What is AustracCheck?

AustracCheck is a compliance workspace tool for Australian real estate agencies. It provides document templates, checklists, trackers, reminders and an audit log. It is not a law firm, not a compliance service, and does not file anything with any regulator. Every compliance decision is made by your agency.

Does AustracCheck give legal advice?

No. AustracCheck does not provide legal advice. Nothing on the platform, in any generated document, or in any email we send is legal advice. If you need advice on how the AML/CTF Act or any other law applies to your agency, consult a qualified Australian legal practitioner.

Does AustracCheck submit anything to AUSTRAC or any other regulator?

No. AustracCheck does not submit, lodge, or file any document with AUSTRAC, the Australian Business Register, or any other authority. Any form or report that needs to be lodged must be lodged by your agency through the regulator's own channels.

Does AustracCheck verify customer identity?

No. AustracCheck's scan mode collects identity documents and a selfie for your review, but it does not verify identity in a legally binding way. Your agency is responsible for reviewing the collected documents and making the identity verification decision.

Are AustracCheck's sanctions checks a substitute for formal screening?

No. AustracCheck runs supplementary checks against publicly available sanctions lists (such as the DFAT Consolidated List and the UN Security Council Consolidated List). These checks are informational. They are not a substitute for a commercial sanctions screening provider if your risk profile requires formal screening.

What does the readiness score on the dashboard mean?

The readiness score measures the proportion of setup tasks you have completed through the platform. It is a progress indicator, not a legal compliance certification. A score of 100 does not mean your agency is legally compliant. Compliance is determined by the law and the regulator.

Who is responsible for compliance decisions when using AustracCheck?

Your agency is. AustracCheck is a workspace tool. Every regulatory decision made through or alongside the platform — customer due diligence outcomes, sanctions and PEP assessments, suspicious matter report filings, record retention, staff training, and responses to regulator queries — is your agency's decision.

AUSTRAC Tranche 2 deadline: 1 July 2026 — what real estate agents need to do

The three dates that matter

10 December 2024 — Royal assent to the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Amendment Act 2024.
31 March 2026 — AUSTRAC enrolment opens for Tranche 2 reporting entities. Agencies can pre-enrol so they are not lodging on the deadline.
1 July 2026 — Obligations begin. Customer due diligence, sanctions screening, and reporting must be operational for every captured transaction.

Who Tranche 2 captures in real estate

Three groups are explicitly named in the amended Act: real estate agents, buyer's agents, and property developers. The trigger is the designated service — brokering, selling, or transferring an interest in real property with a geographical link to Australia.

Conveyancers and solicitors fall under their own provisions when they participate in real-property transactions; sole-trader buyer's agents are captured the same as larger agencies.

What being ready on 1 July 2026 looks like

Enrolment with AUSTRAC lodged.
Written AML/CTF program (Part A risk-based + Part B customer due diligence) adopted by the agency principal.
Customer due diligence workflow live — every party identified and verified, every name screened against DFAT and UN sanctions, every decision documented.
Reportable transaction and suspicious matter reporting paths set up so drafts can be lodged inside AUSTRAC's lodgement windows.
Staff trained, with role-specific content for sales agents, property managers, principals, and admin.
Seven-year record retention with an audit log that survives staff turnover.

AustracCheck's role

AustracCheck is a workspace tool — templates, screening, checklists, training, audit log. Every regulatory decision stays with your agency; the platform makes the next required action obvious and keeps the records.

What you should do at each milestone

Before 31 March 2026

Pick the workspace you will run AML/CTF on. Draft your written program. Map your customer mix and risk-rate channels. Brief your principal on the obligations.

31 March – 30 June 2026

Pre-enrol with AUSTRAC. Train staff on the workflow they will run on day one. Dry-run a customer file end to end so onboarding does not stall on 1 July.

From 1 July 2026

Every captured deal flows through the workflow. AustracCheck's audit log timestamps each action, so when AUSTRAC asks for evidence later, the file answers the question.

Frequently asked questions

Are real estate agencies captured under AUSTRAC Tranche 2?+

Most are. If your agency provides designated services — brokering property sales or purchases, selling or transferring real estate — and has a geographical link to Australia, you are likely a Tranche 2 reporting entity from 1 July 2026.

What does my agency have to do by 1 July 2026?+

At minimum: enrol with AUSTRAC, document an AML/CTF program (Part A risk-based + Part B customer due diligence), train staff, keep records for seven years, and lodge any reportable transactions. The exact obligations depend on your services and risk profile.

Does AustracCheck file anything with AUSTRAC?+

No. AustracCheck is a workspace tool. It generates templates, checklists, trackers, and an audit log. Every report you need to lodge with AUSTRAC, your agency lodges through AUSTRAC's own channels.

How quickly can my agency be set up?+

Most agencies are using the workspace the same day they sign up. The platform tailors templates and a compliance checklist from a short onboarding questionnaire (10–15 minutes). Review, customise, and adopt at your own pace.

What are the penalties for non-compliance?+

Up to $33 million for companies and $5.5 million for individuals per breach, plus potential criminal prosecution for serious offences such as tipping off. AUSTRAC publishes enforcement outcomes regularly.

AUSTRAC Tranche 2 deadline: 1 July 2026