved as a PDF in the vault folder you choose, with uploaded files attached — and listed in a Responses table you can export to CSV.
Business verification (KYB) form: frequently asked questions
Is this business verification (KYB) template free?
Yes. It's one of the ready-made templates in the Forms app on every FileIt account, including the free plan. Use it as it is or change any question in the designer.
Does FileIt check company registries or screen owners?
No. The form collects the information and documents. Registry checks, sanctions and PEP screening and the risk decision are done by your team or the providers you use.
What if the business has more than three beneficial owners?
After the third owner the form asks whether there are more, and if so reveals an upload for a list with the same details for each.
Is 25% always the ownership threshold?
No. The form says 25% is common and that you'll tell the customer if a lower threshold applies. Change the note to match the rules you follow.
Do business customers need a FileIt account to complete verification?
No. Share the form by public link or send personal email invitations, and anyone can fill it in and submit it without creating an account.
Is there a version for individuals?
Yes. The customer due diligence (individual) template covers identity, address, source of funds and PEP status for a person.