Unidad de Investigación Financiera (UIF)
El Salvador's financial intelligence unit, operating within the Fiscalía General de la República. It receives and analyses suspicious transaction reports.
Americas · Country coverage
AML/CTF Compliance in El Salvador
El Salvador regulates AML/CTF through the Unidad de Investigación Financiera under its Ley Especial para la Prevención, Control y Sanción del Lavado de Activos. See the obligations and how MemberCheck supports them.
Last updated
Screening coverage for El Salvador
- Sanctions & PEP screening
- Adverse media checks
- Customer identity verification
- Jurisdiction risk checks
- Ongoing monitoring
Key facts
AML supervisor / FIUUnidad de Investigación Financiera (UIF), Fiscalía General de la República
FATF statusGAFILAT member
Primary legislationLey Especial para la Prevención, Control y Sanción del Lavado de Activos, Financiamiento del Terrorismo y Financiamiento de la Proliferación de Armas de Destrucción Masiva (in force 2025)
Overview
AML/CTF compliance in El Salvador.
El Salvador regulates money laundering and terrorist financing through the Ley Especial para la Prevención, Control y Sanción del Lavado de Activos, in force since October 2025, supported by the Unidad de Investigación Financiera within the Fiscalía General de la República, which receives and analyses suspicious transaction reports.
Regulated entities must apply customer due diligence, identify beneficial owners, monitor relationships, and report suspicious activity to the UIF, alongside supervision from the Superintendencia del Sistema Financiero. Supervisors expect a designated compliance officer, sound internal controls, and staff training.
MemberCheck helps teams meet these obligations by screening customers and entities against global sanctions, PEP, and adverse-media data, verifying identities, and monitoring risk continuously, with a clear audit trail behind every decision.
Regulation
All solutions →Key laws and regulators.
Ley Especial para la Prevención, Control y Sanción del Lavado de Activos
El Salvador's principal AML statute, in force since October 2025, setting customer due diligence, recordkeeping, and reporting obligations for financial institutions and other obligated subjects. It repealed the 1998 Ley Contra el Lavado de Dinero y de Activos.
Superintendencia del Sistema Financiero
The SSF supervises banks and other licensed financial institutions for AML/CTF compliance, working alongside the UIF.
GAFILAT membership
El Salvador is a member of GAFILAT, the FATF-style regional body for Latin America, and aligns its regime with the FATF 40 Recommendations through that membership.
Obligations
What regulated businesses must do.
- Apply customer due diligence and identity verification
- Identify beneficial owners of corporate customers
- Report suspicious transactions to the UIF
- Conduct ongoing monitoring of customer relationships
- Maintain internal controls and a compliance officer
- Maintain records and provide staff training
1,000+
Global watchlists screened
<1s
Average screening response
24h
Watchlist refresh cycle
195
Countries covered
FAQ
Common questions.
Who supervises AML/CTF in El Salvador?
The Unidad de Investigación Financiera (UIF), within the Fiscalía General de la República, receives and analyses suspicious transaction reports, alongside the Superintendencia del Sistema Financiero for licensed institutions.
What is the main AML law in El Salvador?
The Ley Especial para la Prevención, Control y Sanción del Lavado de Activos, in force since October 2025, sets the customer due diligence, recordkeeping, and reporting obligations for regulated entities in El Salvador. It replaced the 1998 Ley Contra el Lavado de Dinero y de Activos.
Is El Salvador a member of FATF?
El Salvador is a member of GAFILAT, the FATF-style regional body for Latin America, and aligns its AML/CTF regime with the FATF 40 Recommendations through that membership.
How does MemberCheck support AML compliance in El Salvador?
MemberCheck screens customers and entities against global sanctions, PEP, and adverse-media data, verifies identities, and monitors risk continuously, with an audit trail behind every decision.
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