AML Checks for Real Estate Agents in Australia (2026 Guide)

What an AML check means in practice

1. Collect and verify identity (individual or entity).
2. Understand the nature and purpose of the matter.
3. Screen for higher-risk indicators.
4. Rate the risk and decide whether to proceed.
5. Keep the evidence with the transaction file.

Obligations depend on whether you provide a designated service and on what your program says. Edge cases need advice from your compliance adviser — a blog is not a legal opinion. The broader map is on /tranche-2.

Fees: what agents and clients pay

Search interest is high for AML fee and AML fees for estate agents. Split the number on your quote so nobody argues about it later:

• Software cost — for example FreeAML at $15 for a KYC check
• Agency service fee you may charge on top, if you disclose it
• Disbursement passed to the client

Be transparent on invoices. FreeAML supports a client-pays path so the agency is not stuck absorbing every check. A fuller fee breakdown is in AML fees for estate agents. List prices are on /pricing.

Step-by-step workflow for agencies

1. The matter opens and you send a verification link from /aml-check.
2. The client completes the check on a mobile phone.
3. You review the outcome and write a short risk note.
4. You store both with the CRM or the transaction file.
5. You escalate unusual activity the way your program says to.

Do this before you provide the designated service, not after settlement. Remote checks are accepted when they use reliable, independent evidence — you do not need to march every buyer into a post office.

What to keep on the file

• Who was verified (buyer, seller, landlord, tenant, or a company and its beneficial owners)
• The check outcome and the date
• Your risk rating and a one-line reason
• Who in the agency accepted the matter
• Any fee disclosure you gave the client

Firms aim to keep CDD records for seven years. FreeAML lets you export what you need. Your firm still keeps the records the law requires.

Conveyancing crossover

Where conveyancers and agents share a file, agree who initiates CDD so checks are not duplicated — and fees are not double-charged without disclosure. If the legal practice also needs trust-accounting software, that is a separate buying decision from the identity check itself.

How this fits the rest of your program

An AML check is one control. You still need enrolment, a written program, a risk assessment, staff training, and a way to report when the rules say you must. Start the customer rating with the AML risk assessment quick-start.

Frequently Asked Questions