A step-by-step guide to enrolling with AUSTRAC

Before you start

Gather the following before opening the form. 

Business identifiers

• Legal name and any trading names
• ABN, and if applicable: ACN, ARBN, ARSN
• Legal Entity Identifier (LEI) if you have one
• Any industry association memberships (e.g. Law Council of Australia, CPA Australia, REIV)

Business structure documents

What you need depends on your structure - see Step 3 below

AML/CTF compliance officer details

• Full name
• Title
• Date of birth
• Phone
• e-mail 
• Postal address

Note. If you haven't appointed one yet, you can provide a primary contact for now, but you must appoint a compliance officer within 28 days of providing designated services and notify AUSTRAC within 14 days of that appointment.

Financial information

• Approximate annual turnover for the last financial year
• Total earnings before tax, interest, depreciation and amortisation derived from Australian operations (required for the industry levy)
• Whether you were a small business entity in the last income year

Step 1: Set up your AUSTRAC Online account

If you don't already have one, create a user account in AUSTRAC Online. You'll also need to register for multi-factor authentication. AUSTRAC has guidance on both on their website. If you received an invitation email, follow the instructions in that email instead.

Step 2: Confirm your connection to Australia and your designated services

You'll be asked to:

• Confirm that you carry out (or propose to carry out) designated services at or through a permanent establishment in Australia. 
• Identify your business category and the specific designated services you provide.
• Provide the date you commenced (or expect to commence) providing these services.

For tranche 2 firms, the relevant options are:

Step 3: Provide your business structure details

Select your legal form. The most common structures for tranche 2 firms are below.

Step 4: Identify your beneficial owners

A beneficial owner is an individual who directly or indirectly owns 25% or more of the business, or who controls it (meaning they can influence or direct business decision-making).

If you added directors or individuals earlier in the form, you'll have already flagged which of them are beneficial owners. This step captures anyone not already listed. You'll need to provide:

• Full name
• Date of birth

Step 5: Provide business contact details

You'll need to provide:

• Principal place of business in Australia
• Registered office address (if different)
• Primary phone number
• Email address
• Website domain names through which you provide designated services (if applicable)

Step 6: Provide additional business information

You'll be asked:

• Number of full-time equivalent employees (select a range)
• Whether you are an Australian resident for tax purposes
• Approximate annual turnover for the last financial year (select a range)
• Whether you were eligible for small business entity tax treatment last financial year (Australian residents only)

Step 7: Provide details of you AML/CTF compliance officer

You'll need to provide:

• Full name
• Position/title
• Date of birth
• Phone number
• Email
• Postal address

If you haven't made a formal appointment yet, provide a primary contact who can receive AUSTRAC correspondence in the interim. Note the 28-day appointment obligation and 14-day notification requirement.

Step 8: Industry levy 

• You'll be asked whether your total earnings for the last financial year were A$100 million or more. If you're part of a corporate group, this includes the earnings of any related entities that are also reporting entities.
• You'll then provide a levy contact (either the same person as your compliance officer, or someone else).

Step 9: Submit

Once submitted, you'll receive a confirmation message and email containing your receipt number and AUSTRAC Account Number (AAN). AUSTRAC will send a further confirmation when your enrolment is complete. They may contact you for additional information.

Things to consider

If you're part of a reporting group

If you don't yet have AANs for other group members at the time of submission, you must update your enrolment details within 14 days of receiving them.

If you get stuck

AUSTRAC's support team can be contacted directly. The form can also be saved and returned to if you need to gather information before completing it.