Outsourcing ASIC compliance: a practical guide for accounting firms

Most accounting firms handle ASIC compliance internally, usually by assigning it to an admin person, a graduate, or a partner’s assistant who fits it in between other work. It works until it doesn’t. The problem is not the individual, it’s the structural fragility of the arrangement. When that person goes on leave, takes parental leave, or resigns, the entire ASIC compliance function stops. Deadlines get missed. Late fees accumulate. Clients call asking why their annual review hasn’t been handled.

The risk is not hypothetical. In December 2025, we onboarded a 60-entity firm that had missed an entire quarter of annual reviews because the staff member responsible had resigned six weeks earlier and the firm had not yet found a replacement. Late fees were accruing across the book before we intervened. This pattern repeats across the industry every year.

Outsourcing ASIC compliance to a registered agent eliminates this single-point-of-failure risk. A registered agent receives all ASIC correspondence electronically through the ASIC Registered Agent Portal, monitors deadlines automatically, processes annual reviews, handles change notifications, and ensures solvency resolutions are prepared on time. The firm receives confirmation that the work is done, rather than having to manage the work itself.

There are three common outsourcing models. The first is the outsourced registered agent model: we become the ASIC registered agent for your clients, manage all ASIC obligations, and invoice either your firm (for you to on-charge) or the client directly. You receive confirmations and reports. This is the simplest model and suits firms that want ASIC compliance completely off their plate.

The second is the White Label CAS360 model. We implement and manage BGL’s CAS360 corporate compliance software under your firm’s brand. Your firm keeps its own CAS360 subscription and remains the ASIC registered agent; our team works inside your CAS360 to run it. There are two tiers. Tier 1: we manage CAS360 behind the scenes, but your firm communicates with clients. Tier 2: we manage CAS360 and communicate directly with your clients through a branded email address (for example, cosec@yourfirm.com.au). Your clients experience a fully staffed corporate secretarial function without knowing it’s outsourced.

The third is the flexible ad hoc model. You remain the registered agent and manage most obligations internally. You send us specific jobs as they arise, whether that is director changes, share transfers, deregistrations or constitution amendments. There is no retainer and no minimum commitment. This suits firms that have a capable internal resource but need overflow capacity or specialist support for complex transactions.

The financial case is straightforward. A full-time corporate secretarial staff member costs $70,000 to $90,000 per year in salary alone, plus superannuation, leave entitlements, training, and the risk of turnover. An outsourced registered agent service starts from $99 per entity per year. For a firm managing 50 entities, the outsourced service fee is from about $4,950 per year, a fraction of the cost of a part-time internal resource, with the added benefit of continuity.

When evaluating providers, consider: How long have they been operating? How do they track deadlines? What systems do they use? How do they handle solvency resolutions? Can they work under your brand? And critically, do they remember your clients, or do you have to explain them from scratch every time?

At CoSec Partners, we manage ASIC compliance for over 250 professional firms. The average client relationship is eleven years. We offer a free ASIC compliance health check. We review your client book, identify any overdue obligations, and provide a report within 48 hours. No charge, no commitment.