From 1 July 2026, significant changes to Australia’s Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing (AML/CTF) laws will affect the way many legal and property transactions are handled.
While these reforms are aimed at preventing money laundering, terrorism financing and other financial crimes, they will also introduce some new steps for people engaging a lawyer for certain legal services.
If you are buying or selling property, establishing a company or trust, or completing other qualifying legal transactions, you may notice that your lawyer asks for more information than they have in the past.
Here is what you need to know.
Why Are These Laws Changing?
The Australian Government has expanded the AML/CTF regime to include lawyers, conveyancers, accountants and real estate professionals who provide certain designated services.
The objective is to make it more difficult for criminals to use legitimate businesses to conceal illegal funds or facilitate financial crime.
Although the reforms introduce additional compliance requirements for legal professionals, they should have minimal impact on most genuine transactions. Instead, they are designed to strengthen the integrity of Australia’s financial and property systems.
What Will Change?
For most people, the biggest difference will be that additional identity and verification checks may be required before certain legal work can begin.
Depending on the matter, you may be asked to provide:
- Government-issued photo identification
- Proof of your residential address
- Information about the source of funds being used in a transaction
- Information about the purpose or nature of the transaction
- Details about any company, trust or other entity involved
- Information about people who ultimately own or control a company or trust
These requests are becoming a standard part of legal transactions and should not be viewed as unusual.
Why Is More Information Being Requested?
Many people are accustomed to providing identification when opening a bank account or applying for finance. The new reforms introduce similar expectations for certain legal services.
Your lawyer may need to verify:
- That you are who you say you are
- Who ultimately owns or controls an entity involved in the transaction
- Whether the transaction is consistent with the information provided
- Whether there are any circumstances that require further enquiries
These checks help protect both the legal profession and the broader community from financial crime.
Will Every Matter Be Affected?
Not necessarily.
The new requirements apply to specific legal services that fall within the AML/CTF legislation. Many day-to-day legal matters will involve little or no noticeable change.
Where additional verification is required, your lawyer will explain what information is needed and why it is being requested.
Will This Delay My Matter?
For most transactions, any additional checks can be completed quickly if the requested information is provided early.
Providing identification and supporting documents at the beginning of a matter will help avoid unnecessary delays later in the process.
As these requirements become standard practice across the legal industry, they are expected to become a routine part of engaging a lawyer.
How These Changes Benefit the Community
While the reforms introduce some additional administrative steps, they also provide broader benefits by helping to:
- Reduce opportunities for money laundering and organised crime
- Improve transparency in high-value financial transactions
- Strengthen confidence in Australia’s legal and property systems
- Align Australia with international anti-money laundering standards
These protections ultimately support a safer and more transparent marketplace for everyone.
How Pine Lawyers Can Help
As the new AML/CTF framework comes into effect, Pine Lawyers will guide individuals and businesses through the updated requirements as part of the normal legal process.
If additional information or documentation is required, the team will explain what is needed, why it is required and how it will be used.
The goal is to ensure that transactions continue to progress as smoothly and efficiently as possible while meeting the new legislative requirements.
Final Thoughts
The introduction of the expanded AML/CTF regime marks an important change for Australia’s legal and property sectors. While some additional identification and verification steps will become part of certain legal matters, most people will simply notice a few extra questions before their transaction proceeds.
Understanding these changes ahead of time can help set expectations and ensure matters continue without unnecessary delays. As always, obtaining legal advice early can help make the process as straightforward as possible.
While this article provides general information about the recent AML/CTF reforms, every legal matter is different. The laws that apply, the documents involved and the appropriate course of action will depend on your individual circumstances.
Before signing any legal document or proceeding with a property or commercial transaction, it is important to obtain legal advice that is tailored to your specific situation. Receiving advice early can help identify potential risks, clarify your legal obligations and provide confidence that your interests are protected.
This article is intended as general information only and should not be relied upon as legal advice.