How to change your ASIC registered agent
A registered agent is a person or firm authorised by ASIC to lodge documents on behalf of companies. Most accounting and legal firms hold a registered agent number and lodge for their client entities through it. Changing the registered agent for a company means transferring that authority from one party to another, and ASIC has a specific form for the process.
The relevant form is ASIC Form 362, signed by an officeholder of the company and usually lodged online by the incoming registered agent. The outgoing agent does not need to lodge anything or agree. Once processed, the company is linked to the new agent, which then receives subsequent ASIC correspondence.
Operationally, the transition takes longer than the ASIC processing because data needs to migrate. A typical changeover involves the new agent obtaining the company name and ACN from the firm, pulling current officeholder and shareholder data from the ASIC register, importing it into the new agent’s compliance system, and reconciling against any existing records the firm wants to bring across. For a single entity this can be done in a day; for a 200-entity book it usually takes one to two weeks.
Common pitfalls during transition: annual review invoices already issued to the outgoing agent not being passed on and paid, correspondence being missed because the new agent is not yet linked when a review date falls, and in-flight annual reviews that fall during the transition window. A clean handover plan addresses each of these explicitly.
Firms switching to CoSec Partners get a free transition audit before any commitment, including a written review of every entity, every upcoming deadline, and any flagged ASIC register inconsistencies. Form 362 lodgement is included; there is no fee to switch. Our /switching page describes the standard transition process in detail.
Frequently asked questions
Does the outgoing registered agent have to agree to the change?
No. The outgoing agent’s agreement is not needed. The company signs a Form 362 appointing the new agent, which the new agent lodges, so a firm is never locked in by an unresponsive provider.
How long does changing ASIC registered agent take?
ASIC processing is not instantaneous, and operationally the changeover takes longer because entity data has to migrate: a single entity can be done in a day, while a 200-entity book usually takes one to two weeks including reconciliation against existing firm records.
What goes wrong during a registered agent transition?
Three things recur: annual review invoices already issued to the outgoing agent not being passed on and paid, correspondence missed because the new agent is not yet linked when a review date falls, and in-flight annual reviews falling inside the transition window with neither agent owning them.
Do clients need to do anything when their agent changes?
Only one step: an officeholder of each company signs the Form 362. Beyond that, clients generally do not receive routine ASIC correspondence such as annual statements directly where an agent is appointed, and a clean handover plan should mean they see no interruption.
This article is general information only and does not constitute legal, financial, or tax advice. While we endeavour to keep content accurate and current, laws and regulations change frequently. For advice specific to your circumstances, please consult a qualified professional adviser. CoSec Partners Pty Ltd accepts no liability for actions taken based on this content.