AusAML Launches AML Compliance as a Service for Registered Office and Corporate Services Providers

Registered Office and Corporate Services Providers offering a designated service have to put an AML program in place to avoid potential regulatory penalties.

SYDNEY, NEW SOUTH WALES, AUSTRALIA, August 12, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Registered office and corporate services providers in Australia, including virtual office operators, accountants, law firms and company secretarial businesses supplying a registered address for companies and trusts have long been exploited to create shell companies and obscure beneficial ownership.

From 1 July 2026, businesses providing this service are captured as AUSTRAC reporting entities for the first time.

Affected businesses were required to enrol with AUSTRAC by 29 July 2026, complete a risk assessment, implement a written AML/CTF Program, and appoint a qualified Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Officer (AMLCO). Registered Office and Corporate Services providers are required to verify the identity and beneficial ownership of every entity using their designated services, screen them against sanctions and PEP lists, risk rate them, and submit Suspicious Matter Reports, as needed, within three business days, or 24 hours for terrorism financing concerns.

The risk and complexity of a compliance profile for these services can vary greatly. A standard proprietary company with local ownership may require modest due diligence, while a layered offshore holding structure, with subsidiaries, and multiple directors and beneficial owners across foreign jurisdictions requires deeper verification and enhanced due diligence. As a result, registered office and corporate services providers now need to tailor their compliance operations to the client base they handle and not a single generic checklist.

Penalties for non-compliance are significant for both the firm and responsible individuals, and in several areas, AUSTRAC does not need to prove intent, only that the breach occurred.

A Compliance Service Built for Registered Office and Corporate Services Providers

AusAML provides a specialised AML/CTF Compliance-as-a-Service (CaaS) offering for registered office and corporate services providers, covering the full lifecycle of Tranche 2 compliance from program setup through to managed operations and regulatory reporting. The service is curated by former regulators, senior compliance leaders and locally based AML specialists, and is scaled to a business's actual business requirements and transaction volumes.

The service is built around three components:

- Build: AML/CTF Program setup, AUSTRAC enrolment, risk assessment, employee due diligence, staff training, and continual program review.
- Advise: a named, fractional AML Compliance Officer providing internal and annual AUSTRAC reporting, advice on customer acceptance, and regulatory liaison.
- Operate: KYC collection, identification and verification, PEP/sanctions/adverse media screening, customer risk rating, enhanced customer due diligence (where required) and SMR preparation and filing.

“Registered office services are an easy target for anyone trying to create the appearance of a legitimate business while hiding who controls it,” said an AusAML spokesperson, Rana Datta. “Our goal is to give providers an AML compliance function that can handle diverse risk profiles and complexity of their client register without having to adjust their budgets based on client profile.”

Pricing for the registered office and corporate services providers starts at $3,200 per month for the Complete Coverage (Compliance-as-a-Service) package, which includes compliance program development, ongoing advisory support, day-to-day compliance operations, and the assignment of a dedicated fractional AML/CTF Compliance Officer.

For those that already have an established AML compliance program and in-house advisory capability, an operations-only service is available from $2,000 per month. Indicative pricing is based on providers processing approximately 120 entities annually, with annual billing.

AusAML's model lets registered office and corporate services providers meet their obligations without diverting time or resources away from client work, and giving them a named compliance officer for every judgement call.

About AusAML
AusAML is an Australian AML Compliance-as-a-Service provider established to serve registered office providers, professional services firms, real estate agencies, high-value goods dealers, and other businesses entering Australia's AML/CTF framework under the Tranche 2 reforms. The team comprises former regulators, senior compliance leaders, and locally based AML specialists. For more information, visit ausaml.com.

This press release is published for informational purposes. AUSTRAC regulatory deadlines and penalty figures are based on publicly available guidance as at the date of this release and are subject to change. Businesses should seek independent legal or compliance advice regarding their specific AML/CTF obligations under the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Act 2006 (Cth).

Rana Datta
Aus AmL Pty Ltd
contact@ausaml.com
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