The countdown is on to the 2023 compliance reporting period.

Every year, businesses that provide designated services must submit a compliance report to AUSTRAC. You do this to show how you met your anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing (AML/CTF) obligations for the previous calendar year.

Compliance reports play an important part in helping us protect our community from money laundering and terrorism financing related crimes. The information you provide is also vital to the work we do to support businesses. It helps us understand businesses’ compliance needs and target support and resources.

Prepare to submit an accurate compliance report on time

The 2023 compliance reporting period starts on 1 January 2024, and you must submit your compliance report by 31 March 2024.

In preparation, make sure you test your login details for AUSTRAC Online and check your contact details are up to date.

You can also preview the questions now to help you prepare. For more information, see our compliance reports page.

Remember, you have obligations under the AML/CTF Act to:

• submit an accurate compliance report by the due date
• keep your contact details up to date.

If you don’t submit your compliance report on time, you could face penalties.

Common questions from last year

To help you complete and lodge your 2023 compliance report, here are the top five questions we received last year.

Is my report for the financial year or the calendar year?

The compliance report is for the previous calendar year – 1 January 2023 to 31 December 2023.

My last administrator left the business and I cannot log into AUSTRAC Online to submit my compliance report. How do I fix this?

You can appoint a new administrator using the AUSTRAC Online user access form. You can find this form on the Manage your account page under the heading ‘Appointing a new administrator’.

I stopped providing designated services during 2023. Do I still need to report?

You must submit a compliance report if you provided designated services at any time during the year (even if for only one day).

If you did not provide designated services at all during 2023 you should select ‘No’ on the first question that asks if you provided a designated service. Then you need to fill out the declaration and submission page.

When you are certain you will not provide designated services in the future, you must submit a Reporting Entities Roll removal form (ATRC1004). You can find instructions here.

If you submit this form before 1 January 2024, you do not have to complete a 2023 compliance report. If you submit this form after 1 January 2024, you need to complete your compliance report in full.

My business is licensed to operate electronic gaming machines (EGMs). Do I need to report?

Pubs and clubs that are licensed to operate EGMs have AML/CTF obligations. If you are licensed to operate 16 or more EGMs, you must submit a compliance report. If you are licensed for 15 or fewer machines, you are exempt from submitting a compliance report.

Please note it is the total number of machines you are licensed to operate, not the amount of EGMs you might operate at any given time.

I am an AFSL holder and only provide Item 54 designated services. Do I need to report?

When you provide Item 54 designated services, you arrange for customers to receive a designated service rather than providing the designated service yourself.

If you are an AFSL holder and only provided Item 54 designated services, you are not required to submit a compliance report. If you provided any other designated services, then you must submit a compliance report.