Learn how to start preparing for regulation after reforms to the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Act 2006 (the Act). You can also find support and guidance to learn more about AML/CTF.
Changes to the Act mean that new businesses will now we be under AUSTRAC regulation. You can check if you’ll be regulated.
Your role is essential in helping safeguard Australia’s financial system from abuse and close the gaps in our system. There is a good reason these reforms are happening. Recent research by the Australian Institute of Criminology estimated that serious and organised crime cost Australia up to $60.1 billion. This causes major harm to our communities, businesses and economy.
We’re here to help you prepare for these new regulations and are producing materials to get you started on your AML/CTF journey.
How you can start preparing
To help you begin preparing for the changes, read:
You can also start building your AML/CTF program now using our program starter kits.
Learn more about our program starter kits.
Webinars to help you
Register for our webinars designed for tranche 2 entities. These have been designed to:
- help you learn the fundamentals of AML/CTF
- provide information to help you understand your obligations.
Read about what’s coming soon to help you.
Learn about what we do
Discover how we work together to combat financial crime:
- learn what and how we regulate
- learn why fighting money laundering and terrorism financing is important
- understand the indicators of suspicious activity
- learn more about the risks to look out for by reviewing our national risk assessments and research reports
- become familiar with your upcoming obligations.
Learn about the impacts to your business
Understand the flow of financial information in your business and your current processes to collect and maintain this information. This includes how you maintain and govern your current:
- customer identification and verification (customer due diligence)
- record keeping.
You can also start thinking about who in your business will be responsible for AML compliance.
Learn more about governance.
Guidance is now available to help prepare you for these changes.
Key dates
2025
- August: Published AML/CTF Rules
- October: Published core guidance
- October: education program began with additional AML/CTF webinars and resources to support T2 entities to prepare.
- October to November: Targeted consultation on tranche 2 sector-specific guidance with industry associations and peak bodies
2026
- 30 January: Publish starter program kits and sector-specific guidance for tranche 2 entities.
- 31 March: Enrolment opens for tranche 2 entities
- 1 July: AML/CTF obligations start for tranche 2 entities.
- 29 July: Tranche 2 entities must notify AUSTRAC of their AML/CTF compliance officer by this date or 14 days after enrolling, whichever is later
The key dates above include dates from Anti‑Money Laundering and Counter‑Terrorism Financing Transitional Rules 2026. These rules extend some deadlines for reporting entities to meet new obligations.
Learn more about the transitional rules.
What to expect from us
We’re aware of the challenges the reforms present for your business. We’re providing guidance, education and materials on how to comply with your obligations.
We’ll publish these materials as they become available on our AML/CTF reform page and through our newsletter.
What we expect from you
We don’t expect to see perfection immediately. However, we do expect to see:
- realistic and effective plans
- proactive efforts to manage your AML/CTF risks.
By 1 July 2026 you must:
- have an AML/CTF program, either using a program starter kit or your own
- have an AML/CTF compliance officer
- train your staff on the program, internal processes and your ML/TF risks
- be ready to engage with customers and clients and report suspicious matters.
Enrolment opened 31 March 2026. You must ensure that your business is enrolled by 29 July 2026. Learn about enrolling with us.
After 1 July 2026, we’ll focus our enforcement efforts against entities that:
- wilfully ignore the obligation to enrol
- are complicit with, or wilfully blind to, ML/TF in their business.
Together we can stamp out illegal activity and protect your customers, business and the Australian community.
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This guidance sets out how we interpret certain Australian legislation, along with associated Rules and regulations. Australian courts are ultimately responsible for interpreting these laws and determining if any provisions of these laws are contravened.
The examples and scenarios in this guidance are meant to help explain our interpretation of these laws. They’re not exhaustive or meant to cover every possible scenario.
This guidance provides general information and isn't a substitute for legal advice. This guidance avoids legal language wherever possible and it might include generalisations about the application of the law. Some provisions of the law referred to have exceptions or important qualifications. In most cases your particular circumstances must be taken into account when determining how the law applies to you.