As from 1 July 2026, Australian accounting firms are required to comply with new Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing (AML/CTF) laws. As a result, we must verify the identity of our clients before providing certain designated services.
These requirements, which apply to both new and existing clients, are designed to help prevent money laundering, terrorism financing and other serious financial crimes.
What are designated services?
Identity verification is required where we provide designated services under the AML/CTF legislation. These services include assisting clients with:
- Acting as, or arranging, a director, trustee, partner, nominee shareholder or company secretary.
- Buying, selling or transferring a business, company or real property.
- Establishing or restructuring companies, trusts, partnerships or other legal entities.
- Providing a registered office or business address for a company or other entity.
- Managing client money, securities, assets or trust accounts, or otherwise handling funds as part of a transaction.
- Raising capital or facilitating business equity or debt financing
If your engagement includes one of these services, we will advise you if identity verification is required.
How the verification process works
We have partnered with FirstAML, a secure identity verification platform used by accounting, legal and financial services firms.
If verification is required, you will receive a secure email from FirstAML on our behalf containing a link to complete the process online. We will advise you when to expect this email.
Depending on your circumstances, the FirstAML link may require you to:
- Confirm your personal details.
- Upload or take a photo of your driver’s licence, passport or other identification document.
- Complete a quick biometric facial scan (“selfie”) to confirm your identity.
The process usually only takes a few minutes to complete. If electronic verification is not suitable, please contact our office to discuss an alternative.
Thank you for your cooperation
These requirements now apply across the accounting profession, legal profession and real estate industry, similar to the identity checks you may have already completed with banks and other financial institutions.
Whilst we understand these additional steps may cause frustration; we appreciate your patience and cooperation in complying with these legal obligations. Our team is committed to making the process as straightforward as possible and are available to guide you through each step whenever verification is required.
Protecting your privacy
Your information is collected securely through FirstAML and will only be used to meet our legal obligations under the AML/CTF legislation. It is handled in accordance with applicable privacy laws and our Privacy Policy.