Scope test before enrolling
Firms doing litigation, family, criminal, employment, immigration or personal-injury work are typically outside scope and do not need to enrol. Firms doing property, conveyancing, trust formation, company formation, structuring, or client-money management are inside scope and must enrol.
If even one practice area in the firm provides designated services, the firm enrols. The Program then identifies which engagements trigger AML obligations. Enrolment is per legal entity; a multi-state firm with a single corporate structure enrols once.
Information required
Standard legal-entity details (legal name, ABN, ACN if any), trading name, principal place of business, contact officer, named AML/CTF Compliance Officer (usually the managing partner or principal), designated services provided, estimated customer volume, key personnel. Caltury's enrolment wizard gathers each field once and outputs them for transcription into AUSTRAC Online.
Implementation timeline
Working back from 1 July 2026: complete the readiness check by end-Q1 2026, decide build / buy / hire by end-March 2026, sign up for Caltury and configure firm details by April, lodge enrolment in mid-June, have Program signed and CDD workflow live before 1 July. Time investment for a small firm is roughly a week of part-time setup work over the trial period.
Common questions
Can in-house counsel teams be reporting entities?
Generally no. The designated services are provided to clients, and in-house teams typically provide services only to their employer. If an in-house team provides any designated service to an external client, that would be unusual and the legal-entity scope test would need to be revisited.
Does the Legal Services Council role include AUSTRAC oversight?
No. The LSC and state legal services boards regulate the legal profession. AUSTRAC regulates AML/CTF independently. The two operate in parallel.
Who is the named Compliance Officer in a partnership firm?
Typically the managing partner or principal. The Compliance Officer carries personal accountability for ensuring the Program is followed. For a small partnership the role naturally sits with one of the partners; for a larger firm a dedicated compliance partner or senior associate is appropriate.
What about a sole-practitioner law firm?
The same enrolment requirement applies, with the practice principal as both the Compliance Officer and the contact officer. Caltury's Starter tier (A$99/mo plus GST) is sized for the sole practitioner.
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.