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Registered agents

Registered agents make lodgements to ASIC registers on behalf of companies. Agents need to register for online access before they can use our online services.

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Registered agents that manage companies may want to use EDGE system dedicated software.

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ASIC registered agent terms and conditions

ASIC has introduced terms and conditions to the registration of ASIC registered agents. 

Read the FAQ: What are the registered agent terms and conditions (T&Cs) below.

Applying to be a registered agent 

You can apply to become a registered agent by lodging a Notification to register change details of or cease as an agent (Form RA01). Once we have processed your application, you will be sent your ASIC registered agent number by email. This number allows you to:

When applying to be a registered agent, you must read and agree to our registered agent terms and conditions.

Find out what requirements you have to meet to be a registered agent.

Steps to sign up for online access and to log in

Steps to sign up for online access

Once you become a registered agent, you must register for online access.

1. Agree to the Electronic Lodgement Protocol and select the type of account you want to create

Read and agree to the terms and conditions in ASIC's Electronic Lodgement Protocol.

Then select 'ASIC registered agent'.

2. Enter your unique ASIC number

Provide your ASIC registered agent number. If you don't yet have a registered agent number, you'll need to apply to become a registered agent first.

Once all details have been entered, select 'Next'.

3. Select a username and password for your account

Select a username and password to be used to log in to your online account. We recommend selecting something easy to remember for your username.

Your password must:

  • contain at least eight characters and a maximum of sixteen characters
  • contain one lowercase letter (a-z), one uppercase letter (A-Z), and one number (0-9). 

4. Select a security question and answer

Provide a security question and answer. If you forget your username or password, you can reset your details by answering your security question. Your security answer is case sensitive so make sure you select something that you can easily remember.

If you forget your username or password and can't answer your security question, you will need to create another online account.

Once you've entered all details, select 'Next'.

5. Verify your new username and password

A pop-up box will appear and ask you to verify your details. Enter your newly created username and password and select 'OK'.

6. Provide your contact details

Provide a contact email address and phone number. Once you've registered for online access, ASIC will send all correspondence (like your client's annual statement) to your online inbox. You will also receive notifications to your email address to let you know when there are messages in your online inbox.

Once you've entered all details, select 'Next'.

7. Complete declaration and submit application

Answer the declaration and select 'Submit' to complete your application.

You'll then see a screen confirming your request has been submitted.

8. Activating your online access account

To activate your account, you will need to print and sign the Participation Agreement and email it to agent.registration@asic.gov.au. ASIC will contact you within two business days to confirm that your account has been activated.

9. Linking a company to your account (optional)

A company may authorise a registered agent to lodge documents and receive ASIC correspondence relating to the company on their behalf.

If a company has provided this authorisation, to link a company to your ASIC registered agent number and be the company's appointed registered agent, you'll need to lodge a Form 362 Notification by a company to nominate or cease a registered agent or contact address. 

Steps to log in

When logging in to our online services, you'll need to follow these steps.

1. Enter your registered agent number

You will need to enter your ASIC registered agent number before you can access your account.

2. Enter your account's username and password

A pop-up box will be displayed. Enter your username and password selected when you registered your account.

If you have forgotten your username or password, you can select 'Forgotten username' or 'Forgotten password' in the left hand column and reset your details.

Select 'OK' once you've entered your details.

3. View your account details

Once logged in, you will see your 'Inbox'. This will show any available messages regarding the companies to which you are appointed (if any). You can also start a new form, continue a saved form or view previously submitted forms (submitted forms are only available for 90 days).

Lodge documents online or via email

Lodge documents online

Below is a list of forms that can be lodged online by registered agents.

Where a form can be lodged online, registered agents must lodge using our online services:

List of documents

If you're appointed as a company's registered agent, you can also view company information from your account. This includes a company's annual statement date, addresses and current officeholder details.

Need more help? See User guides for registered agents. 

Request to lodge documents via email

You may experience issues when lodging the following forms online:

  • Changes to company details - the company's corporate key must be included on form
  • Form 362 Notification by a company to nominate or cease a registered agent or contact address - the company's corporate key must be included on form
  • Form 6010 Application for voluntary deregistration of a company
  • Form 205A Notification of resolution to change company name

If you experience issues with these forms, you need to request to lodge documents by email.

For ASIC to accept your lodgement request, you must:

  • be an ASIC registered agent, or
  • be registered to use ASIC's Agent portal or EDGE software

How to submit a request to lodge documents via email

  1. Complete the email lodgement request
  2. If possible, print and scan a copy of the document you are attempting to lodge
  3. Send an email to online.exceptions@asic.gov.au, including why you cannot lodge online and copies of any error screens or messages you received when attempting to lodge 

We'll consider your request and where appropriate, send you a copy of the  form. You will then need to return the completed form together with the email lodgement request by email to online.exceptions@asic.gov.au.

Ensure that:

  • the declaration has been completed and your ASIC registered agent number is recorded within the email lodgement request
  • if you're lodging a Change to company details or Form 362 Notification by a company to nominate or cease a registered agent or contact address, you must include the corporate key of the relevant company.

For more information email online.exceptions@asic.gov.au.

Making changes without being appointed to a company as their registered agent

As a registered agent, you can still lodge changes to company details and the Form 6010 online, even if you are not appointed as the company's registered agent. However, you'll need the company's corporate key.

To do so:

  • Log in to your account, select start new form and enter the company's ACN (as you normally would)
  • Enter the company's corporate key
  • Complete and submit lodgement

Company annual statements

If you have been appointed as the registered agent for a company, we'll send the annual statement to you.

If you have an online account with us, the annual statement will be available from your online account.

If you haven't received a company's annual statement within 5 days after the review date, you should contact us.

Requirements for storing signed documents lodged online

See FAQ on ASIC's requirements for storing signed documents lodged electronically.

User guides for registered agents

Our user guides provide step-by-step instructions for completing transactions online for registered agents.  

Where available we include an additional video tutorial for some options. 

Where a form can be lodged online, registered agents must lodge using our online services:

User guides

Signing up and using the registered agent portal

Change company details

Deregister your company

Reserving a company name

Annual statements and payments

Other transactions

Full user guide for Registered agents

Frequently asked questions

What requirements do I need to meet to be a registered agent?

Registered agents make lodgements to ASIC registers on behalf of companies. There are a number of eligibility requirements and obligations that you need to consider before applying to become a registered agent.

Applying to become a registered agent

To become a registered agent, you must lodge a Form RA01 Notification to register, change details of, or cease as a registered agent.

A requirement of lodging the Form RA01 is to read and agree to the ASIC Registered Agent Terms and Conditions.

Requirements to be a registered agent

Eligibility

To be eligible to be an ASIC registered agent, you:

  • must be a registered Australian company, the holder of a business name, or an individual that carries on business under their own name
  • must have an Australian Business Number (ABN)
  • must not be disqualified from managing corporations under the Corporations Act 2001.

New applicants will need to nominate a responsible person who will be accountable for the performance of the agent obligations under the ASIC Registered Agent Terms and Conditions.

For a full list of eligibility requirements, read the ASIC Registered Agent Terms and Conditions.

Obligations

The ASIC Registered Agent Terms and Conditions outline registered agent obligations about:

  • keeping your agent details up to date
  • use of our online services
  • carrying on a business
  • lodging documents with us
  • acting as the company agent of a registered Australian company
  • ceasing to act for a registered Australian company

For a full list of obligations for registered agents, read the ASIC Registered Agent Terms and Conditions.

What are the registered agent terms and conditions (T&Cs)?

We have introduced terms and conditions to the registration of ASIC registered agents. 

Registered agents need to confirm they have read and agree to the ASIC Registered Agent Terms and Conditions (PDF) (T&Cs) which govern their use of our registry services.

What do I have to do?

All applicants are required to read and agree to the T&Cs when applying to become a registered agent.

This is a requirement when lodging the Form RA01 Notification to register, change details of, or cease as an agent.

The T&Cs describe the rights and responsibilities around being a registered agent, including the:

  • eligibility criteria to be a registered agent
  • grounds on which ASIC may cancel a registered agent status
  • requirements around lodging documents and lodging online, and
  • expectations of registered agents lodging on behalf of a company.

By better communicating the requirements to be a registered agent and strengthening our compliance work, we hope to better inform new and current registered agents about their obligations and promote the integrity of our registers.

How do I update or cancel your agent registration?

Under the ASIC Registered Agent Terms and Conditions, registered agents must let us know within 14 days if their details change (such as their email address or principal place of business).

They also need to let us know when they cease to act as a company's registered agent.

Updating your registered agent details

If any of your registered agent details change, you must let us know within 14 days of the change. This can include:

  • your postal address and/or physical business address
  • your email address, and
  • your contact number.

To update your details, you must submit a Form RA01 Notification to register change details of or cease as an agent.

We'll use your email address to send through any important correspondence about your agent registration, so make sure it's correct.

Ceasing as a company's registered agent

If you cease to act as a company's agent, you need to complete the following steps:

Step 1- If your address is the registered office for the company, you must either:

a) seek authorisation from the company to lodge with ASIC a change to the registered office, or

b) notify ASIC in writing that you withdraw consent for your premises to be the registered office.

Step 2 - If:

a) you have authorisation from the company - lodge a Form 362 Notification by a company to nominate or cease a registered agent or contact address, or

b) If you do not have authorisation from the company - lodge a Form 361 Notification of a registered agent ceasing to act for a company.

Cancelling your agent registration

If you want to cancel your registration as an ASIC registered agent, you need to complete the following steps:

Step 1 - If your address is the registered office for the company, you must either:

a) seek authorisation from the company to lodge with ASIC a change to the registered office, or

b) notify ASIC in writing that you withdraw consent for your premises to be the registered office.

Step 2 - Lodge a Form 361 Notification of a registered agent ceasing to act for a company for each company for which you are the nominated registered agent.

Step 3 - Lodge a Form RA01 Notification to register, change details of, or cease as an agent with ASIC to cancel your registration.

ASIC-initiated cancellation

We may cancel your registration as an ASIC registered agent if you no longer meet eligibility criteria or fail to meet your registered agent obligations. For more information, visit ASIC-initiated cancellation of an agent's registration.

Related links

Company addresses

ASIC-initiated cancellation of an agent's registration

Registered agents have a number of responsibilities and obligations under the ASIC Registered Agent Terms and Conditions.

When we may cancel your agent registration

We may cancel your registration as an ASIC registered agent if you no longer meet eligibility criteria or fail to meet your registered agent obligations. The reasons for cancellation include:

  • you have breached any of the terms and conditions
  • you haven't lodged any documents with us for more than 12 months
  • you have entered into an insolvency 'event'
  • you have provided us with inaccurate or misleading information, or
  • you have caused adverse impacts to our systems or processes.

The ASIC Registered Agent Terms and Conditions contains more information about cancellation by ASIC of registration as an ASIC registered agent.

What happens if my agent registration is cancelled?

If your registration is cancelled, we will immediately cease your access to our registered agent online services. We will also contact all companies that you act for and advise them that your registration has been cancelled.

ASIC requirements for storing signed documents lodged online

The minimum requirements for registered agents to store documents lodged electronically can be found in ASIC's Electronic Lodgement Protocol (ELP).

Generally, forms and documents must be kept for a period of seven years and in some instances must include original signed paper copies.

Clause 8 (Special Conditions) of the ELP identifies specific forms that must kept by either the registered agent or the company or licensee. ASIC may request to see the signed paper copy of those forms.

Lodgers impacted by this requirement should familiarise themselves with the relevant sections of the ELP.

Examples of relevant clauses

Clause Requirement
Clause 8.3 A Notification of appointment or cessation of a registered agent (Form 362) signed by a director or secretary of the company must be kept by the agent for seven years from the date of signing.
Clause 8.6

Documents, statements and reports for the following transactions must be held for seven years from the date signed and transmitted to ASIC by the Agent:

  • Copy of financial statements and reports (Form 388)
  • Notification of half yearly reports (Form 7051)
  • Statement to verify financial statements of a foreign company (Form 405)
  • Annual return of a foreign company (Form 406)
  • Australian Financial Services Licensee profit and loss statement and balance sheet (Form FS70) and
  • Auditor's Report for AFS Licensees (Form FS71)
Clause 8.8 A 'signed copy' is a paper printout of the Electronic Document that is physically signed or a paper document that corresponds to the electronic document that is physically signed.

Good record-keeping principles should be followed. ASIC may request information from registered agents to verify that the agent had sufficient approval to lodge documents on behalf of a company. This ensures agents are complying with our expectations as set out in the Form RA01 Notification to register, change details of or cease as an agent (Form RA01) Guide.

The Corporations Act outlines requirements for companies about their books and records. The company must decide how they manage this.

What do I do if I receive mail for a company that isn't mine?

This page explains the action you can take if you receive mail for a company you are not associated with.

See What to do if you receive mail for a company that isn't yours.

Related links

Your ASIC key is a unique number used in ASIC Connect that helps us establish your identity and protects your business information by making sure only you and those you have authorised can access it.

Learn more about ASIC keys

What is a corporate key?

A corporate key is an 8-digit number uniquely associated with a company’s ACN. Your company needs only one corporate key.

Learn more about corporate keys

An invitation key is a unique key to register for, or connect to an entity in, the ASIC Regulatory Portal.

Learn more about invitation keys 

Your industry funding security key is a unique number used to launch an online transaction in the ASIC Regulatory Portal that will enable us to calculate your final industry funding invoice. You will be prompted to submit business activity metric information on the operation of your business in the previous financial year.

Learn more about industry funding security keys

Last updated: 02/01/2025 12:30