Cayman Islands opens beneficial ownership data to applicants with a legitimate interest
The Cayman Islands' Beneficial Ownership Transparency (Legitimate Interest Access) Regulations, 2024 took effect on 28 February 2025. Journalists, academics, civil society organisations and prospective counterparties can apply for limited beneficial ownership information on a named legal person, for anti-money laundering purposes. Searches by an individual's name are not allowed, and owners at serious risk can seek protection under separate access restriction regulations.
Under the Beneficial Ownership Transparency Act, 2023, the Cayman Islands brought the Beneficial Ownership Transparency (Legitimate Interest Access) Regulations, 2024 into force on 28 February 2025, after approval by Cabinet and Parliament.
What changed
- Applicants can ask the competent authority for beneficial ownership information on a legal person if their purpose is to prevent, detect, investigate or prosecute money laundering, its predicate offences or terrorist financing.
- They must be engaged in journalism or academic research, act for a civil society organisation, or be entering, or about to enter, a business relationship or transaction with the legal person.
- Searches must be specific and by the legal person's name only. Searches by an individual's name are not permitted.
- Disclosure is limited and excludes residential addresses. The authority must give written reasons for any refusal.
- Separate access restriction regulations let beneficial owners seek protection where disclosure would put them at serious risk, such as kidnapping, extortion or violence.
Related changes in 2025
Amendment Acts in 2025 widened the authorities with search access, required a log of searches, exempted access records from freedom of information requests, and allowed sharing with foreign beneficial ownership authorities.
2026 fee changes
In March 2026 Parliament approved amendment regulations raising the fee for a single search from CI$30 to CI$75 and adding a CI$250 annual fee for frequent searchers. The Government again rejected a fully public register.
Who is affected
Cayman companies, LLCs, partnerships and their beneficial owners, and the corporate service providers who file their information.
Sources
- Cayman Compass: Cayman unified on legitimate interests for beneficial ownership (13 March 2026)
- Carey Olsen: New Cayman Islands beneficial ownership access rules, what fund managers and lawyers need to know (September 2025)
- Cayman Islands: Beneficial Ownership Transparency (Legitimate Interest Access) Regulations, 2024
- Cayman Islands General Registry: Beneficial ownership transparency
- Cayman Islands: Beneficial Ownership Transparency (Amendment) Act, 2025