Central Bank of the Bahamas finalises application guidelines for Qualified Executive Entities and Registered Representatives with 31 January 2026 filing deadline

The Central Bank of the Bahamas has published the final Application Guidelines for Private Trust Companies, Qualified Executive Entities and Registered Representatives, following a consultation that ended on 15 December 2025. The guidance sets out how Qualified Executive Entities (QEEs) and their Registered Representatives must register with the central bank and what fit and proper documentation and administrative forms must be submitted to comply with the Executive Entities Act, 2011. Under the Banks and Trust Companies (PTCs, QEEs, and RRs) Regulations, 2025, each QEE must maintain at all times one Special Officer or Special Council Member, alongside ongoing compliance with the central bank’s Fit and Proper Guidelines for all persons associated with the executive entity. Existing Registered Representatives must continue to submit the Registered Representative Certification by 31 January each year; for QEEs, this must include a certified copy of the annual registration issued by the Registrar, and representatives must certify that the executive entity remains exempt from trust company licensing. Registered Representatives and QEEs are expected to submit the required application and registration documents by 31 January 2026 to the Authorization and Administration Unit in the Bank Supervision Department, with representatives that are not central bank licensees or registrants required to follow the application requirements in sections 9 and 10 of the Guidelines.