Why firms switch
The four reasons we hear most
Most firms do not switch lightly. By the time you are reading this page, the issue with your current provider has usually been building for a while.
Missed deadlines under your previous provider
Annual reviews lodged late. Change notices forgotten. ASIC late fees showing up on client invoices that should never have been there.
Response times got worse over time
You used to get a same-day reply. Now urgent jobs sit for a week. Three emails to get a simple share allotment lodged.
Your provider lost a key person
The person who actually knew your book left. Service degraded. Their replacement is still finding their feet six months in.
Your client book outgrew their capacity
You used to have 60 entities. You now have 200. The arrangement that worked at 60 is breaking at 200, and they cannot scale fast enough to keep up.
What changes for your clients
Nothing.
Same documentation. Same brand. Same relationship. The lodgement happens behind your firm's name, the email correspondence comes from your firm's domain, the certificates of registration carry your firm's logo. CoSec does not appear in front of your client.
On the White Label model, your clients are never told their compliance is handled by an external provider. On the Outsourced model, ASIC correspondence is addressed to us as registered agent, but every interaction with the client still flows through your firm.
Four steps to transition
1
We audit your current setup
Send us your client list, just company names and ACNs. Within 48 hours we come back with a free transition audit: which entities are flagged, what deadlines are coming up, what we found in the ASIC register, and a written transition plan. No obligation.
2
We migrate your client data
We import every entity into our systems, reconcile the ASIC register, set up compliance tracking, and verify every upcoming deadline. Your team carries on as normal. Your clients are not contacted during this stage.
3
We file the registered agent change with ASIC
Each client company signs a one-page ASIC Form 362, which we lodge to transfer registered agent status. Your previous provider does not need to agree. There is no gap in coverage; if a deadline falls during the transfer we manage it directly with your previous provider so nothing slips.
4
You go live and you stop worrying
From go-live, every annual review, every change notice, every lodgement is handled by us. Your team gets confirmations instead of to-do lists. Partners get their time back.
A typical three-week transition
Most firms are live within two to four weeks, with urgent deadlines covered from the first week. Larger books take longer; we will give you an accurate timeline as part of the audit.
Week 1
Audit and plan
- ›Free transition audit returned within 48 hours
- ›Written transition plan with deadlines flagged
- ›Engagement letter signed; no fee to switch
- ›Pricing confirmed for your client book
Week 2
Migrate and lodge
- ›Client data imported into our systems
- ›ASIC Form 362 signed by each client company and lodged to transfer registered agent
- ›Any deadlines falling this week are managed cooperatively with your previous provider
- ›Compliance calendar populated for every entity
Week 3
Live and running
- ›CoSec is now your registered agent of record
- ›Annual reviews, change notices, share allotments routed to us
- ›First monthly report delivered to your firm
- ›Your team stops chasing deadlines
We had three weeks before our compliance manager left. CoSec had us migrated, the registered agent change filed, and 14 annual reviews handled through the transition. No client noticed. Twelve months on, we have not been back to discuss it.
Managing Partner
Mid-sized accounting firm, Melbourne
Composite, based on verified Trustpilot reviews
Quick and easy to order online
Quick and easy to order online. Uncomplicated and as accountants, our clients appreciate the quick service. The company I work for was using another service but the minute I started working for them I changed to CoSec Partners as I had used this company for over 25 years in another job as they are the best.
Michele Davies
Verified Trustpilot review ★★★★★ · Mar 2025
What firms ask before switching
Will my clients know we have switched providers?
No. We work entirely behind the scenes. All correspondence goes through your firm. Your clients see your name, your service, your relationship. We stay invisible.
How long does the transition take?
For new work (formations, deeds), you can start immediately, just send us your first order. For ongoing ASIC compliance, the full onboarding of an existing client book typically takes two to four weeks for most firms, with urgent deadlines covered from the first week, and longer for very large books.
What happens if a deadline falls during the transition?
We manage it. As soon as the engagement letter is signed, we coordinate with your previous provider so that any annual review or change notice falling during the transition is lodged on time. You do not have to chase.
What if my current provider holds the registered agent status?
Your current provider does not need to agree or lodge anything. Each client company signs a Form 362 appointing us, which we lodge online with ASIC. Once ASIC processes it, the company is linked to us and subsequent ASIC correspondence comes to us.
What does it cost to switch?
Nothing. The transition audit is free. The data migration is free. The Form 362 lodgement is free. You only start paying our service fee once we go live, and only for entities under your engagement.
Do my clients need to sign anything?
One thing only. An officeholder of each client company signs a one-page ASIC Form 362 authorising the change of registered agent, which we prepare and lodge. Apart from that, clients do not need to do anything, and the engagement is between your firm and CoSec.
Can I move clients across gradually?
Yes. Many firms start with new clients and gradually transition their existing book. There is no requirement to move everything at once. We work at whatever pace suits your practice.
What data do I need to provide?
To get started we need company names and ACNs. We can pull most of the rest from the ASIC register. For trust deeds and complex matters we may ask for copies of existing documentation, but the bar is low.
Is there a minimum commitment?
No lock-in contracts. The Outsourced model runs on an annual fee per entity. The Flexible model has no commitment at all; you send us jobs as they come up and we quote each one individually.
What about EasyCompanies clients?
EasyCompanies closed in September 2025, displacing approximately 160,000 clients. If you or your clients were affected, we can take over the ASIC management of those entities and ensure continuity of compliance.