How to check that whoever offers you the exam really is an external expert

There is no public register you can consult. Anyone acting as an external expert must notify SEPBLAC before starting (and report half-yearly on the entities they examine), and SEPBLAC sends them a written confirmation that the registration has been correctly recorded — but it publishes no lists and does not certify anyone's capacity or suitability. The law (art. 28.2) makes the obliged entity itself responsible for entrusting the exam to persons with suitable academic credentials and professional experience.

In practical terms: if you hire the wrong person, the problem at inspection time is yours. Before commissioning the exam, ask for:

• The registration confirmation issued by SEPBLAC — every expert receives one upon registering: ask to see it — and the year they started practising (in our case, 2010).
• Demonstrable experience in your sector: number of exams performed and for what kind of entities. An expert who knows your business spots what another would not even look at.
• A report that follows the structure of Order EHA/2444/2007 — it is what the inspection expects to find.
• Independence: no other paid services provided to you in the three previous years (or the three following ones). We explain it here.
• Additional signs of professional standing: membership of sector associations (in our case, INBLAC) and references.

Legal basis:

• Art. 28.2 of Ley 10/2010
• Order EHA/2444/2007

Reviewed: August 2026 · PBK Asesores — external experts in AML/CTF before SEPBLAC since 2010, more than 900 exams performed.

Does this affect you? We will confirm it in a two-minute call → Contact · +34 91 110 28 29

Related:

• Can your regular adviser examine you?
• What the report must contain
• What the external expert exam is
• All frequently asked questions