Every designated entity in the UAE — from banks and exchange houses to real estate agents, lawyers, and virtual asset service providers — is legally required to register on the goAML portal and use it to file Suspicious Transaction Reports (STRs) and other mandatory reports with the UAE Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU).
Yet registration is one of the most common AML compliance failures. Entities either don't register at all, register with incorrect information, or fail to keep their details current — each of which can trigger enforcement action under UAE Federal Decree-Law No. 10 of 2025.
This guide walks you through the entire registration process, the documents you'll need, and the errors most businesses make.
Who Must Register on goAML?
The obligation to register on the goAML portal falls on all entities designated under UAE AML law as having reporting obligations. These include:
- Financial Institutions (FIs) — banks, exchange houses, insurance companies, investment firms, finance companies
- Designated Non-Financial Businesses and Professions (DNFBPs) — real estate agents, precious metals and stones dealers, accounting firms, auditors, legal professionals, trust and company service providers
- Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASPs) — crypto exchanges, NFT platforms, digital asset custodians
If you are unsure whether your business is a designated entity, read our guide on what a DNFBP is and whether your UAE business needs AML compliance.
What You Need Before You Start
Collecting documents before you begin the registration will prevent you from abandoning the process halfway through. You will need:
- Valid UAE trade licence
- Emirates ID of the authorised signatory / Compliance Officer / MLRO
- Passport copy of the authorised signatory
- Memorandum and Articles of Association (or equivalent constitutional documents)
- Details of the appointed Compliance Officer or MLRO (name, title, contact details)
- Entity licence details from the relevant UAE supervisory authority (CBUAE, SCA, VARA, MOEC, RERA, or free zone regulator)
Step-by-Step goAML Registration Process
Access the goAML Portal
Navigate to goaml.uae.gov.ae. This is the official UAE FIU portal. Do not use any third-party links or unofficial sites.
Select "Organisation Registration"
Choose to register as an Organisation (not an individual). All designated entities register at the organisational level first; individual user accounts are created separately under the entity account.
Enter Entity Details
Provide your entity's legal name (exactly as on your trade licence), registration number, licence type, supervisory authority, and business address. Errors here cause validation failures and delay approval.
Appoint the Compliance Officer / MLRO
Enter the name, role, Emirates ID, and contact details of your appointed Money Laundering Reporting Officer (MLRO) or Compliance Officer. This person will be the primary point of contact for the FIU. If you do not have an in-house MLRO, consider an outsourced MLRO service.
Upload Supporting Documents
Upload clear, legible copies of all required documents. File size limits apply. PDFs are preferred. Blurry or incomplete documents are a leading cause of registration rejection.
Submit and Await FIU Approval
After submission, the UAE FIU reviews the application. Approval typically takes 5–15 working days, depending on your entity type and the completeness of your submission. You will receive confirmation by email.
Set Up User Accounts
Once the organisation is approved, you can create individual user accounts for staff who will access the portal to file reports. Assign appropriate roles (Administrator, Reporter, etc.) based on job function.
Common goAML Registration Errors
These are the most frequent reasons applications are delayed or rejected:
- Entity name doesn't match the trade licence exactly
- Supervisory authority field is incorrect (e.g. selecting CBUAE when regulated by a free zone authority)
- Uploaded documents are expired or unreadable
- MLRO / Compliance Officer details are missing or incomplete
- The authorised signatory is not a UAE resident with valid Emirates ID
- Failure to complete the email verification step before submission
Keeping Your goAML Registration Current
Registration is not a one-time task. You are obligated to update your goAML profile whenever there is a change in your MLRO/Compliance Officer, address, ownership, or licence status. Failing to keep the profile current can result in compliance violations even if you were originally registered correctly.
Filing Reports After Registration
Once registered, the goAML portal is the mandated channel for all of the following reports:
- STR — Suspicious Transaction Reports
- SAR — Suspicious Activity Reports
- DPMSR — Dealers in Precious Metals and Stones Reports
- HRC — High-Risk Country Reports
- PNMR — Partial Name Match Reports (sanctions)
- CNMR — Complete Name Match Reports (sanctions)
For guidance on preparing and submitting these reports accurately, see our STR/SAR Reporting service.
Need Help with goAML Registration?
AML Expert UAE provides end-to-end goAML registration services — we manage all documentation, entity setup, user account creation, and liaison with the FIU on your behalf. Our clients consistently achieve first-submission approvals.
Get Your goAML Registration Right, First Time
Our specialists handle the entire registration process — no delays, no rejections. Request a free consultation today.
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