ECSH48075 - Auto Cancellations technical guidance
Source: gov.uk (2025-12-01)


What are auto-cancellations

Auto-cancellation is the automatic cancellation of a business’ registration when the business does not complete a two-step process to maintain their supervision: completing their annual declaration and paying their annual supervision fee.

If a business’ registration is automatically cancelled, it cannot be reactivated. The business will have to register again, pay a £400 application fee and will not be able to trade until it has applied or, if a money service business or trust or company service provider, it’s application has been positively determined.

Annual declaration

After a business has registered with EC-S, a series of reminders will be sent every year leading up to the anniversary of its registration, reminding the business that they must check their registration information, make any updates required and submit the declaration to show the information is correct. Once this is done, the annual supervision fee will be raised on the system and the business will be notified of the charge and given the payment reference number to make payment.

Annual fee

The annual supervision fee is imposed under regulation 102, of The Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds (Information on the Payer) Regulations 2017 on the date the business is first notified of the charge.

The business will pay a fee for each of their premises (other supervision fees may also be due, associated with changed to BOOMs etc) and must use the payment reference number to make payment.

The annual supervision fee is £400 for each of the premises shown on the application [as at 1 December 2025].

Supervisory fees may also be incurred for fit and proper (F&P) tests, approvals check and other reasons. Whilst only the premises fee is an annual fee, a business may have to pay other fees e.g. if there have been changes to BOOMs etc requiring new approvals or F&P fees. Any changes that the business makes to it’s annual declaration will be taken into account and the relevant fee will be calculated.

For more information on fees see ECSH44575 (https://www.gov.uk/hmrc-internal-manuals/economic-crime-supervision-handbook/ecsh44575).

Cancellation

Reminders to complete the declaration and pay the fee will be issued in the run-up to and immediately after the payment date (see below), but if the business still fails to pay the annual fee and submit their annual declaration, the business’s registration will be cancelled under Regulation 60(3)(a) MLR 2017, with reference to Regulation 59(1)(c)(ii) MLR 2017, to take effect 14 days after the notice of cancellation has been given.

Once the business has been given notice that its registration has been cancelled, they cannot legally carry out relevant business after the date the cancellation takes effect, before they submit a fresh registration application. The business must also pay a £400 application fee when they submit a fresh registration application.

Guidance for businesses

The EC-S registration pages on gov.uk (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/register-or-renew-your-money-laundering-supervision-with-hmrc#annual-declaration-and-payment-of-fees) contain a page on the annual declaration and payment of fees going over the process businesses have to follow.

This includes the message:

“If you do not complete your annual declaration and pay your annual fee on time, your registration will be cancelled. Both stages must be completed in order for you to remain registered.”

Auto cancellation secure comms

Businesses will be sent the following four secure communications as part of the auto-cancellation process:
- Notification to submit their annual declaration and pay the annual fee.
- Reminder to submit their annual declaration and pay the annual fee.
- Reminder to pay their annual fee.
- Cancellation of registration notice.
Initially they will be sent the notification, followed by the reminder.

If they have submitted the annual declaration but failed to pay the fee they will be sent the reminder to pay the annual fee.

Finally, if they do not complete both steps, they will receive the cancellation notice. The cancellation notice comes into effect 14 days from the date of the notice.

For more information on secure comms see ECSH112000 (https://www.gov.uk/hmrc-internal-manuals/economic-crime-supervision-handbook/ecsh112000).

For operational guidance on cancellations and suspensions see ECSH48582. (https://www.gov.uk/hmrc-internal-manuals/economic-crime-supervision-handbook/ecsh48582)

Right of Review and Appeal

Cancellation notices issued automatically have a right of review and appeal.

For more information on reviews and appeals see ECSH90000 (https://www.gov.uk/hmrc-internal-manuals/economic-crime-supervision-handbook/ecsh90000).