AML/CTF Act

The Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Act 2006 (AML/CTF Act) is the main piece of Australian government legislation that regulates AUSTRAC’s functions.

Access the AML/CTF Act

You can find the AML/CTF Act at the Federal Register of Legislation website:

Your obligations under the AML/CTF Act

If you provide one or more designated services as prescribed in the AML/CTF Act, you must enrol with AUSTRAC and comply with the obligations set out in the AML/CTF Act. You must also register with AUSTRAC if the designated service you provide includes remittance service or digital currency exchange service:

Once you have enrolled with AUSTRAC, we provide detailed guidance to help you comply with your obligations relating to:

Other AUSTRAC legislation

This guidance sets out how we interpret the Act, 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.

Last updated: 7 Jan 2025
Page ID: 43

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