A company may choose to deal directly with us, use the services of a casual lodging party, or may choose to use the services of a registered agent.
There are currently two categories of registered agents:
Registered agent (company) — they receive documents and lodge changes for companies they represent
Registered agent (charges lodger) — they register and maintain company charges online.
A registered agent (company) acts as an intermediary between ASIC and Australian companies, to help companies meet their lodgement obligations under the Corporations Act 2001 (the Act). A registered agent (company) does not operate on our behalf but instead operates on behalf of companies who need to lodge information with ASIC.
A registered agent (company):
frequently lodges documents with ASIC, and/or
represents at least one company by either frequently lodging documents or arranging payments on behalf of a company.
Most registered agents (company) lodge information on behalf of companies electronically with us, either using our Online Agent Portal or our EDGE system (which requires third party software to lodge).
Who can be a registered agent?
The role of a registered agent is an important one. A registered agent must meet the registration criteria and ASIC's expectations of agent conduct to maintain registration.
Many accountancy and legal firms are registered with us as agents. Registered agents (company) are usually members of specific Industry Associations that recognise the qualifications of these individuals and firms. Often, a registered agent (company) will also be a Tax Agent, lodging documents on behalf of businesses and companies with the Australian Tax Office (ATO).
Once you lodge the Form RA01 with all the correct information, you will receive a letter welcoming you to your role as a registered agent. The letter also provides you with your unique registered agent number.
lodge in paper on behalf of the companies you represent, using the company corporate key if you are unable to lodge online.
Please note that when we process the Form 362, we will link the company record to you as a registered agent. We will send the company annual statement and company invoice statements to you as the registered agent.
Registered agent (charges lodger)
To activate your number, you will need to register for the use of our Online Agent Portal.
The EDGE system is suited to large volume lodgers who manage a broad base of client companies. Benefits of the EDGE system include:
a range of services provided that include the ability to upload information into your own registers and match it with ASIC's Corporate Register without the risk of viruses
the ability to lodge documents outside of normal ASIC business hours
the ability to manage and co-ordinate ASIC and ATO lodgement requirements, and
saving time by replacing mail or messenger services with electronic lodgement and fast confirmation and validation of data received.
Conveniences of both systems include the ability to download:
company statements and invoice statements
ad-hoc company statements (current details of a company at a point in time)
a list of companies linked to you as an agent (if applicable)
company debt reports, and
document lodgement reports.
What benefits are there for companies to have a registered agent?
Having a registered agent (company) may help companies meet their lodgement obligations more efficiently. Registered agents often lodge on behalf of a number of companies, so they are more familiar with the requirements companies need to meet under the Act and can help companies understand what information needs to be lodged with us.
What does ASIC expect of me as a registered agent?
As a registered agent you will be aware of:
document lodgement obligations under the Act, particularly s1308
the information you need to lodge in relation to your registration.
As a registered agent (company) you must:
1. Meet the registration criteria before and during registration by:
frequently lodging documents with ASIC, and/or
representing at least one company by either frequently lodging documents or making payments on the company's behalf.
2. Work with us to ensure that the companies you represent meet their compliance requirements by:
downloading company annual statements within 28 days of the annual review date from your EDGE or Online Mailbox
ensuring officeholders are alerted as soon as possible after receipt of the annual company statement to review the details and pay their annual review fee, and
encouraging quick notification if the details of a company change, so that you can lodge the change with us within the required lodgement period.
3. Lodge necessary documents with us electronically by:
registering for the use of at least one of ASIC's electronic lodgement systems
reading and understanding the Electronic Lodgement Protocol (ELP), and
lodging electronically via our electronic lodgement systems where possible.
When can ASIC cancel my registration?
We reserve the right to review your conduct at any stage during your registration. The Form RA01 Guide details when we can cancel your registration. We can also cancel your registration if you are found to have breached s1308 of the Act. We can take action for breach of s1308(2) of the Act if an agent lodges documents with ASIC that to their knowledge, are false and misleading in a material particular.
In addition, if we cannot get in touch with you because you have not updated your contact details in a timely manner, we reserve the right to cancel your registration.
If your registration is cancelled your access to lodging documents online through the Online Agent Portal will cease.
How do I change my registered agent details?
If any of your registered agent contact details change, you must lodge a Form RA01 to notify us of these changes. Please attempt to lodge the changes in a timely manner so that we can contact you if we have a query about a form you lodge or payment you make.
If you are registered for online lodgement, you can update your email address online. This ensures that you are notified when we send documents to your Inbox.
How do I cancel my registration?
You can cancel your registration as an agent by lodging a Form RA01. Once you cancel your registration, all the companies that are still linked to you in our system will be notified that you have cancelled your registration.
If a company wishes to cancel you as their agent the company will need to lodge a Form 362. This means that we will no longer recognise you as representing the company. All our correspondence will be sent to the company's registered office unless they have notified us of another contact address.
If the company record shows your address as the registered office address, the company will need to update this information by lodging a Form 484.
If I have a question about my registration, who can I contact?
If you have any further questions about your registration, you can contact us on 1300 300 630.
This is Information Sheet 77 (INFO 77). Information sheets provide concise guidance on a specific process or compliance issue or an overview of detailed guidance.
