Australia’s real estate and legal industries are facing a wave of regulatory changes set to take effect between 2025 and 2027. Agents, conveyancers, property developers, lawyers, and compliance teams must stay ahead of key obligations in AML/CTF, ACCC filings and CPD.
Tranche Two AML/CTF Compliance (from 1 July 2026)
Under the expanded Anti‑Money Laundering and Counter‑Terrorism Financing regime, real estate professionals, including agents, buyers’ agents, developers, lawyers and conveyancers, must implement robust Customer Due Diligence (CDD) (known in banking as Know Your Customer or KYC), ongoing monitoring, and risk‑based reporting frameworks.
Non‑compliance will expose firms to significant regulatory enforcement.
ACCC Mandatory Notification Regime (from 1 January 2026)
High‑value real estate acquisitions will fall under the new ACCC notification and clearance regime, requiring pre‑completion approval – alongside the existing FIRB process.
Practitioners must assess whether particular deals meet thresholds, understand exemptions, and anticipate potential delays and filing fees.
Mandatory Continuing Professional Development (CPD) – Victoria (from late 2026)
The Victorian Government’s Housing Statement mandates CPD for all real estate practitioners. Regulations are due by November 2025, with CPD requirements commencing 25 November 2026 for agents and representatives, followed by owners corporation managers by 30 June 2027.
Agents must track CPD hours, engage in approved learning, and prepare for a new agents’ representative registration scheme.
Best Practice Action Items for 2025 or earlier
Review policies and procedures: to ensure that you have strong AML and CCD/KYC processes in place.
Engage with AUSTRAC, REIs & Professional Bodies: Attend webinars and subscribe to updates to pinpoint risk indicators and compliance pathways.
Review Deal Pipelines Against ACCC Thresholds: Incorporate clearance timelines early in merger and acquisition planning.
Prepare CPD Compliance: Start building a training plan and tracking system ahead of 2026 rollout in Victoria.
These reforms underscore a broader shift toward greater transparency, risk mitigation, and professionalism in the property and legal sectors. We can provide experts to work on these training and documentation initiatives with you. Contact us to find out specifically how we can help.
