CySEC AML exam-day guide
CySEC AML · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Confirm the exact exam format and venue or platform with the provider
CySEC's AML certification is delivered through approved examination providers and the practical arrangements (computer-based at a test centre versus remote proctoring, appointment windows, rescheduling cut-offs) are set by the provider, not by this guide. Log in to your candidate account and read the confirmation email in full. If anything about the format, duration, or permitted materials is unclear, confirm with the provider in writing before test day.
Valid government-issued photo ID matching your registered name
Bring the original document (passport or national identity card are the usual accepted forms). The name must match your registration exactly, including middle names and transliteration. Expired documents are commonly refused. Check the provider's accepted-ID list in advance; if your only ID is a driving licence or a residence permit, confirm with the provider whether it is accepted.
Your appointment confirmation and candidate number
Have the confirmation email or letter available, printed or on your phone, so staff can locate your booking quickly. Note your candidate or registration number separately in case your phone is collected before check-in.
Know the syllabus areas and your weak spots
CySEC's AML regime for regulated entities centres on Law 188(I)/2007 as amended, the Prevention and Suppression of Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing framework, the EU AML Directives as transposed, and CySEC's own circulars and guidance. Be able to explain customer due diligence tiers, beneficial ownership identification, politically exposed persons, enhanced and simplified measures, suspicious transaction reporting to MOKAS, record-keeping, risk-based approach, and the role of the compliance officer. Re-read only your summary notes on weak areas in the final days rather than starting new material.
Prepare permitted reference materials only if the provider allows them
Most professional AML examinations are closed-book. Do not assume you may bring legislation printouts, notes, or a second screen. Confirm with the provider what is permitted; if open-book, check whether annotated or tabbed copies are allowed and whether electronic devices are excluded.
Plan travel and arrive early
For a test centre, confirm the address, transport route, and parking, and aim to arrive well before your slot because check-in and ID verification take time. For remote proctoring, test your camera, microphone, and internet connection on the same equipment you will use, and know the provider's rule on late arrival or connection failure.
Read the provider's rules on calculators, phones, and personal items
Assume phones, smart watches, notes, and bags must be stored away or left outside the room. The AML exam is conceptual rather than computational, so a calculator is normally unnecessary; confirm with the provider whether any aids are allowed.
Know the scoring and pass mark before you sit
Ask the provider for the number of questions, time limit, question format (single best answer, multiple response, true/false), whether wrong answers are penalised, and the pass mark. This shapes pacing: if there is no negative marking, answer every question. Confirm with the provider rather than relying on second-hand reports.
Prepare for the remote-proctoring environment if applicable
Clear your desk, close other applications, and expect a room scan and identity check. Have your ID ready to hold to the camera. Confirm with the provider in advance whether you may have water, tissues, or a break, and how to raise an issue with the invigilator during the test.
Sleep, eat, and hydrate normally
Cramming the night before tends to hurt recall on scenario questions. A normal night's sleep and a proper meal before the slot matter more than one more hour of revision.
Rehearse the four-step answer routine
For each question: identify what is being asked (definition, obligation, threshold, or best action), recall the governing rule, eliminate options that misstate who does what or when, then choose the most complete compliant answer. Watch for distractors that are true in general but wrong for the specific scenario.
Keep your results access details safe
Note how and when results are released and whether a certificate is issued electronically. Confirm with the provider the process and any time limit for appealing or querying a result.
Plan the day
Stop expanding your scope. Re-read your condensed notes on the highest-yield areas: the three tiers of customer due diligence and when each applies, beneficial ownership identification and verification, PEP definitions and the enhanced measures they trigger, the grounds for refusing or terminating a business relationship, suspicious transaction reporting to MOKAS including the no-tipping-off obligation, record-keeping periods, and the responsibilities of the compliance officer and senior management under the risk-based approach. Write one-page summaries from memory and check them against your notes to expose gaps.
Re-confirm logistics with the provider: date, time, time zone, venue or remote-proctoring link, accepted ID, and what is prohibited in the test environment. Resolve any ambiguity now, not on the morning. If you are travelling, confirm your booking and route.
Do one or two timed practice sets under exam conditions to calibrate pacing. Note how long you spend per question and decide your strategy for flagged questions. Review only the explanations for questions you got wrong, focusing on the reasoning rather than memorising items.
Do a light review of your one-page summaries and the areas you flagged as weak. Do not attempt new topics or long practice papers. Prepare your ID, confirmation, and any permitted materials, and lay out clothes and travel essentials. For remote proctoring, run a final equipment check and confirm your room meets the provider's requirements.
Confirm the start time in your own time zone and set two alarms. Eat well, avoid alcohol, and go to bed at a normal hour. If you feel underprepared, remind yourself that the exam tests applied judgement across a defined syllabus, and that careful reading of scenario questions recovers more marks than last-minute memorisation.
Eat a proper breakfast and arrive at the centre with time to spare, or log in early for remote proctoring. Bring only what is permitted; store your phone and watch as instructed. Use the washroom before check-in. During check-in, cooperate fully with ID verification and the room scan.
Read the instructions and note the number of questions and time limit. Do a first pass answering the questions you know, flagging uncertain ones. For scenario questions, identify the actor (institution, compliance officer, employee), the stage (onboarding, ongoing monitoring, reporting), and the applicable obligation before reading the options. Eliminate options that confuse who reports to whom or that describe a measure as mandatory when it is risk-based. Return to flagged questions, and if there is no negative marking, ensure every question has an answer before time expires.
Note any technical problems or irregularities and report them to the invigilator or provider immediately, following the provider's procedure. Keep your confirmation and result correspondence. Confirm with the provider how and when results are issued and whether any appeal window applies.
Rules to check
Bring original government-issued photo ID whose name matches your registration exactly; entry is normally refused without it. Confirm the accepted ID types with the provider in advance.
Follow all invigilator and proctor instructions, including room scans, desk clearance, and storage of phones, smart watches, and notes. Unauthorised materials or devices in the test environment are typically treated as misconduct.
Do not communicate with anyone other than the invigilator during the test, and do not attempt to copy, photograph, or share questions. Exam content is confidential, and sharing it may breach the provider's terms and the professional standards you are being certified against.
Ask the invigilator or proctor before leaving your seat. Rules on breaks vary by provider and format; confirm with the provider whether breaks are permitted, whether the clock stops, and whether you may leave and re-enter the room.
Manage the clock: note the question count and time limit at the start, keep an eye on remaining time, and leave a buffer to review flagged questions. If the format does not penalise wrong answers, answer every question.
If a technical failure or disturbance occurs, stop and notify the invigilator or proctor immediately and follow the provider's incident procedure; do not attempt to fix equipment yourself if that would breach the rules.
Treat the pass mark and scoring method as provider-specific. Confirm the pass mark, question format, and whether partial credit or negative marking applies with the provider rather than relying on informal reports.
Raise any concern about the conduct of the test or a suspected error in a question through the provider's official channel within its stated time limit; confirm that procedure with the provider in advance.