From 1 July 2026, any business that provides a registered office address for another company in Australia must be enrolled with AUSTRAC. Space Penguin is an AUSTRAC compliant virtual address provider in Sydney and Melbourne, from $20/month, with no lock-in contracts.
If you use a virtual address as your company's registered office, the rules changed on 1 July 2026. Your address provider is now a regulated business under Australia's anti-money laundering laws, required to enrol with AUSTRAC and verify who you are before your address goes live. Not every provider has done the work. Here is what the change means, why it matters who you choose, and how Space Penguin keeps your Sydney or Melbourne registered office compliant.
Quick note: This guide is general information about the Tranche 2 reforms and how they affect virtual address services. It is not legal advice. For advice specific to your company, speak to a qualified professional.
What changed for virtual addresses on 1 July 2026?
On 1 July 2026, Australia's Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Amendment Act 2024, widely known as the Tranche 2 reforms, took effect. For the first time, it brought a new group of businesses under AUSTRAC's oversight, including anyone who provides a registered office address or principal place of business address for another entity.
In plain English: if a business gives you an address to use for ASIC, ABN registration, or official company correspondence, that business is now a reporting entity under the AML/CTF Act. Providing a registered office address is treated as a designated service, in the same category as company formation and acting as a nominee director.
A reporting entity that offers this service must:
- Enrol with AUSTRAC on the Reporting Entity Roll
- Operate a written AML/CTF compliance program
- Verify the identity of each client before the service starts
- Screen clients against Australian and international sanctions lists
- Report suspicious matters to AUSTRAC when required
- Keep records for the period the law requires (seven years)
The reform regulates the service, not the building. A coworking space or virtual office that simply rents desks is unaffected. The moment it lets a client use its address as a registered office, the AML/CTF obligations apply.
The takeaway for you: using a virtual address for your registered office is still completely legal. You just need a provider that has done the compliance work. If your provider has not enrolled with AUSTRAC, they are offering the service outside the law, which puts a question mark over the address your company depends on.
Is a virtual address still valid for ASIC after Tranche 2?
Yes. Using a virtual address as your ASIC registered office is still valid after 1 July 2026. The Corporations Act 2001 still requires every company to have a registered office that is a physical street address, not a PO Box, able to receive legal documents. A compliant virtual address meets that requirement. The only change is that your provider must now be AUSTRAC enrolled and must verify your identity first.
Space Penguin addresses can be used for ASIC and ABN registration, for ATO correspondence, and as your principal place of business. We provide written occupier's consent so you can list our address with ASIC correctly.
Why did my accountant stop offering a registered office address?
You may have had an email from your accountant saying they will no longer act as your registered office from 1 July 2026. This is happening across Australia, and Tranche 2 is the reason.
For most accounting and bookkeeping practices, holding a client's registered office was a low-margin favour, often bundled in for free. Becoming a reporting entity to keep offering it is a serious step: writing an AML/CTF program, verifying every client, appointing a compliance officer, and reporting to AUSTRAC. For a service they were barely charging for, the overhead does not stack up, so many have stopped.
Their clients now need a new registered office, fast, with a provider that has already done the compliance work.
Space Penguin is built for exactly this move. You can transfer your registered office to our Melbourne or Sydney address, complete a quick identity check, and update ASIC, all on a plan that starts at $20/month with no lock-in contract.
What does AUSTRAC compliance mean for you as a client?
Because Space Penguin is a reporting entity, we need to verify a few things before your address goes live. It is a one-time check, similar to opening a business bank account, and most clients finish it quickly online.
Here is what you'll provide:
- Photo ID for the beneficial owner, the person who ultimately owns or controls the business (generally a 25%-or-more holding)
- ABN or ACN, so we can confirm the entity is active on the ABR and run an ASIC check on its ownership
- A short description of what your business does and how it earns income. A sentence or two is enough
- Overseas registration documents if you are a foreign company, which we verify manually
We then screen new clients against the DFAT Consolidated List and United Nations sanctions lists, as the law requires.
On your data: we collect only what the AML/CTF rules require, store it securely under the Privacy Act 1988, and keep verification records for the period AUSTRAC mandates. We do not on-sell your information.
Space Penguin vs an unenrolled provider
When you use a registered office provider that has not enrolled with AUSTRAC, your company shares that address with every other client on their books, none of whom have been identity checked. Here is the difference.
| What matters | Space Penguin (AUSTRAC compliant) | Unenrolled provider |
|---|---|---|
| Enrolled with AUSTRAC | Yes | No |
| Written AML/CTF program | Yes, in place from 1 July 2026 | None |
| Client identity verified before service | Yes | No |
| Sanctions screening (DFAT & UN lists) | Yes | No |
| Legal to operate from 1 July 2026 | Yes | Operating outside the law |
| Sydney and Melbourne addresses | Yes | Varies |
| Price | From $20/month | Often $40 to $50+/month |
| Lock-in contract | None | Varies |
Why choose Space Penguin for your Sydney or Melbourne registered office?
We run two real, staffed locations and price the service so a sole trader or early-stage company can afford to do compliance properly.
- AUSTRAC compliant. Enrolled and operating an AML/CTF program from 1 July 2026. Enrolment No. [INSERT AUSTRAC ENROLMENT NO.]
- Two genuine locations. 530 Little Collins Street, Melbourne CBD, and 87 to 90 Jones Street, Ultimo, Sydney. Real street addresses, not a PO Box.
- Use for ASIC and ABN registration. Plus ATO correspondence and as your principal place of business, with written occupier's consent included.
- Mail handling. We receive your business mail, notify you, scan it, and store it securely in your account, with optional forwarding.
- Business email available to match your address.
- $20/month, no lock-in contract. Monthly, quarterly, or annual billing. Leave any time.
Our Melbourne address sits in the heart of the CBD on Little Collins Street. Our Sydney address is in Ultimo, on the CBD fringe beside the tech and university precinct. Both give your company a credible Australian presence while keeping your home address off the public register.
How to set up an AUSTRAC compliant virtual address
- Choose your location and plan. Melbourne or Sydney, billed monthly, quarterly, or annually from $20/month.
- Complete identity verification. Upload photo ID and your ABN or ACN. We confirm ownership and run sanctions screening.
- Get your address pack. Once verified, you receive your address details and written occupier's consent.
- Update ASIC. Use the consent document to list Space Penguin as your registered office, lodged via ASIC Form 484 if you are changing an existing company.
- Start receiving mail. We handle incoming mail, notify you, scan it, and forward on request.
Pricing: AUSTRAC compliant virtual address
| Billing term | Price |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $20/month |
| Quarterly | $55 |
| Annual | $220/year |
No lock-in contracts. Use the address for ASIC and ABN registration, ATO correspondence, and your principal place of business. Identity verification is included as part of onboarding.
For context, registering a Pty Ltd company with ASIC costs $611 (2026), and the $329 ASIC annual review fee applies each year. A compliant registered office is a small, fixed part of keeping that company in good standing.
Set up your registered office today
AUSTRAC compliant. Identity verified. Ready for ASIC and ABN registration in Sydney or Melbourne.
Frequently asked questions
Does my virtual address provider need to be AUSTRAC enrolled?
Yes. From 1 July 2026, any business that provides a registered office address or principal place of business address for another entity is a reporting entity under the AML/CTF Act 2006, as amended by the AML/CTF Amendment Act 2024. They must be enrolled with AUSTRAC and run a compliant AML/CTF program. Space Penguin is enrolled and operates such a program.
Is a virtual address still valid for ASIC after 1 July 2026?
Yes. Using a virtual address as your ASIC registered office is still legal. The address must be a physical street address able to receive legal documents, not a PO Box, and your provider must be AUSTRAC enrolled. Space Penguin meets both requirements and provides written occupier's consent for your ASIC registration.
Why did my accountant stop providing a registered office address?
From 1 July 2026, providing a registered office address became a designated service under the Tranche 2 reforms. Many accountants offered it as a low-cost courtesy and have stopped, since the compliance obligations, AUSTRAC enrolment, identity verification, an AML/CTF program, a compliance officer, are significant for a service they barely charged for. You can move your registered office to Space Penguin instead.
What identity verification does Space Penguin require?
Photo ID for the beneficial owner of the business, generally a 25%-or-more holding, your ABN or ACN, and a brief description of your business activities. Foreign companies provide home-country registration documents. New clients are screened against the DFAT Consolidated List and UN sanctions lists. Records are stored securely under the Privacy Act 1988.
Can I transfer my registered office from my accountant to Space Penguin?
Yes. Set up your virtual address with Space Penguin, complete identity verification, then update your registered office with ASIC to our Melbourne or Sydney address, via ASIC Form 484 for an existing company. We provide written occupier's consent to support the change.
Do you have addresses in both Sydney and Melbourne?
Yes. Melbourne: 530 Little Collins Street, Melbourne CBD. Sydney: 87 to 90 Jones Street, Ultimo. Both are real, staffed street addresses suitable for ASIC and ABN registration.
How much does an AUSTRAC compliant virtual address cost?
Space Penguin starts at $20/month, with quarterly ($55) and annual ($220) options. There are no lock-in contracts, and identity verification is included in onboarding.
Is a virtual address legal in Australia?
Yes. A virtual address used as a registered office is legal under the Corporations Act 2001, provided it is a physical street address that can receive legal documents and the provider holds the required AUSTRAC enrolment from 1 July 2026.