Guides

• The AUSTRAC compliance officer: who qualifies, and the second 29 July deadline nobody talks about

  Enrolling with AUSTRAC isn't the last deadline. You must also notify your AML/CTF compliance officer — who qualifies, who can hold the role, and the exact dates.

• AUSTRAC enrolment vs registration: which one does your business actually owe?

  Enrolment and registration are different AUSTRAC processes — and Tranche 2 professions almost always only owe the lighter one. Which applies to you, in plain terms.

• AUSTRAC's free starter kit vs paid AML software: what the free kit doesn't cover

  AUSTRAC's free starter kit gets you enrolled and gives you templates — but it won't run your CDD, monitoring or reporting. Exactly where the free kit stops.

• Do accountants need to enrol with AUSTRAC? It's what you do, not what you are

  Tax returns and BAS work generally aren't captured. Client money, entity setups and property transactions are. Where AUSTRAC's line falls for accounting firms.

• Do conveyancers need to enrol with AUSTRAC? Yes — here's when the obligation actually starts

  Conveyancing is squarely a designated service under Tranche 2. When the service legally starts, the family-transfer trap, and what falls outside 'real estate'.

• Do lawyers need to enrol with AUSTRAC? Litigation mostly out, transactions in

  Litigation and advice generally aren't captured. Property matters, entity creation and trust-account transaction work are. Where AUSTRAC's line falls for law firms.

• Do real estate agents need to enrol with AUSTRAC? Sales yes, property management no

  Selling and transferring property: enrol. Leasing and property management: not captured. Where AUSTRAC draws the line for agents, buyer's agents and developers.

• Missed the 29 July AUSTRAC enrolment deadline? What actually happens now

  Missed the 29 July 2026 AUSTRAC enrolment deadline? The real risk, what AUSTRAC has signalled on early enforcement, and the exact steps to enrol late today.

• What is a 'designated service'? The term the whole AUSTRAC regime hangs on

  Every Tranche 2 obligation switches on one question: do you provide a designated service? What the term means, what's in, what's out, and how to check properly.