Covered since 2007 (Tranche 1)
- Banks, credit unions and building societies: accounts, loans, cards, deposits.
- Remitters and currency exchanges.
- Casinos, betting and gaming venues.
- Bullion dealers.
- Superannuation funds, managed investment schemes, stockbrokers, custodians, life insurers with investment products.
- Digital currency exchanges (since 2018) and, from 31 March 2026, a broader set of virtual asset service providers.
Covered from 1 July 2026 (Tranche 2)
- Accountants and bookkeepers: receiving, holding or managing a client's money or property to help carry out a transaction; creating, restructuring or managing companies, trusts or partnerships; assisting with the sale or purchase of real estate or a business; arranging equity or debt financing for an entity; acting as nominee or registered office. Sector guide: LedgerAML.
- Real estate agents and buyers agents: brokering the sale, purchase or transfer of real estate, where both the seller and the buyer are the agent's customers; developers and other businesses selling real estate directly. Sector guide: RealtyAML.
- Lawyers and conveyancers: acting in property and business transactions; managing client trust money; creating and managing entities; nominee roles. Sector guide: PracticeAML.
- Trust and company service providers: the entity-related services above, offered as a business.
- Dealers in precious metals and stones: buying or selling metals, stones or products for AU$10,000 or more in physical currency or virtual assets, including linked transactions.
Not covered
The recurring rule: the profession is not the trigger; the service is. A bookkeeper who controls client money is covered; one who reconciles the client's own bank feed is not.
- Tax returns, financial statements, BAS and payroll on their own.
- Property management, and leases of 30 years or less.
- Litigation, advice, wills and estates, criminal, family and employment law on their own.
- Retail and service businesses generally, unless they provide a designated service.
If you are covered
The obligations are the same across sectors: enrol, adopt a program, appoint a compliance officer, verify customers, review risk, report, keep records, train staff. The sector guides above walk through each for its profession, with checklists and a program template. For sectors they do not cover, AUSTRAC's guidance is the starting point.
Questions people ask
- Is my business a reporting entity?
- If it provides a designated service listed in the AML/CTF Act, yes. Check the sector lists above, then AUSTRAC's guidance for your sector. If still unsure, get advice; the cost of enrolling unnecessarily is small next to the cost of providing a designated service without enrolling.
- Are property managers covered?
- Residential property management and leasing on their own are not designated services. An agency that also sells property is covered for the sales.
- Are dealers in precious metals covered?
- Yes, from 1 July 2026, for transactions of AU$10,000 or more in physical currency or virtual assets.
Sources
Official AUSTRAC guidance this page was checked against. The date is when we captured the page; AUSTRAC may have updated it since.
- Check if you may be regulated (Reform) · AUSTRAC, captured 27 Dec 2025
- New industries and services to be regulated (Reform) · AUSTRAC, captured 29 Dec 2025
- Professional services (Reform) · AUSTRAC, captured 29 Dec 2025
- Real estate services (Reform) · AUSTRAC, captured 27 Dec 2025
- Precious metals, stones and products services (Reform) · AUSTRAC, captured 05 Dec 2025
General information about Australian AML/CTF law, not legal advice. The Act, the Rules and AUSTRAC's guidance are the primary sources.