Short answer. A Sdn Bhd is typically asked for the Certificate of Incorporation, the constitution, SSM company particulars, a board resolution naming the signatories, identity documents of directors and signatories, and the bank’s own forms. Each bank publishes its own list and certification rules, so check the bank’s current page before you go.
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In this article
- The core documents banks ask a Sdn Bhd for
- What each bank says: a comparison
- Understanding the SSM forms banks mention
- Certified copies: who and how
- Board resolution and signatory documents
- Beneficial owner and KYC documents
- Extra documents for particular businesses
- Pre-visit checklist
- Worked example (illustrative)
- Common mistakes
- How Axecta helps
- Next steps
- Frequently asked questions
The core documents banks ask a Sdn Bhd for
There is no national checklist for a corporate bank account. Each bank publishes its own list, and the lists overlap heavily. The documents below appear, in one form or another, on the bank pages read for this guide in October 2026.
| Document | Why the bank wants it | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate of Incorporation | Proves the company exists and when | SSM, on approval of the application |
| Constitution (or Memorandum and Articles for older companies) | Shows the company’s rules and who may act | The company’s records, certified by the secretary |
| SSM company particulars | Confirms the registered address, directors, shareholders and share capital | SSM record or a company profile from SSM e-Info |
| Notification of the first company secretary | Shows the company has a secretary | SSM record |
| Board resolution | Authorises the account and names signatories | The directors; many banks provide a format |
| NRIC or passport of directors and signatories | Identifies the people | The individuals |
| Bank application and mandate forms | The bank’s contract and specimen signatures | The bank |
What each bank says: a comparison
The table below records what each bank’s own page said when read in October 2026. A blank or “not stated” entry means the page did not say.
| Bank | Company documents listed | Certification and attendance | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| CIMB | Original full or extract board resolution (samples in the application form); MyKad or passport; signed application form | Company documents certified by the Company Secretary or a Director; extract resolution certified by the sole director, or by the Company Secretary and one Director or any two Directors where there is more than one director; all authorised signatories must be present | CIMB |
| Hong Leong Bank | Application form; initial deposit; specimen signature card; resolution in the bank’s format (Appendix 1); certified copies of M&A, Form 49, Form 24 (or latest annual return), Forms 9 and 44; certified IDs of all directors and authorised signatories; practising certificate copies for professional practices | Certified true copies as listed; the form lists a declaration of politically exposed persons | HLB |
| Public Bank | For Companies Act 2016 companies: Certificate of Incorporation, application for registration, notification of first company secretary, constitution, board resolution, ID of all directors/signatories | Board resolution certified by the Chairman and Secretary; the page states company documents are certified copies | Public Bank |
| RHB | Company stamp; trading licence (Sabah and Sarawak only); board resolution; NRIC of directors/signatories; s.46 notification if registered address changed; practising licence if any | Certified true copy or original of the board resolution; certified true copies of NRIC | RHB |
| Maybank Islamic (SME First Account-i) | Constitution or Company Secretary confirmation; IDs; Form 9 or Notice of Registration; Form 13 if name changed; Form 24; Form 49; common seal; board resolution | All documents to be certified true copies by the Company Secretary | Maybank Islamic |
| HSBC Malaysia | Board resolution; ID copies of connected parties; signed ownership structure chart; company tax information | Aimed at groups with turnover above MYR 225 million; Certificate of Incumbency for foreign-incorporated entities | HSBC |
Notice the differences. CIMB asks for little beyond the resolution and identity documents, while Hong Leong Bank asks for a full set of SSM records. Public Bank names the Chairman and Secretary as certifiers of the resolution, CIMB names a Company Secretary plus one director, or two directors, and Maybank Islamic names the Company Secretary alone. A pack built to one bank’s rule may not satisfy another’s.
Understanding the SSM forms banks mention
Need this done for you? Axecta’s company incorporation and setup support team can handle this for your company. See the company incorporation and setup support service.
Many bank pages still use form numbers from the old Companies Act 1965 (Form 9, Form 24, Form 44, Form 49), while Public Bank’s page lists separate items for Companies Act 2016 companies. If a bank asks for Form 24 or 49, ask what it accepts in its place. A current SSM company profile showing directors, managers, shareholders and share capital is the likely substitute, but that is for the bank to confirm. SSM e-Info says it is the official and authorised service for company information and lists these items in its company profile.
Run your company number through verify a registration number with SSM to be sure the number printed on every document is the one SSM holds. Hong Leong Bank’s page also accepts the latest annual return in place of Form 24, which shows how bank wording lags the current law. The Companies Act 2016 requires an annual return within 30 days of the anniversary of incorporation under section 68(1), so a company older than a year should have one to show.
Certified copies: who and how
Certification confirms a copy matches the original. Three bank rules illustrate how much it varies.
- Company Secretary or a Director (CIMB). CIMB says company documents are certified by the Company Secretary or a Director.
- Company Secretary only (Maybank Islamic). The page says all private limited company documents are certified by the Company Secretary.
- Chairman and Secretary (Public Bank, for the resolution).
The safest approach is to have the company secretary certify everything. The secretary must meet the criteria in section 235 of the Companies Act 2016. See why a practising certificate matters. Date the certification and ask the branch whether it applies a validity period.
Board resolution and signatory documents
The resolution is the document that most often goes wrong, so it has its own guide: board resolution for a bank account. Public Bank’s page lists seven items the resolution should cover, including the bank and branch, specimen signatures, the signing method, authority to overdraw, a specimen of the company chop, an undertaking to notify the bank of changes, and authority to transfer funds.
For signatories, banks ask for original MyKad or passport. CIMB says foreign nationals may use an employment pass or work permit issued by Malaysian authorities. Hong Leong Bank asks for certified copies of NRIC or passport for all directors, including those who are not signatories.
Beneficial owner and KYC documents
Banks must identify who ultimately owns the company. Bank Negara Malaysia’s AML/CFT customer due diligence page lists the business name and registration number, registered address, nature of business, directors, shareholders and beneficial owners and the person authorised to represent the company as the minimum information for a company customer. The bank may therefore ask for:
- an ownership chart or shareholder list (HSBC’s page lists a signed ownership structure chart);
- identity details of each natural person who owns or controls the company;
- a description of the business and the source of funds;
- supporting contracts or invoices for new businesses.
SSM’s revised beneficial ownership guideline%202025%20fair.pdf) defines a beneficial owner as a natural person with an interest in not less than 20% of the shares or voting shares, or ultimate effective control. A company must keep its own beneficial owner information for at least seven years after a person ceases to be a beneficial owner. Your own register is therefore a ready source for the bank.
Extra documents for particular businesses
CIMB’s page lists additional documents for professional firms and specialised businesses. For a professional firm, it asks for a practising certificate and the firm’s registration. For businesses such as money changing, remittance, pawn broking or gold dealing, it asks for a copy of the business licence. Hong Leong Bank’s checklist asks for copies of practising certificates from professional practices. If your activity needs a licence, include it with the pack.
Pre-visit checklist
| Check | Done when |
|---|---|
| Name and number | Identical on the certificate, constitution, resolution and forms |
| Registered address | Matches SSM, and you can explain the business address if different |
| Resolution | Dated, signed by the number of directors the constitution or bank requires, in the bank’s format |
| Certification | By the person the bank allows, dated, on each page where needed |
| Identity | Originals available; foreign signatories’ passports and passes ready |
| Ownership | Shareholder list and beneficial owner details ready |
| Business description | Short, factual and consistent with the SSM nature of business |
| Deposit | Funds ready for the bank’s initial deposit |
Worked example (illustrative)
A Sdn Bhd with two Malaysian director-shareholders each holding 50% opens an account at a bank whose page asks for certified copies of the constitution, company particulars and resolution, plus IDs. The company secretary certifies the constitution and the SSM profile, drafts the resolution in the bank’s format, and the directors sign it. Each holds not less than 20%, the test in SSM’s guideline, so both are beneficial owners and both identities are on the bank form. At the branch the bank asks for the originals and a copy of the nature of business. Everything matches, so the only follow-up is the bank’s own review. Had the constitution and resolution carried different names, the bank would have sent it back.
Common mistakes
- Taking a stale set. Names, directors and addresses may have changed since incorporation.
- Certifying with the wrong person. Check the bank’s rule.
- Forgetting the company chop or seal, which RHB’s and Maybank Islamic’s pages list.
- Omitting a licence required for the business.
- Failing to prepare beneficial owner information.
- Assuming a document from one bank applies to another.
How Axecta helps
Axecta’s secretarial team compiles the pack: we pull the SSM particulars, certify copies as secretary, prepare the resolution in the bank’s format and give you a one-page cover checklist matching the bank’s own list. See our company secretarial service. If the pack is already prepared, we can review it before you travel.
Next steps
Completing the pack is only one part of onboarding. Read why applications get delayed, the company secretary’s role, and what to do after incorporating alongside this checklist.
- Read your bank’s live page and note who may certify.
- Order the SSM company particulars.
- Prepare or request the board resolution.
- Compile the beneficial owner details.
- Cross-check against the table above and then book the visit. For the whole sequence, see how to open a corporate bank account.
Frequently asked questions
What documents do I need to open a corporate bank account in Malaysia?
Typically the Certificate of Incorporation, constitution, SSM company particulars, a board resolution, identity documents of directors and signatories, and the bank’s forms. Banks differ: CIMB’s page lists a resolution and identity documents, while Hong Leong Bank’s lists a full set of certified SSM records. Check your bank’s page.
Are Form 24 and Form 49 still needed?
Some banks still list them. Hong Leong Bank’s checklist lists Form 24 (or latest annual return) and Form 49, and Maybank Islamic’s page lists both. Ask the bank whether a current SSM company profile is accepted instead, since the forms are old Companies Act 1965 names.
Who certifies the constitution for the bank?
It depends on the bank. CIMB’s page allows the Company Secretary or a Director, while Maybank Islamic’s page says the Company Secretary. Having the company secretary certify all documents is the safest route. Confirm the details with your bank in writing before you rely on them, because requirements change.
Does the bank need the company’s constitution?
Several do. Hong Leong Bank lists certified copies of the M&A, Public Bank lists the constitution, UOB asks for the constitution for private limited companies, and Maybank Islamic accepts the constitution or a Company Secretary confirmation. CIMB’s page lists a resolution and IDs instead.
Do I need a company chop to open a bank account?
Some banks ask for one. RHB’s page lists a company stamp, and Maybank Islamic’s page lists a common seal with the company registration number. Public Bank’s resolution items include a specimen of the company chop. Other banks may not, so ask. Confirm the details with your bank in writing before you rely on them, because requirements change.
Do foreign directors need other documents?
Often. CIMB’s page accepts an employment pass or work permit issued by Malaysian authorities for foreign nationals, and HSBC’s page asks for a Certificate of Incumbency for foreign-incorporated entities. See the foreign-owned guide for the wider picture. Confirm the details with your bank in writing before you rely on them, because requirements change.
Can the bank refuse even if I have every document?
Yes. Opening an account is the bank’s decision under its own onboarding and anti-money laundering rules. A complete, consistent pack removes the usual reasons for delay but does not guarantee approval, and a bank may ask follow-up questions about the business or its owners.
Do I need proof of business address?
Some banks ask. UOB’s online route asks for proof of address such as a utility bill, bank statement or tenancy agreement. Other bank pages read for this guide did not list it, so confirm with your bank, especially if the registered address differs from where the business actually operates.
Can Axecta prepare the bank pack for me?
Yes. We prepare the resolution in the bank’s format, certify the company records as secretary and check the whole pack against the bank’s published list before you go. See our company secretarial service for how we work with new companies. Confirm the details with your bank in writing before you rely on them, because requirements change.
Want your pack checked before the bank visit?
Axecta Management Services is a full-suite accounting, company secretarial and consulting firm in Kuala Lumpur, serving companies from SMEs to MNCs.
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Keep reading
- How to Open a Corporate Bank Account for Your Sdn Bhd
- Board Resolution for Opening a Bank Account
- Why Corporate Bank Account Applications Get Delayed
- Opening a Bank Account for a Foreign-Owned Sdn Bhd
- How to Verify a Company Registration Number with SSM
- How to Find a Company Registration Number in Malaysia
- Opening a Corporate Bank Account: the full guide
Official sources to check
- CIMB Malaysia business current account page
- Hong Leong Bank application procedure
- Public Bank current account page
- RHB SME online page
- Maybank Islamic SME First Account-i
- HSBC Malaysia account opening
- SSM e-Info
- SSM beneficial ownership guideline
This article is general information and not legal, tax or accounting advice for your company. Rates, thresholds, deadlines and procedures change, so confirm current requirements with the sources above or with Axecta.