Print this page

How to lodge financial statements and reports

Download the full user guide (including screenshots) as a PDF (1.68MB)

Financial statements and reports must be lodged each year by: 

  • public companies
  • a Tier 2 public company limited by guarantee
  • registered schemes
  • large proprietary companies
  • foreign-controlled small proprietary companies
  • small proprietary or small company limited by guarantee that is requested by ASIC and
  • trusts. 

This guide covers how to complete the Form 388, appointing an auditor and attaching financial statements and reports. 

This form can also be used: 

  • to notify the appointment of an auditor to the company (but not a scheme) when lodging financial statements and reports or 
  • when amending previously lodged financial statements and reports. 

Your financial statements and reports should be in .pdf format in order to be attached to this form. 

The system allows up to five (5) attachments. 

The maximum file size for each attachment is 10MB. File sizes vary depending on the type of file being used; some files provide the user with the option of reducing the file size. For information on reducing the file size refer to your software support. 

For security reasons ASIC rejects .pdf documents containing encrypted data, active content (e.g. JavaScript, PostScript), external references and .pdf documents with attached objects or executables. 

You will need to log in to your online account before you begin. 

Start transaction

Once logged in, select 'Select new form' in the left hand menu. 

From the list of available forms, select '388 - Copy of financial statements and reports'. 

  • Note: if you are lodging an amendment to previously lodged financial statements and reports, select '388 - Amendment of previously lodged financial statements and reports'. Confirm the company and the original document you are amending, and go to Review auditor details (page 24). 

Enter the company ACN/ABN

Enter the 'ACN/ABN' of the relevant company.

  • Select 'Next' to continue. 

Confirm company details

Review the company details.

  • Select 'Yes' to confirm the company information is correct. 
  • Select 'Next' to continue. 

Provide reason for lodgement

Select the 'Reason for lodgement' that best describes why you are lodging financial statements and reports. 

Note: To help you make this decision, you may wish to refer to the links at the bottom of the page - 'What is a large proprietary company?' and 'What is a public company limited by guarantee who qualifies under Tier 2?' 

  • Select 'Next' to continue. 

Note: 

Provide large proprietary company details

Note: Don't include commas or decimal points when entering the following values. 

Enter the 'Consolidated revenue' of the large proprietary company and the entities it controls. 

  • Enter the value of the 'Consolidated gross assets' of the large proprietary company and the entities that it controls. 
  • Enter how many 'People are employed' by the large proprietary company and the entities that it controls. 
  • Enter the 'Number of members' the large proprietary company has. 
  • Select 'Next' to continue. 

Provide the financial year start and end dates

  • If the company has lodged a Form 388 for a previous financial year, you will be able to 'Select the financial year' to which this Form 388 applies from the drop-down list or
  • If this is the first Form 388 lodged by this company, you will have to enter the new 'Financial year end date' in the text field.
  • Select 'Next' to continue. 

Select 'Yes' or 'No' to confirm if the financial statements were audited. 

Note: if you select 'No', you need to select 'Yes' to the question that follows regarding a class order exemption. This means that a Form 336C Order granting relief from accounting/auditing requirements should be recorded by ASIC and/or a Form 382 should have been previously lodged advising of this exemption. 

Provide auditor's report details

Select 'Yes' or 'No' to confirm if the opinion/conclusion in the report was modified. 

  • Select 'Yes' or 'No' to confirm if the report contains an Emphasis of Matter and/or Other Matter paragraph. 
  • Select 'Next' to continue.

Note: this guide follows the example of selecting 'No' to both of these questions. 

Review the details of the 'Current auditor/s'. 

Note: if this screen does not appear, this company does not have an auditor appointed. Go to Provide new auditor details (page 14).

From this point you can:

Appoint a new auditor

Select whether you want to 'Appoint a second auditor' or 'Replace your existing auditor'. You can only appoint a second auditor if the date of appointment of the second auditor is the same as the existing auditor ASIC has recorded on the register. 

Provide new auditor details

Enter the 'Date of appointment'. 

  • Select the 'Type of auditor' you wish to appoint.
  • Select 'Next' to continue. 

If you selected to appoint:

Provide Auditor-General details

Select an 'Auditor-General' from the drop-down list. 

Provide ASIC registered auditor details

Enter the 'ASIC registered auditor number'. 

Provide firm of auditor details

Enter the 'Business name' of the firm of auditors. 

  • Select 'Next' to continue. 

Change address for an auditor

Select the correct 'Business name' from the list. 

  • Select 'Next' to continue. 

Enter or review the auditor 'Address details'. 

  • Select 'Next' to continue when you are satisfied the address details are correct. 

Review the 'Auditor details'. If you appointed a second auditor, both would now appear in the list. 

From this point you can: 

  • Appoint a new auditor (go back to page 13)
  • Change any of the information that is displayed
  • Undo information that was previously entered or
  • Select 'Next' to continue if no further changes are required and go to Review auditor details (page 24). 

Cease or replace an auditor

Select the 'Reason' why there is an auditor vacancy. 

  • Select 'Next' to continue. 

If the auditor resigned or was removed by the company, go to Resignation/removal of auditor details (page 22). If the auditor was otherwise ceased, go to Details of ceasing auditor (page 23). 

Resignation/removal of auditor details

Select 'Yes' to acknowledge that you have read the information about how to correctly change the auditor details

  • Enter the 'ASIC registered auditor number'. 
  • Enter either the ASIC registered auditor's:
    • 'Given and family names' 
    • 'Company name and ACN' or 
    • 'Firm name'. 
  • Enter the 'Auditor address details'. 
  • Select 'Next' to continue and go to Review auditor details (page 24).

Details of ceasing auditor

Select 'Yes' to acknowledge that you have read the information about how to correctly change the auditor details

  • Enter the 'ASIC registered auditor number'. 
  • Enter either the ASIC registered auditor's:
    • 'Given and family names' 
    • 'Company name and ACN' or 
    • 'Firm name'. 
  • Enter the 'Auditor address details'. 
  • Select 'Next to continue' and go to Review auditor details (page 24).

Review auditor details

Ensure you 'Read the note' that advises the auditor details will not be recorded on the ASIC register. 

  • Review the details of the auditor of the financial statements. 
  • If the information is correct, select 'Next' to continue or
  • Select 'Change' or 'Undo' to take you to a previous screen if amendments are necessary. 

Provide attachment

Select 'Browse' to find the relevant attachment. The choose file window will display. Choose the appropriate file and select 'Open'. 

  • The pathname field for the file will now be populated. Enter a 'Description of Document'. 
  • Select 'Next to continue'.

From this point you can:

  1. Select 'View' to open the file in a new window
  2. Remove the listed file (and return to Provide attachment (page 25) to add another file)
  3. Add more attachments (and return to Provide attachment (page 25) to add another file) or
  4. If no further additions or changes are required, select 'Next' to continue. 

Select 'Yes' to certify the attachments are a true copy of the original reports. 

  • Select 'Next to continue'.

Select the 'capacity' in which you are lodging the form. 

  • Select 'Yes' to certify the information in the form is true and complete, and lodged on behalf of the company. 
  • Select 'Next to continue'.

Declaration

Select 'Yes' to complete the declaration when you are satisfied the document is being lodged within the terms and conditions of ASIC's Electronic Lodgement Protocol. 

  • Select 'Submit' to lodge the form with ASIC. 

Confirmation

This screen confirms your document was submitted to ASIC. 

  • Select 'Next' to continue.

Note: Occasionally the system may present an additional form submission screen at this point. If this is the case, continue to select 'Next' to finalise this transaction.

Fees advice

This screen informs you whether or not any fees are payable. 

  • If fees are payable, select 'Print' to print your invoice. A new browser window opens with your invoice in .pdf format. From here you can: 
    • 'Print' the invoice or 
    • 'Save' the invoice file to print later. 
  • Select 'Next' to finalise this transaction. 

What is an ASIC key?

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

What is an invitation key?

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 

What is an industry funding security key?

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: 08/04/2024 11:27