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AML/CTF, explained for your profession.

Australia's expanded AML/CTF regime now applies to designated services provided by accountants, lawyers, conveyancers, real estate professionals, trust and company service providers, precious-items dealers and virtual asset service providers. These guides explain the current rules in plain English and turn each obligation into practical operating steps.

Explore every knowledge category

Choose your profession or regulated industry, then connect its service-specific guidance with the shared Tranche 2 and core-obligation libraries.

Tranche 2 foundations

Start with the reforms, designated services and plain-English concepts that apply across Australia's newly regulated professional sectors.

5 guidesBrowse the category

Tax agents

Separate routine tax work from designated services and operate defensible scope, CDD, ownership, risk and reporting controls.

8 guidesBrowse the category

BAS agents

Understand when bookkeeping, client-money, entity and transaction services move beyond routine BAS work into AML/CTF scope.

8 guidesBrowse the category

Accountants

Apply Tranche 2 obligations to entity formation, restructuring, business transactions, client money and trust or company services.

8 guidesBrowse the category

Lawyers

Build matter-centred controls for captured legal work while preserving privilege boundaries, confidentiality and restricted reporting.

8 guidesBrowse the category

Conveyancers

Manage vendor, purchaser, counterparty, beneficial-ownership, payment and settlement risks across a captured property file.

8 guidesBrowse the category

Real estate

Run listing-to-settlement controls for vendors, purchasers, counterparties, beneficial owners and higher-risk property transactions.

8 guidesBrowse the category

Trust and company services

Control formation, registered-office, nominee, trustee, ownership and offshore-structure risks throughout an entity relationship.

10 guidesBrowse the category

Precious-items dealers

Apply the distinct bullion and regulated-item rules to cash, virtual assets, linked transactions, CDD, TTRs and suspicious behaviour.

8 guidesBrowse the category

Virtual asset services

Operate Australian exchange, transfer, safekeeping and offer or sale services with registration, CDD, wallet, Travel Rule, monitoring and reporting controls.

11 guidesBrowse the category

Core obligations

Use practical guides for enrolment, programs, CDD, beneficial ownership, reporting, record keeping, evaluation and ongoing monitoring.

25 guidesBrowse the category

Complete guide index

Find the guidance you need

Search every guide, narrow the library to your profession, or choose the task you need to complete.

107 practical guides

Showing 107 of 107 guides

Complete index
  1. Tranche 2 foundations 5 minTranche 2 explainedAustralia's Tranche 2 AML/CTF reforms now cover tax agents, accountants, lawyers, conveyancers and real estate agents. What changed on 1 July 2026, who is captured, the six core obligations and what to do now.Read guide
  2. Tax agents 5 minFor tax agentsWhich tax agent services are designated under Tranche 2, how to distinguish routine tax advice from captured work, and the obligations Australian tax practices must meet from 1 July 2026.Read guide
  3. Lawyers 5 minFor lawyersHow Tranche 2 captures Australian law firms and conveyancers: which legal services are designated services, customer due diligence for law practices, trust money, tipping off, and how legal professional privilege is preserved.Read guide
  4. Real estate 4 minFor real estateTranche 2 obligations for Australian real estate agencies from 1 July 2026: verifying vendors and purchasers, screening, risk assessment, suspicious matter reporting and the records every agency must keep.Read guide
  5. Core obligations 3 minAUSTRAC enrolmentStep-by-step AUSTRAC enrolment for tax agents, lawyers and real estate agents: who must enrol, what information you need, the compliance officer notification, and what happens after you enrol.Read guide
  6. Core obligations 3 minYour AML/CTF programWhat an AML/CTF program must contain for a small Australian practice: its ML/TF risk assessment, risk-based policies, governance, training, evaluation and evidence that the controls operate.Read guide
  7. Core obligations 4 minCDD explainedCustomer due diligence under the amended AML/CTF Act: verifying individuals and entities, finding beneficial owners (UBOs), PEP and sanctions screening, risk rating, and when enhanced due diligence applies.Read guide
  8. Core obligations 3 minSMRs & tipping offSuspicious matter reporting for newly regulated Australian practices: what forms a suspicion, SMR deadlines, what goes in the report, and the section 123 tipping-off offence every staff member must understand.Read guide
  9. Tranche 2 foundations 3 minGlossaryPlain-English definitions of the AML/CTF terms Australian tax agents, lawyers and real estate agents now need: AUSTRAC, CDD, EDD, beneficial owner, designated service, PEP, SMR, TTR, tipping off and more.Read guide
  10. Trust and company services 4 minFor trust & company service providersTrust and company service providers (TCSPs) are at the centre of Tranche 2: forming companies and trusts, acting as nominee directors or shareholders, providing registered offices. Obligations, CDD on structures, beneficial ownership and reporting.Read guide
  11. Precious-items dealers 6 minFor precious metals dealersAustralian AML/CTF obligations for jewellers, precious-metals, stones and products dealers and bullion dealers: regulated items, payment thresholds, linked transactions, CDD and reporting.Read guide
  12. Trust and company services 4 minNominee arrangementsHow item 7 acting arrangements and item 8 nominee-shareholder services apply to TCSPs and professional practices: customers, ownership, risk, CDD and red flags.Read guide
  13. Trust and company services 3 minRegistered office servicesWhen providing a registered office or principal place of business in the course of business becomes item 9: CDD, monitoring, mail handling and red flags.Read guide
  14. Core obligations 4 minBeneficial ownershipHow to identify beneficial owners under the amended AML/CTF Act: the 25% ownership threshold, control through other means, trustees and appointors, walking layered structures, and what to record when no owner reaches 25%.Read guide
  15. Core obligations 3 minTTRs explainedThreshold transaction reports for Australian practices and dealers: what counts as physical currency, the A$10,000 threshold, aggregation traps, the 10-business-day deadline, and how TTRs differ from SMRs.Read guide
  16. Tranche 2 foundations 7 minGeographical link testA practical guide to deciding whether a designated service has the Australian geographical link needed for the AML/CTF Act to apply.Read guide
  17. Tranche 2 foundations 6 minExisting customer transitionA file-based approach to identifying pre-commencement customers, applying transitional CDD settings and maintaining ongoing due diligence after commencement.Read guide
  18. Tranche 2 foundations 6 minExemptions and boundariesA cautious method for testing whether professional, property and precious-items activities are designated services and whether a specific exemption applies.Read guide
  19. Core obligations 6 minML/TF/PF risk assessmentA practical method for identifying, assessing and documenting money laundering, terrorism financing and proliferation financing risks.Read guide
  20. Core obligations 6 minOfficer and governanceHow Australian reporting entities can assign governing-body, senior-manager and compliance-officer responsibilities with evidence and oversight.Read guide
  21. Core obligations 6 minPersonnel DD and trainingA risk-based framework for identifying relevant roles, assessing personnel integrity and capability, and delivering effective AML/CTF training.Read guide
  22. Core obligations 6 minSeven-year record keepingA practical retention schedule for CDD, transactions, programs, reports, screening and governance evidence under Australian AML/CTF law.Read guide
  23. Core obligations 6 minIndependent evaluationHow to plan, commission and remediate an independent evaluation of AML/CTF program design, implementation and effectiveness.Read guide
  24. Core obligations 6 minPEP and sanctions screeningA practical Australian workflow for distinguishing PEP risk from sanctions prohibitions, resolving matches and documenting ongoing screening decisions.Read guide
  25. Core obligations 6 minFunds versus wealthHow to distinguish, collect and verify source-of-funds and source-of-wealth information using a risk-based Australian AML/CTF approach.Read guide
  26. Core obligations 6 minOngoing CDD triggersAn operational catalogue of customer events that should trigger AML/CTF risk, KYC, verification, enhanced due diligence and reporting review.Read guide
  27. Core obligations 4 minAdverse media checksHow Australian reporting entities use adverse-media searches in AML/CTF without treating every negative article as an automatic risk result.Read guide
  28. Core obligations 4 minIFTIs explainedWhat an international funds transfer instruction is, who must report it to AUSTRAC, the 10-business-day deadline and how IFTIs differ from TTRs and SMRs.Read guide
  29. Core obligations 4 minTipping off explainedWhat tipping off means under the AML/CTF Act, which SMR-related information is protected and how Australian firms communicate without disclosing it.Read guide
  30. Core obligations 4 minReliance agreementsWhen Australian reporting entities can rely on another entity's customer identification, what a reliance arrangement requires and what each party still owns.Read guide
  31. Core obligations 4 minIdentity verification optionsThe verification paths Australian reporting entities can use under AML/CTF: document-based checks, electronic identity providers and the Document Verification Service.Read guide
  32. Core obligations 4 minEnforcement explainedHow AUSTRAC supervises reporting entities, the enforcement tools it uses and the penalty framework Australian practices now face under the AML/CTF Act.Read guide
  33. Core obligations 4 minNew entity checklistThe practical first-90-days checklist for practices that became reporting entities under Tranche 2: enrolment, governance, risk, CDD, training and records.Read guide
  34. Core obligations 4 minRefusal and exitWhen Australian reporting entities must refuse a service or exit a relationship because CDD cannot be completed, and how to record the decision safely.Read guide
  35. Core obligations 4 minSanctions screeningHow Australian reporting entities screen against targeted financial sanctions, use the DFAT Consolidated List and integrate sanctions checks with AML/CTF.Read guide
  36. Core obligations 4 minSoftware buyer's guideThe criteria Australian Tranche 2 practices should test when buying AML/CTF software: scope, evidence, reporting, security, integrations and provider honesty.Read guide
  37. Core obligations 3 minRed flags guideThe transaction and behaviour patterns Australian professionals should escalate: secrecy, unusual payments, complex structures, third parties and rapid changes.Read guide
  38. Tax agents 5 minCompany, trust and SMSF formationA service-based guide to when tax-agent work creating a company, trust or SMSF becomes a professional designated service and what must happen before the work starts.Read guide
  39. Tax agents 5 minTax advice versus transaction workHow Australian tax practices distinguish general tax advice from active work that directly advances a business, company, trust or real-estate transaction.Read guide
  40. Tax agents 4 minClient money and tax-payment boundariesA practical explanation of table 6 item 3 for tax practices, including receiving, controlling or managing client property and the principal statutory boundaries.Read guide
  41. Tax agents 4 minEntity CDD for tax practicesA practical CDD workflow for tax practices onboarding companies, partnerships, trusts and SMSFs for designated services under Australia's AML/CTF regime.Read guide
  42. BAS agents 5 minAML/CTF guide for BAS agentsA practical guide for Australian BAS agents deciding whether their services are regulated and building controls for any professional designated services they provide.Read guide
  43. BAS agents 5 minBookkeeping versus designated servicesHow BAS agents and bookkeepers distinguish ordinary processing from client-money, entity, transaction and address services regulated under Australia's AML/CTF Act.Read guide
  44. BAS agents 5 minPayment authority for BAS agentsA detailed guide to fixed payment instructions, discretionary authority, client-bank access and the table 6 item 3 boundaries that BAS practices must assess.Read guide
  45. BAS agents 5 minEntity and address servicesHow BAS practices scope company and trust creation, legal-form restructuring, nominee arrangements and registered-office or principal-address services.Read guide
  46. BAS agents 5 minSmall-business KYB for BAS agentsA risk-based entity due-diligence workflow for BAS practices providing designated services to companies, partnerships, trusts and sole traders.Read guide
  47. Accountants 5 minAML/CTF guide for accountantsA comprehensive guide for Australian accountants scoping professional designated services and operating risk-based AML/CTF controls from 1 July 2026.Read guide
  48. Accountants 5 minBusiness-sale AML for accountantsHow accountants distinguish advice and standalone valuation work from active assistance that directly advances a company or legal-arrangement sale or transfer.Read guide
  49. Accountants 6 minCompany, trust and restructure AMLA detailed guide to company and express-trust formation, item 6 legal-form restructuring and the service-specific customer due diligence accountants must perform.Read guide
  50. Accountants 5 minClient money AML for accountantsA practical guide to receiving, holding, controlling or managing client property, direct advancement, payment boundaries and workflow controls for accountants.Read guide
  51. Accountants 6 minEquity and debt finance AMLHow accountants distinguish general advice from work advancing equity or debt finance for a body corporate, proposed body corporate or legal arrangement.Read guide
  52. Tax agents 4 minTax agent checklistA file-ready AML/CTF checklist for Australian tax agents: scope decisions, enrolment, CDD, reporting, training and the records AUSTRAC can ask for.Read guide
  53. Tax agents 4 minTrustee and director rolesWhen a tax agent acting as trustee or director provides item 7 or item 8 services, and the CDD and risk controls those roles require.Read guide
  54. Tax agents 3 minRecords and audit evidenceWhat tax practices must retain under AML/CTF, how to store CDD and reporting evidence, and how to respond when AUSTRAC or the TPB asks to see it.Read guide
  55. BAS agents 3 minBAS agent checklistA practical AML/CTF checklist for BAS agents and bookkeepers: service scope, client money, entity services, CDD, reporting and the records to keep.Read guide
  56. BAS agents 4 minClient money dutiesWhen holding or controlling client money makes a bookkeeping service a designated service, and the CDD, reconciliation and monitoring controls that follow.Read guide
  57. BAS agents 3 minBookkeeping red flagsThe payment, structure and instruction patterns bookkeepers and BAS agents should escalate, and how to record the assessment without tipping off.Read guide
  58. Accountants 3 minAccountant checklistA file-ready AML/CTF checklist for accountants: designated services, entity ownership, source of funds, reporting, training and audit-ready records.Read guide
  59. Accountants 3 minPractice risk assessmentHow accounting firms structure an AUSTRAC-aligned ML/TF/PF risk assessment: services, customers, channels, geography and the controls that respond.Read guide
  60. Accountants 3 minSMSF AML guideWhen SMSF establishment or trustee services are designated for accountants, and the CDD, ownership and reporting duties that attach to them.Read guide
  61. Lawyers 6 minLaw-firm designated-service scopeA matter-level guide for Australian law firms deciding when conveyancing, transactions, entity work, trust services and client-money work enter AML/CTF scope.Read guide
  62. Conveyancers 5 minAML/CTF for conveyancersA complete Australian guide to conveyancing designated services, customer due diligence, settlement risk, delayed CDD, reporting and matter controls.Read guide
  63. Conveyancers 5 minWhen conveyancing becomes regulatedA milestone-based guide to when Australian conveyancing moves from general information into directly advancing a sale, purchase or transfer of real estate.Read guide
  64. Conveyancers 6 minConveyancing delayed CDDHow Australian conveyancers apply the buyer-side delayed CDD conditions, 28-day exchange limit, three-day settlement limit and shared verification rules.Read guide
  65. Conveyancers 5 minSettlement funds red flagsA practical Australian conveyancing guide to funding changes, third-party payments, entity buyers, source-of-funds checks, enhanced CDD and SMR escalation.Read guide
  66. Conveyancers 5 minTransfer and court-order boundariesWhen gifts, family transfers, financial agreements, consent orders and court-directed property transfers fall inside or outside conveyancing AML/CTF scope.Read guide
  67. Lawyers 5 minPrivilege and AML/CTF reportingHow Australian legal practices can separate privileged and non-privileged facts, preserve the reporting clock and use AUSTRAC's legal professional privilege form.Read guide
  68. Lawyers 5 minTrust accounts and item 3A fact-based guide to when receiving, controlling, disbursing or managing customer money and property becomes a professional designated service for law firms.Read guide
  69. Lawyers 5 minEntity CDD for law firmsA practical law-firm workflow for identifying companies, trusts, representatives, beneficial owners and controllers before providing a designated legal service.Read guide
  70. Real estate 5 minBuyer and seller CDDWhy Australian real estate brokers have two statutory customers, when each service starts and how to complete proportionate buyer and seller due diligence.Read guide
  71. Real estate 5 minDelayed CDD and non-cooperationA practical process for Australian real estate agents using delayed CDD, requesting counterparty information, recording reasonable steps and escalating risk.Read guide
  72. Real estate 5 minBuyer's agents and developersHow Australian buyer's agents, developers and in-house sales teams identify their real estate designated service, customers, start point and CDD duties.Read guide
  73. Real estate 5 minProperty funds and entity-buyer riskA risk-based guide for Australian property professionals assessing source of funds, company and trust buyers, beneficial ownership and transaction red flags.Read guide
  74. Lawyers 3 minLaw firm checklistA matter-level AML/CTF checklist for Australian law firms: designated services, party CDD, trust money, privilege, reporting and audit-ready files.Read guide
  75. Lawyers 3 minLaw firm monitoringWhat ongoing customer due diligence means in a law firm: matter events, party changes, trust-money movements and the review cycle that keeps files current.Read guide
  76. Lawyers 3 minEscrow and settlementWhen a law firm's escrow, settlement or controlled-money role is a designated service, and the CDD, authority and reconciliation controls that follow.Read guide
  77. Conveyancers 3 minConveyancer checklistA matter-file AML/CTF checklist for conveyancers: designated service start, vendor and purchaser CDD, settlement deadlines, reporting and records.Read guide
  78. Conveyancers 3 minECDD and source of fundsWhen a conveyancing matter needs enhanced due diligence, how to verify source of funds and wealth, and the evidence a settlement file should hold.Read guide
  79. Conveyancers 3 minCounterparty checksWhich parties a conveyancer must identify and verify, how to handle uncooperative counterparties and what the file must show for each role.Read guide
  80. Real estate 3 minReal estate checklistA listing-to-settlement AML/CTF checklist for real estate agents: vendor and purchaser CDD, counterparty deadlines, delayed CDD and reporting.Read guide
  81. Real estate 3 minAgency monitoringHow real estate agencies monitor relationships between transactions: repeat sellers, off-the-plan projects, buyer's agents and risk-based review triggers.Read guide
  82. Real estate 3 minReliance for agenciesHow real estate agencies can rely on another entity's completed checks, what the agreement must cover and what the agency still owns.Read guide
  83. Trust and company services 9 minFormation CDD checklistA file-ready customer due diligence checklist for Australian trust and company service providers creating companies, express trusts and related structures.Read guide
  84. Trust and company services 7 minComplex ownership structuresA practical Australian guide to tracing indirect ownership and control through companies, trusts, nominees and foreign entities for defensible TCSP CDD.Read guide
  85. Trust and company services 7 minTCSP monitoring triggersA practical framework for TCSP transaction and behaviour monitoring, event-driven KYC updates, risk reviews, escalation and evidence under Australian AML/CTF law.Read guide
  86. Trust and company services 6 minTCSP refusal and exitHow Australian trust and company service providers can pause, refuse, continue or exit work after unusual activity while protecting SMR information.Read guide
  87. Precious-items dealers 6 minJeweller AML/CTF obligationsA practical guide to when Australian jewellers are regulated, what their AML/CTF program must cover and how CDD, linked payments and reporting work at the counter.Read guide
  88. Precious-items dealers 6 minLinked precious-item transactionsHow jewellers and precious-items dealers identify linked cash and virtual-asset payments, recognise the A$10,000 service threshold and keep TTR analysis separate.Read guide
  89. Precious-items dealers 6 minBullion dealer operationsA day-to-day Australian bullion compliance guide covering designated services, the sub-A$5,000 initial-CDD exemption, monitoring, TTRs, SMRs and evidence.Read guide
  90. Precious-items dealers 6 minCash and virtual-asset red flagsA frontline Australian guide to suspicious customer, payment, product, delivery and jurisdiction indicators for jewellers and precious-items dealers.Read guide
  91. Trust and company services 3 minTCSP checklistA file-ready AML/CTF checklist for Australian TCSPs: formation, registered office, nominee roles, CDD, ongoing monitoring and reporting evidence.Read guide
  92. Trust and company services 3 minOffshore structure riskHow Australian TCSPs assess and control the risk of foreign entities, offshore structures, nominee layers and cross-border ownership in their files.Read guide
  93. Trust and company services 3 minTrustee company dutiesWhat Australian trustee companies and corporate trustees must test under AML/CTF: trustee services, control analysis, CDD and ongoing duties.Read guide
  94. Precious-items dealers 3 minDealer checklistA transaction-level AML/CTF checklist for Australian precious-metals, stones and products dealers: thresholds, CDD, linked transactions and reporting.Read guide
  95. Precious-items dealers 3 minJeweller risk assessmentHow jewellers and store-based dealers build a proportionate AML/CTF risk assessment across products, customers, cash, repairs and consignment.Read guide
  96. Precious-items dealers 3 minCoins and legal tenderHow Australian dealers should classify gold and silver coins, legal-tender questions, bullion versus precious-items thresholds and the records to keep.Read guide
  97. Virtual asset services 7 minVASP AML/CTF guideA practical guide to Australia's virtual asset designated services, registration, AML/CTF program, CDD, travel rule, monitoring, reporting and record-keeping obligations.Read guide
  98. Virtual asset services 6 minVASP registration transitionWhat Australian virtual asset businesses must do after the 29 July 2026 transition deadline, including registration, legacy DCE transition and commencement dates.Read guide
  99. Virtual asset services 6 minVirtual asset travel ruleA role-based guide to payer, payee and tracing information, custodial and self-hosted wallets, secure transfer messages and travel-rule records in Australia.Read guide
  100. Virtual asset services 5 minSelf-hosted wallet due diligenceA practical, risk-based workflow for classifying self-hosted wallets, identifying controllers, assessing blockchain exposure and documenting transfer decisions.Read guide
  101. Virtual asset services 6 minVASP CDD and ownershipA practical CDD workflow for VASP customers, representatives and beneficial owners, including purpose, expected activity, PEPs and enhanced CDD triggers.Read guide
  102. Virtual asset services 6 minVASP monitoring and red flagsHow Australian VASPs combine on-chain and off-chain monitoring, design risk-based alerts, investigate red flags and escalate suspicious matters.Read guide
  103. Virtual asset services 7 minVASP reporting and recordsA current guide to SMRs, TTRs, IFTIs, future IVTS and self-hosted-wallet reports, plus seven-year transaction, CDD and travel-rule records.Read guide
  104. Virtual asset services 3 minStablecoin AML guideHow Australian issuers, exchanges and platforms should classify stablecoins, apply VASP designated services and manage the risks unique to pegged assets.Read guide
  105. Virtual asset services 3 minWallet screeningHow Australian VASPs use wallet screening and blockchain analytics, what evidence to retain and why provider results are not automatic decisions.Read guide
  106. Virtual asset services 3 minCounterparty due diligenceWhat Australian VASPs must know about counterparties under the travel rule: discovery, verification, information exchange and failure handling.Read guide
  107. Virtual asset services 3 minNFTs and collectiblesHow Australian businesses should decide whether an NFT or collectible token is a virtual asset, and the designated services that follow.Read guide

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