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Transaction reporting requirements

You are required to complete reports about certain transactions and property and submit them to FINTRAC.

Suspicious transactions

When there are reasonable grounds to suspect that a transaction or an attempted transaction is related to the commission or attempted commission of a money laundering (ML) or terrorist financing (TF) offence, you must submit a suspicious transaction report (STR). The following STR guidance pieces provide a detailed explanation of your requirements and all three should be read in conjunction with each other.

What is a suspicious transaction report? This guidance explains the value of STRs to FINTRAC and explains the steps that can be taken to determine if you have reasonable grounds to suspect that a transaction is related to ML or TF.  

Reporting suspicious transactions to FINTRAC. This guidance explains in detail the steps that need to be taken in order to submit STRs to FINTRAC. This guidance includes details on how you can complete the narrative section of an STR as well as highlights common problems to avoid.

ML and TF indicators

These ML/TF indicators were developed by FINTRAC through a three-year review of ML/TF cases, a review of high quality STRs, published literature by international organizations such as the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and the Egmont Group, and consultation with reporting entity sectors. Click below to access ML/TF indicators specific to your sector. Please note that these ML/TF indicators are not an exhaustive list.

Terrorist property

When you know that property in your possession or under your control is owned, controlled by or on behalf of a terrorist or a terrorist group, you must submit a report.

Large cash transactions

When you receive $10,000 CAD or more in cash, either in a single transaction or in multiple transactions, within a 24-hour period you must submit a report within 15 calendar days.

Alternative to large cash transactions

If you are a bank, credit union, caisses populaire, trust company, loan company or agent of the Crown that accepts deposit liabilities, you may choose the alternative to large cash transaction reporting for corporate clients that meet specific conditions.

Large virtual currency transactions

When you receive virtual currency (VC) in an amount equivalent to $10,000 or more in the course of a single transaction, or when you receive two or more amounts of VC, that total the equivalent of $10,000 or more within a consecutive 24-hour window, by or on behalf of the same person or entity, or for the same beneficiary.

Electronic funds transfers

When you send or receive instructions to transfer $10,000 CAD or more internationally, either in a single transaction or in multiple transactions, within a 24-hour period you must submit a report within 5 business days.

Travel rule

When you send or receive an EFT or a VC transfer you must ensure that specific information is included with the transfer.

24-hour rule

The 24-hour rule is the requirement to aggregate multiple transactions when they total $10,000 or more within a consecutive 24-hour window that are conducted by or on behalf of the same person or entity or are for the same beneficiary.

Casino disbursements

When you disburse $10,000 CAD or more, either in a single transaction or in multiple transactions, within a 24-hour period you must submit a report within 15 calendar days.


FINTRAC provides guidance to help individuals and entities understand their obligations under the PCMLTFA and its associated Regulations and how they may be assessed in an examination. However, this should not be considered to be legal advice. Please refer to the PCMLTFA and its associated Regulations for the full description of the obligations.

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