As part of Law Central’s preparations for the upcoming AML/CTF changes, we are introducing Reliance Membership for eligible AUSTRAC-enrolled users.

Reliance Membership is designed to reduce duplication and help eligible professional users continue ordering designated service documents through Law Central with minimal disruption.

What is Reliance Membership?

From 1 July 2026, some Law Central documents will require AML/CTF checks before they can be delivered. This will apply where the document is considered  a designated service under the AML/CTF regime.

In ordinary circumstances, Law Central may need to conduct identity and AML/CTF checks on both:

• the user ordering the document; and

• certain parties named in the document and their beneficial owners and controllers.

Reliance Membership provides an alternative process for eligible users who are already enrolled with AUSTRAC.

Where a Reliance Member orders a designated service document, Law Central may rely on the member’s own AML/CTF checks for the relevant document parties, rather than requiring those parties to complete duplicate checks through Law Central.

Who can apply?

Reliance Membership is available to users who are enrolled with AUSTRAC and who meet Law Central’s eligibility requirements.

This may include professional firms and other reporting entities that already conduct customer due diligence as part of their own AML/CTF compliance program.

How to apply

Applying for Reliance Membership is intended to be simple.

Eligible users can:

1. log in to My Account on Law Central;

2. click on the Reliance Membership icon;

3. answer a short set of eligibility questions; and

4. review and agree to the terms and conditions of the Reliance Agreement.

Once the application has been submitted, Law Central will conduct customer due diligence on the applying entity. This is the entity that is enrolled with AUSTRAC and seeking to become a Reliance Member.

After that process is complete, Law Central can approve the application and confirm the user’s Reliance Membership status.

How Reliance Membership affects document orders

Once approved, Reliance Membership will apply when the member orders a Law Central document that is subject to AML/CTF requirements.

For designated service documents ordered by a Reliance Member, Law Central will generally not need to conduct separate AML/CTF checks on the document parties, provided the document passes Law Central’s risk assessment.

In most cases, this means the document can be automatically generated without further delay, much the same as it is under the current Law Central process.

This is intended to preserve the speed and convenience of Law Central document ordering, while ensuring that AML/CTF obligations are still complied with.

Risk assessment still applies

Reliance Membership does not mean that every document will automatically be released in every circumstance.

Law Central will still assess the risk of the relevant transaction during the document-building process. If a document does not pass the risk assessment, further steps may be required before the document can be delivered.

This may include additional information, further review, or additional AML/CTF checks.

Renewal and termination

Reliance Membership must be reviewed and renewed at least every 2 years.

Reliance Membership may also be terminated by either Law Central or the Reliance Member at any time, in accordance with the Reliance Agreement.

Why we are introducing Reliance Membership

Many Law Central users already have AML/CTF obligations of their own and will be required to identify and verify their clients or relevant parties under their own compliance programs.

Reliance Membership is intended to avoid unnecessary duplication where appropriate.

For eligible users, it should mean:

• fewer duplicate identity checks;

• faster document completion;

• less disruption to existing ordering processes;

• continued access to automated document generation in most cases; and

• a more practical AML/CTF compliance pathway for professional users.

Next steps

If your firm is enrolled with AUSTRAC, or expects to be enrolled before the commencement of the new AML/CTF obligations, you should consider whether Reliance Membership may be suitable for you.

Further information will be available through My Account on Law Central, including the eligibility questions and the terms and conditions of the Reliance Agreement.