Central Bank of Lebanon Decision No. 13836 Establishing the Depositors’ Central Registry

Decision No. 174

For Banks

Date: 17/08/2026
Decision No. 13836
Subject: Establishing the Depositors’ Central Registry

Beirut, 17 August 2026

Governor of the Central Bank of Lebanon

Saeed Karim

Decision No. 13836

Regulations of the Depositors’ Central Registry

Based, in particular, on Articles 70 and 174 of the Cash Withdrawal Law;

Within the framework of preserving financial stability and ensuring the public interest in light of the economic crisis;

And relying on the provisions of paragraph (a) of Article 7 of the Bank Secrecy Law dated 3/9/1956 and its amendments, which obligates banks to provide all information upon request from the Central Bank of Lebanon, without invoking any "banking secrecy" or "professional secrecy" provisions;

And relying on the provisions of paragraph (w) of Article 7 of the aforementioned Law, which also authorizes the Central Bank of Lebanon to request banks to provide information on all accounts and customers in general within the framework of restructuring the banking sector and supervisory operations;

And relying on the provisions of Article 150 of the amended Cash Withdrawal Law No. 1;

And considering that the banking secrecy raised towards the Central Bank of Lebanon and its Committee on 24/04/2025 is incomplete and non-binding, and that this is within the framework of exercising supervisory and verification operations on banks, including the raising of banking secrecy regarding debtor or creditor accounts, in accordance with the laws and procedures observed;

And with the aim of enabling the Central Bank of Lebanon to know the actual number of depositors and the total volume of their deposits in all national and institutional banks, and to provide this information when necessary to ensure deposits;

And with the aim of determining the actual cost of the gradual repayment process for depositors within the framework of the draft law on the financial regularity of depositors and their recovery;

And after consulting the opinion of the Association of Lebanese Banks;

And based on the decision of the Central Council taken in its session held on 12/08/2026;

It is decided:

Article 1: Establishment of the Depositors’ Central Registry

A "Depositors’ Central Registry" is established within the Banking Department of the Central Bank of Lebanon, which shall manage the database of information, by assigning a unified number to each depositor and deposits with banks operating in Lebanon.

Article 2: Implementation of the System

The implementation of the Depositors’ Central Registry system is placed under the attached regulations.

Article 3: Obligations of Banks and Institutions Subject to the System

Banks are obliged to provide the Depositors’ Central Registry with the required information, documents, and data within the deadlines specified in the attached system and in accordance with the procedures and principles specified in the attached implementation instructions issued by the Central Bank of Lebanon.

Article 4: Information Systems and Programs

The Information Department at the Central Bank of Lebanon is responsible for preparing, operating, and maintaining the systems and programs necessary for the implementation of this Decision and the attached system, and providing the necessary technical support and training to banks when required.

Article 5: Administrative Penalties and Measures

Anyone who violates the provisions of this Decision and the attached system is subject to the administrative penalties stipulated therein, and to the fines and withdrawal stipulated in Article 208 of the Cash Withdrawal Law, according to the procedures observed.

In addition, violation of the provisions of this Basic Decision constitutes a crime under Article 770 of the Penal Code, and the Central Bank of Lebanon may pursue any violating institution before the competent judicial authority.

Article 6: Executive Instructions and Decisions

The Central Bank of Lebanon may issue the necessary executive instructions and decisions to implement the provisions of this Decision when required, in accordance with the attached system.

Article 7: Entry into Force

This Decision shall take effect upon the issuance of the implementing mechanism.

Article 8: Publication

This Decision shall be published in the Official Gazette.

Beirut, 17 August 2026

Governor of the Central Bank of Lebanon

Saeed Karim

Regulations of the Depositors’ Central Registry

First: Definitions

Article 1: The following terms are intended by the expressions mentioned below for the purposes of implementing this Decision:

• "The Registry": The Depositors’ Central Registry established at the Central Bank of Lebanon.
• "Depositor": Any natural or legal person who directly or indirectly benefits from or owns a creditor account at one of the banks operating in Lebanon.
• "Unified Number": A specific identification number assigned to each depositor and adopted at all banks operating in Lebanon for the purposes of defining depositors and collecting information and data at the Depositors’ Central Registry and the Central Bank of Lebanon in a unified manner.
• "Fresh Funds": Monetary funds as defined in Decision No. 13548 (19/04/2023 Circular No. 165).
• "Non-Fresh Funds": Monetary funds that do not fall within the definition of monetary funds.
• "Related Party":
  (a) "Related Party - A": Major shareholders owning more than 5% of the bank's shares, their spouses, assistants/deputies to the General Manager and Board of Directors, and their children.
  (b) "Related Party - B": Any other related party in accordance with the provisions of Article 152 of the Cash Withdrawal Law and Circular No. 132 of the Central Bank of Lebanon dated 8/3/2014 on withdrawal.

Second: Participation in the Depositors’ Central Registry

Article 2: All banks operating in Lebanon are deemed to participate in "The Registry".

Article 3: Through the "Registry" system, each bank verifies the existence of a number for the depositor in "The Registry" or in the Banking Risks Central Registry for Special Accounts, in accordance with the two Basic Circulars No. 158 and No. 166.

In the case of the existence of a previous number for the depositor in either of the two Registries, the "Unified Number" is adopted for the depositor at all banks.

In the absence of a previous number, "The Registry" assigns a "Unified Number" to the depositor.

Article 4: Banks shall make it mandatory for depositors to submit, by the end of each month for ten consecutive months, an electronic file containing:

• A statement of balances of deposits of customers in foreign currencies other than "Monetary Funds" without mentioning the depositor's name, according to the attached form (CDD REP1) and the "Unified Number".
• A statement of balances of deposits of customers in foreign currencies and "Monetary Funds" in Lebanese Lira without mentioning the depositor's name, according to the attached form (CDD REP2) and the "Unified Number" at the end of the previous month.

The data submitted to "The Registry" shall be characterized by absolute secrecy, used exclusively for informational purposes, and shall not be used for:

• Personal inquiries about their deposits.
• The entities specified in Article 7 of the Bank Secrecy Law requesting information about monetary funds.
• Obtaining from banks the information of one of the depositors at the Central Bank of Lebanon Governor's approval upon request.

Article 5: Banks shall use the attached forms for the operational definitions of all depositors in "The Registry":

• A signed form (BDL-SCUAF-PRD) by the legal representative or the Board of Directors, delivered to the Security Department of the Banking Department at the Central Bank of Lebanon within a maximum period of ten days from the date of issuance of this Decision.

Third: Depositor Identification Information

Article 6: Banks shall comply with the following to obtain the "Unified Number" from "The Registry":

• Identification information for each depositor according to the attached forms (CDD-I) and (CDD-S) or (CDD-S) in the case of a legal person, by entering the information into the "Registry" system or uploading the file to the system.
• A declaration of identification information for each partner in a joint account.
• Approval of the clarifications related to the identification card included in the Risks Central Registry system, in accordance with the attached Decision No. 7705 dated 26/10/2000.
• Uploading a copy of a passport, exit registration, or identity card for individuals; and a copy of the Commercial Register and a copy of the announcement of the legal form of the company with the mention of the legal form and the names of partners for legal persons.

Article 7: The acquisition of the "Unified Number" is done according to a time schedule determined by "The Registry" in two stages:

• First stage: For depositors who have accounts in foreign currencies other than "Non-Fresh Monetary Funds".
• Second stage: For depositors who have accounts in foreign currencies and/or Lebanese Lira.

Article 8: Banks are obliged to update the identification information whenever there is any modification in the information related to the depositor.

Fourth: Declaration of Deposits

Article 9: The declaration is done according to a time schedule determined by "The Registry" in two stages:

• First stage: Involves the declaration of balances according to Form (CDD REP1) for the accounts of depositors in foreign currencies other than "Non-Fresh Monetary Funds", with the aim of facilitating the gradual repayment process for depositors within the framework of the draft law on the financial regularity of depositors and their recovery.
• Second stage: Involves the declaration of balances according to Form (CDD REP2) for accounts in foreign currencies and/or "Monetary Funds" in Lebanese Lira.

Article 10: Banks shall include in the declaration the "Unified Number" for each depositor without mentioning the depositor's name, considering all the creditor accounts (individual accounts) they participate in, shares in joint accounts (with the Union or jointly), or beneficiaries or parties to them, separately:

• A declaration of the total balance of individual accounts belonging to the depositor in each currency in the column specified for him in the declaration form.
• A declaration of the total balance of shares in all joint accounts in each currency in the column specified for him in the declaration form.
• The balance is divided among the owners in joint or shared accounts to determine the share, in the absence of an agreement between the account owners. In such cases, these shares are distributed according to the conditions of the agreement for the owners of this account, or equally based on the number of beneficiaries of this account.
• A declaration of the total of demand and time deposits in the "Total Deposits" box, including frozen deposits and the value of facilities against undelivered checks received, and mentioning the type of each of these deposits in the box designated for it.
• A declaration of related parties at the bank during the following options:
  • "Related Party - A"
  • "Related Party - B"
  • Unrelated Party
• Identification of account owners from Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs).

Fifth: Inquiry Requests

Article 11: The Governor of the Central Bank of Lebanon may request from "The Registry" any depositor or any deposit according to Form (CDD-D1).

Article 12: Any person or entity may request from "The Registry" information on deposits for a depositor, according to the attached signed form for individuals (CDD-D2-PP) and for legal persons (CDD-D2-PM).

The inquiry request must be accompanied by:

• A: For individuals, a copy of a passport or identity card, or a copy of a travel permit or organized agency authorization, or a power of attorney for the agent to provide the depositor's information to the "Registry".
• B: For legal persons, a copy of the Commercial Register with the mention of the legal form and the names of shareholders or partners.

Article 13: Any entity specified in Article 7 of the Bank Secrecy Law may request from "The Registry" information on depositors at banks by submitting a signed inquiry request according to Form (CDD-D3) to the Governor's Office, with the aim of obtaining the Central Bank of Lebanon Governor's approval for the request.

Sixth: Inquiry Response

Article 14: Upon receipt of inquiry requests for depositors, "The Registry" shall:

• Review the declarations of banks in its possession to confirm the existence of the depositor's name within them.
• Respond to the inquiry request according to Form (CDD-R0) attached, mentioning the deposit items with the phrase "NEANT" if the depositor's name is not found.
• Respond to the inquiry request according to Form (CDD-R1) if the depositor's name is found, containing the reference number and date of the inquiry request, and a detailed statement of the depositor's deposit balances at each bank according to its currency, without mentioning the depositor's name.
• Respond to the inquiry request according to Form (CDD-R2) containing the identification information of the depositor found at "The Registry" and the "Unified Number" for the depositor.
• Respond to the inquiry request according to Form (CDD-R3) containing the identification information of the legal person found at "The Registry" and the "Unified Number" for the depositor.

Article 15: Upon obtaining the approval of the Governor of the Central Bank of Lebanon for the inquiry request submitted by the entity specified in Article 7 of the Bank Secrecy Law, "The Registry" shall:

• Review the declarations of banks in its possession to confirm the existence of the depositor's name within them.
• Respond to the inquiry request according to Form (CDD-R0) attached, mentioning the deposit items with the phrase "NEANT" if the depositor's name is not found.
• Respond to the inquiry request according to Form (CDD-R1) if the depositor's name is found, containing the reference number and date of the inquiry request, and a detailed statement of the depositor's deposit balances at each bank according to its currency, along with the depositor's identification information, without mentioning the depositor's name.

Seventh: Forms

Article 16: The forms mentioned in this system are obtained electronically from "The Registry".