Received an ASIC Renewal Notice?

In a world of fees, registrations, notices, and renewals, there is often so much to keep track of that it can be easy to switch to autopilot and pay a fee that arrives in the mail without a second thought.

Many scams today are no longer just about hacking. Some arrive as professional-looking correspondence relating to company annual reviews and business name renewals that appear legitimate at first glance. While these notices often contain genuine information about your business, they are not always issued by ASIC or your registered ASIC agent. Taking a moment to verify the details before making payment could save you unnecessary costs and administrative headaches.

Before You Pay, Check These Details

Some organisations send notices that closely resemble ASIC correspondence, making it easy to assume they require immediate payment. While these notices may be lawful, they often offer services that can be obtained directly through ASIC or your registered ASIC agent at a lower cost.

Look out for the following red flags:

• Source: The correspondence is from a third-party organisation and is not affiliated with the Government, ASIC, or your registered ASIC agent.
• Disclaimer: Many of these notices include a small disclaimer stating that they are independent of ASIC.
• Fees: The notice may look like an invoice, but the fee differs from the amount charged directly by ASIC or your registered agent.
• Verify: Check your business details and renewal status through ASIC’s official portal. Be cautious if payment is requested well in advance of your normal due dates.

How Macro Group Can Help

For clients who have appointed Macro Group as their ASIC agent, we assist with monitoring ASIC compliance obligations, annual company reviews and business name renewals, helping ensure important deadlines are not missed.

• We may contact you or forward correspondence relating to ASIC, ATO, and other business matters from our official company email addresses.
• As part of our compliance processes, we verify the identity of the individuals and businesses we support. You may therefore receive correspondence from us requesting identification checks. These checks help protect both our firm and our clients by ensuring that we are dealing only with reputable and legitimate individuals and businesses.
• If you are ever unsure about correspondence you have received, we encourage you to contact our team before making payment. A quick review can often prevent unnecessary expense and provide peace of mind.

What has ASIC done?

ASIC has recently increased its focus on unsolicited business name renewal and company review notices after concerns that some businesses were paying fees without realising they were dealing with a third-party service provider rather than ASIC or their existing registered agent.

ASIC issued a public warning recently reminding businesses to exercise caution when receiving letters, emails and notices relating to company annual reviews and business name renewals. ASIC noted that while some third-party providers legitimately offer administrative services, their correspondence can create confusion and may result in businesses paying additional fees unnecessarily.

Subsequent enforcement action has been taken by ASIC against several operators in this space, cancelling their registered agent status for breaching ASIC’s Registered Agent Terms & Conditions.

This serves as a reminder that even where correspondence appears professional and contains accurate business information, business owners should take a moment to verify the sender and understand exactly what they are paying for before making payment.

Final Reminder

Before paying any notice relating to a company annual review, business name renewal, ASIC fee or company registration service:

• Check the sender
• Verify the fee
• Confirm the due date
• Contact your accountant or registered ASIC agent if you are unsure

If you’re unsure, don’t hesitate to contact the Macro Group team. We can help review the notice, confirm whether any action is required, and provide guidance before you make payment.

 

Date: 04/09/2026
The Macro Group Limited AFSL: 485843 Tax Agent Number 24 76 5236.

The information in this article contains general information only. We have not taken into consideration any of your personal objectives, financial situation or needs. Before taking any action, you should consider whether the general advice contained in this communication is appropriate to you having regard to your circumstances and needs and seek appropriate professional advice if you think you need it. We recommend that you consult a licensed or authorised financial adviser if you require financial advice that takes into account your personal circumstances.