Amendments to the fees chargeable for ASIC searches under regulations means that journalists can access some information for free. However, the fee exemptions do not apply to all search information.
For more information about the legislative changes, visit the Treasury website.
How to apply for journalist search access
Who is a journalist?
A journalist is a person who:
works in a professional capacity for media organisations,
is a freelance who regularly sells stories to media organisations, or
publishes stories on a commercial basis.
A person who exclusively runs a social media platform, or regularly publishes stories in their own free time or as a hobby is not considered a journalist.
Once we have processed your application, you will be sent your search exemption code, journalist portal username and password by email. This information allows you to:
log in to the ASIC journalist portal, and
complete searches on our business name and company registers.
What search products can I access?
Approved journalists have access to a range of search products across ASIC's registers.
Amendments to the fees chargeable for ASIC searches under regulations means that journalists can access some information for free.
The journalist search exemption is an extension of the current media exemption.
What channels can I use to access search products?
ASIC Journalist Portal
The ASIC Journalist Portal is a dedicated search service for approved journalists who are exempt from paying certain registry search fees.
Information brokers
When searching ASIC's registers, you can choose to search directly through us, or through an ASIC approved information broker.
Information brokers have direct access to our registers and offer a variety of services that may suit your needs.
Information brokers may charge an additional amount on top of what the law requires.
Current and Historical Holder Extract (organisation/person)
Yes
Yes
Companies
Search Product
Journalist Portal
Email Request
Information Broker
Current Extract (Company, Managed Investment Scheme and Notified Passport Fund)
Yes
Yes
Current and Historical Extract (Company, Managed Investment Scheme and Notified Passport Fund)
Yes
Yes
Document in relation to a corporation, scheme or fund
Yes
Yes
Satisfied Charges extract (prior 2012)
Yes
Yes
Roles and Relationships Extract
Yes
Yes
Person Search
Yes
Yes
Australian Financial Services Licence (AFSL)
Search Product
Journalist Portal
Email Request
Information Broker
Current Extract (Financial Services)
Yes
Current and Historical Extract (Financial Services)
Yes
Australian Credit Licence
Search Product
Journalist Portal
Email Request
Information Broker
Current Extract (Credit Licensee, Credit Representative and Registered Person or entity)
Yes
Current and Historical Extract (Credit Licensee and Credit Representative)
Yes
Professional Registers
Search Product
Journalist Portal
Email Request
Information Broker
Current Extract (Licence Holder, Future Licensees, Auditor and Liquidators)
Yes
SMSF Auditor
Search Product
Journalist Portal
Email Request
Information Broker
Current and Historical Extract of approved SMSF auditor
Yes
What if the information I need is not available online?
If you need information from our registers that is not available from the journalist portal, or not freely available from our search portal ASIC Connect, we suggest you approach one of the ASIC-approved Information brokers to access the information.
Information brokers may charge an additional amount on top of what the law requires.
The journalist portal uses cookies, which are small pieces of information exchanged between your web browser and a website server.
From time to time, you may encounter log in errors that aren’t related to incorrect log in details. You should try logging in from a different Internet browser when this happens.
To optimise your log in experience, we recommend clearing your cache and cookies regularly.
We also suggest avoiding things like using your Internet browser to save your log in credentials, or copying and pasting your password. Typing your password directly into the password field is the best option.
