Who is caught
- Sales agents and agencies acting for a vendor in the sale of real estate.
- Buyers agents acting for a purchaser.
- Agencies that receive deposits into a trust account in connection with a sale.
- Agents selling for property developers, and developers who sell direct without an agent.
Who is not
Residential leasing and property management, on their own, are not designated services. An agency that only manages rentals does not need to enrol. The moment it lists a property for sale, it does.
When and how
Enrolment opened on 31 March 2026 and must be done within 28 days of first providing a designated service, so an agency that was already selling needed to enrol by 29 July 2026. It is free and done on AUSTRAC Online. You will need your ABN, licence details, the services you provide and the name of your compliance officer.
What follows enrolment
- A written AML/CTF program before you provide the service.
- Customer due diligence on every client you act for.
- Suspicious matter and threshold transaction reports on a clock.
- Records kept for 7 years.
- Staff training and a compliance officer.
Questions people ask
- I am a sole trader agent working under an agency licence. Who enrols?
- The reporting entity is the business that provides the designated service to the client, usually the licensed agency. Check with the agency and with AUSTRAC guidance if you operate under your own ABN.
- Does my state licence cover this?
- No. State licensing and AUSTRAC enrolment are separate. Both are required.
This guide is general information for real estate agents, buyers agents, property managers, not legal advice. Check AUSTRAC's current guidance for your situation.