# KRA and CKYC: what they are and how they differ

Your mutual fund KYC sits with a KYC registration agency. A copy also sits in the Central KYC registry, which gives you a 14-digit number that banks and insurers recognise.

Full page: https://discovermf.com/guides/kra-and-ckyc
Last checked 23 Oct 2026, from DiscoverMF.

When you complete [KYC](https://discovermf.com/glossary/kyc), your details are kept in two registries. Each works under rules set by the government or a regulator, and neither charges you anything.

## The KRA: KYC for the securities market

A **KYC registration agency** ([KRA](https://discovermf.com/glossary/kra)) is registered with SEBI and keeps the KYC records of investors in the securities market: mutual funds, shares, demat accounts and portfolio managers. There are five:

- CVL (CDSL Ventures)
- NDML (NSDL Database Management)
- CAMS KRA
- KFintech KRA
- DotEx (part of NSE)

The five share their records, so KYC done through one fund house or broker is found by every other. The KRA record carries your **KYC status**: Validated, Registered, On Hold or Rejected. [What your KYC status means](https://discovermf.com/guides/kyc-status) explains each.

## CKYC: one KYC across financial services

The **Central KYC Records Registry** is run by CERSAI, a body set up by the government. Banks, insurers, pension funds, NBFCs and securities market firms upload the KYC they collect to it. When your record is created, CERSAI sends you a 14-digit **KYC Identification Number (KIN)** by SMS and email. See [CKYC](https://discovermf.com/glossary/ckyc).

The aim is that you prove who you are once for all of finance. A bank or insurer can fetch your CKYC record, with your consent, instead of asking for the documents again.

## How the two differ

| | KRA | CKYC |
|---|---|---|
| Run by | Five agencies registered with SEBI | CERSAI |
| Covers | Mutual funds, shares and demat accounts | Banks, insurance, pensions, NBFCs and the securities market |
| Looked up by | Your PAN | Your KIN, or your PAN |
| Shows | Your KYC status | Your KYC details |

## Which one mutual funds check

For mutual funds, the record that counts is the one with the KRAs. A fund house looks up your PAN there, and a new purchase goes through only when the status is Validated or Registered.

A CKYC record on its own, from a bank account or an insurance policy, does not make you ready to invest in mutual funds. It can make KYC quicker: where a fund house or KRA can fetch your details from the CKYC registry, quoting your KIN saves sending the same documents again. You still complete the steps in [how to complete mutual fund KYC](https://discovermf.com/guides/mutual-fund-kyc) that they ask for.

## Finding your KIN

- Look for the SMS or email from CERSAI sent when your record was created. It often arrives after you open a bank account or buy an insurance policy.
- Ask your bank or insurer. They can look the number up against your record.

## Keeping your details current

Change your address, mobile or email through a KRA or a fund house, as [how to change your bank, address or mobile](https://discovermf.com/guides/update-bank-address-mobile) describes. Firms that receive a change in your KYC details are required to update the CKYC registry as well.

## Questions

### Is CKYC the same as mutual fund KYC?

No. Mutual fund KYC is the record with a KRA, which fund houses check before a purchase. CKYC is a central copy used across banking, insurance and the securities market. Most investors have both.

### Do I have to do KYC twice, once for each?

No. KYC done through a fund house, a registrar or a KRA is usually uploaded to the CKYC registry as well, so one process creates both records.

### Can I invest with just my KIN?

Your KIN can save you sending documents, but a purchase goes through only when your KYC shows as Validated or Registered with the KRAs.