ASIC Report 830 outlines progress on regulatory simplification, including digital form submissions, clearer guidance, RegistryConnect, and reduced reporting burdens for firms.
Regulatory Simplification Progress Released on May 19
Sydney, Australia, May 19, 2026,ASICreleased Report 830Regulatory Simplification: Progress Report, disclosing its progress in regulatory guidance, website information, electronic lodgement forms, reduction of paper-based processes, and integration of data requests across regulatory agencies. The regulator stated that the objective of this work is to make regulation clearer and easier to understand, while making it easier for businesses and regulated entities to meet their obligations.
Sources: ASIC media releaseASIC continues to ease regulatory burden, published on May 19, 2026; ASIC Report 830Regulatory Simplification: Progress Report, released in May 2026; ASIC Report 813Regulatory Simplification, released on September 3, 2025; Council of Financial RegulatorsBetter Regulation Roadmap, information dated 2026; ASIC RegistryConnect information page, information dated 2026.
Chair Says Regulatory Complexity Increases Business Costs
ASIC Chair Joe Longo said in the May 19 announcement that regulatory complexity continues to place cost, innovation, and market-entry pressures on Australian businesses. The regulator said it had collected industry feedback following the release of Report 813 and adjusted its simplification initiatives accordingly.
Regulatory complexity continues to challenge Australian businesses. It increases costs, slows innovation, creates unnecessary barriers, and may lead to poorer consumer outcomes.
Longo also said ASIC would continue to look for opportunities to remove barriers within its remit and seek a balance between reducing burden and maintaining strong protections. The regulator placed Australia’s attractiveness as a destination for investment and doing business within the context of this regulatory simplification work.
From September Feedback Consultation to May Progress Report
This progress report is not a standalone action. ASIC released Report 813Regulatory Simplificationon September 3, 2025, proposing ways to reduce regulatory burden, improve access to information, and optimise how the regulator interacts with stakeholders. Report 830, released on May 19, 2026, responds to feedback received after Report 813 and sets out completed items and future plans.
| Date | Event | Disclosure | Source and Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| December 2024 | Professional Registers Search launched | ThePRSwas launched, allowing users to search multiple professional registers through a single search | ASIC Report 830, May 2026 |
| March 2025 | Registry services enhanced | PRS added functionality for purchasing professional register documents and extracts | ASIC Report 830, May 2026 |
| May 2025 | AFS licensing digital dashboard enabled | AFSlicence applications, variations, cancellations, and certain notification processes were moved into the regulatory portal | ASIC Report 830, May 2026 |
| June 2025 | Website redesign launched | The new website improved the search interface and page structure, while reducing duplicate pages | ASIC Report 830, May 2026 |
| September 3, 2025 | Report 813 released | Regulatory simplification proposals were introduced, and feedback was sought from regulated entities | ASIC Report 813 page, September 3, 2025 |
| May 19, 2026 | Report 830 released | Progress was disclosed on electronic forms, the website, guidance, data requests, and future plans | ASIC media release and Report 830, May 19, 2026 |
Website and Forms Among the First Implemented Measures
ASIC said that after the website redesign, it had updated more than 280 form landing pages, making it easier for industry participants to find, understand, and comply with regulatory requirements. Report 830 also shows that ASIC will continue to analyse more than 1,500 pieces of feedback received through website channels and further optimise search and content presentation in 2026.
ASIC has improved search and filtering functions for current and expired regulatory instruments, including filtering by instrument type.
The regulator has published new online services content for users, making interactions between businesses and ASIC more centralised.
ASIC said it will continue to rewrite and simplify remaining website content to reduce the time cost of finding regulatory information.
Electronic Lodgement Capacity Has Expanded Significantly
Report 830 disclosed that ASIC prioritised the transition of forms that could previously only be lodged on paper to electronic lodgement over the past year. The regulator said 88 new forms are now available for electronic lodgement, representing a 380% increase in the number of electronically lodgable forms and reducing approximately 45,000 paper lodgements each year. ASIC has also set a target to make 90% of paper-only forms capable of electronic lodgement by the end of June 2026.
These measures not only change submission channels but also involve identity verification, form interaction, and system integration. Report 830 states that the next phase of work will include enhancing company search services, establishing new authentication and authorisation requirements, streamlining application and registration services, and providing new interfaces for machine-to-machine channels. For companies, authorised agents, liquidators, and financial services firms that frequently lodge documents with regulators, these changes will affect day-to-day compliance workflows.
Licensing Application Process Has Moved Into the Regulatory Portal
ASIC introduced a new AFS licensing digital dashboard in May 2025. According to Report 830, the dashboard supports licence applications, variation applications, licence cancellations, and certain licence variation notifications, and has been integrated into the ASIC Regulatory Portal. The report said the portal reduces manual entry and duplicate submissions, with some application information pre-filled, lowering the need to repeatedly upload supporting documents and re-enter information.
Applicants can manage licence applications and variation matters within the regulatory portal.
The system reduces duplicate entry through pre-filled information and improves data integrity.
ASIC plans to continue expanding digital services over the next two years to cover other licence types and professional registration matters.
Cross-Agency Data Requests Listed as a Six-Month Priority
ASIC also disclosed that it will work withAPRAand other regulators to simplify and integrate data requests. This work forms part of the Council of Financial Regulators’ better regulation agenda. Council of Financial Regulators materials show that the initiative is led by APRA and ASIC, with objectives including strengthening coordination among regulators, improving communication between regulators and industry, reducing duplication and inconsistency in data collection, and streamlining existing data collections.
Report 830 shows that ASIC has strengthened early engagement with industry in thematic surveillance to reduce the burden of data requests and improve data quality. The report also noted that, in relation to the Financial Accountability Regime, ASIC and APRA are examining how to further streamline relevant reporting form requirements.
Small Banks’ Internal Dispute Reporting to Be Halved
In relation to internal dispute resolution reporting, ASIC said that as part of the Council of Financial Regulators’ review of small and medium-sized banks, it had committed to reducing the number of internal dispute resolution reports submitted annually to ASIC by small banks from two per institution to one. To allow small banks to benefit earlier, ASIC has adopted a no-action position; formal technical and system changes are expected to be completed around 2027.
RegistryConnect to Enter a Key Phase in 2027
ASIC said the RegistryConnect program is an important part of its long-term digital transformation. Official information shows that ASIC registers include registered information on companies, business names, professionals, and banned and disqualified persons, among others. Two major registers record more than 3.6 million companies and 2.9 million business names. Over the past year, ASIC registers were searched more than 298 million times and processed more than 3.3 million lodgements.
Report 830 shows that RegistryConnect will improve access to registry information in 2026 through modernised company register search and modernAPIfunctionality, while delivering more consistent services as registers migrate to modernised solutions. In 2027, ASIC plans to focus on simplified digital interactions for company registration and other registry lodgements.
2026 focus: improving company register search and access to registry information.
2026 focus: advancing modern interfaces and registry migration.
2027 focus: providing more streamlined digital services for company registration, other registrations, and lodgements.
Questions About ASIC’s Regulatory Simplification
When was ASIC Report 830 released?
ASIC Report 830Regulatory Simplification: Progress Reportwas released in May 2026, and the related media release was published on May 19, 2026.
Which areas does this regulatory simplification initially cover?
Disclosed measures include updating website form pages, simplifying regulatory guidance, improving regulatory instrument search, increasing electronic lodgement forms, reducing paper lodgements, and advancing coordination of data requests across regulators.
What direct changes does the expansion of electronic lodgement forms bring?
ASIC said 88 new forms are now available for electronic lodgement, representing a 380% increase in electronically lodgable forms and reducing approximately 45,000 paper lodgements each year. The target is for 90% of paper-only forms to support electronic lodgement by the end of June 2026.
How is the RegistryConnect program related to company registration?
RegistryConnect is ASIC’s registry modernisation program. According to Report 830, the focus in 2027 will shift to providing more streamlined digital services for company registration, other registrations, and lodgements.
