What enrolment is and is not
Enrolment is the act of telling AUSTRAC that you exist as a reporting entity. It is not an approval or a licence. AUSTRAC does not review your AML/CTF Program at enrolment; they register the practice on the Reporting Entities Roll and issue a reference number. The Program is what they ask for later, in an inspection or a written enquiry.
Late enrolment is a civil-penalty offence under the Act. Early enrolment with a thin Program is materially less risky than missed enrolment with a strong Program. Get the enrolment in.
Information the enrolment form asks for
AUSTRAC's enrolment form captures the legal name, ABN, ACN (if any), trading name, principal place of business, contact officer, named AML/CTF Compliance Officer, the designated services the practice provides, an estimate of customer volume, and the nominated key personnel. For a sole-trader conveyancer the contact officer and the Compliance Officer are usually the same person, namely the practice principal.
Caltury's enrolment wizard collects these fields once and produces an output that you transcribe into the AUSTRAC Online form. AUSTRAC Online is the lodgement channel; there is no third-party submission API.
- Legal name, ABN and (if any) ACN
- Trading name and principal place of business
- Contact officer details
- Named AML/CTF Compliance Officer
- Designated services provided
- Estimated customer / transaction volume
Practical sequence to get enrolled
A defensible sequence for a sole-trader conveyancer: complete the readiness check, sign up for Caltury, walk the enrolment wizard, lodge in AUSTRAC Online using the prepared output, store the reference number returned by AUSTRAC against the practice record. Time investment is roughly two hours end to end.
If multiple staff are involved, the named Compliance Officer is the person who carries personal responsibility for AML/CTF in the practice. For a 5-person firm this is typically the practice principal; for a one-person practice it is necessarily the practice principal.
Common questions
When does the 28-day enrolment clock start?
From the first time the practice provides a designated service after 1 July 2026. So the clock starts the moment a covered settlement is acted on. Lodging in mid-June 2026 puts the enrolment in before the clock starts; lodging in late July leaves a window of risk if any earlier settlements were acted on.
Can I enrol before 1 July 2026?
Yes. AUSTRAC accepts pre-commencement enrolments. The practical workflow most small practices will follow is to enrol in mid-June so the registration is in well before any obligation crystallises.
Does Caltury submit the enrolment for me?
No. AUSTRAC Online is the lodgement channel and accepts only the practice's own submission. Caltury prepares the data so the AUSTRAC Online form takes 15 to 20 minutes to fill rather than several hours of fact-gathering.
What happens after enrolment?
AUSTRAC issues a Reporting Entity reference number. From that point you can lodge SMRs, TTRs and IFTIs in AUSTRAC Online. The Program, customer records and reports run continuously; AUSTRAC may inspect at any time.
This page is general information about Australian AML/CTF obligations. It is not legal advice. AUSTRAC has not reviewed this content. For situations specific to your practice consult an Australian-qualified lawyer or AML/CTF adviser.