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Guide

Creating your Franchise Disclosure Register profile

The public Franchise Disclosure Register is where prospective franchisees now shortlist systems. A complete, current profile is both a legal obligation and a recruitment asset.

EH

Eliza Harding

Senior Content Analyst · B.Bus (Accounting), 9 years in franchise research

Legally reviewed by James Whitmore. Last updated 23 September 2026 · 7 min read.

What is the Franchise Disclosure Register?

The Franchise Disclosure Register is a free, public register at franchisedisclosure.gov.au, kept by the ACCC since 21 October 2025, where Australian franchisors must publish set information about their system. A franchisor must register at least 14 days before entering into its first franchise agreement, and must confirm or update its profile at least once a year, on or before the 14th day of the fifth month after its financial year ends (14 November for a 30 June year end). Prospective franchisees use it to compare systems before they ever contact you.

The information is supplied by franchisors themselves, but it is where serious buyers start, so treat your profile as a shopfront as well as a compliance requirement.

What to lodge

  • Franchisor name, trading names, ABN, addresses, phone and email.
  • Your industry classification (ANZSIC code).
  • How long you have operated in Australia, your outlet numbers and the states you operate in.
  • Integrity questions: whether the franchisor, its associates or their directors have been convicted of a serious offence (last 10 years), had a final civil judgment against them on listed matters (last 5 years), or been bankrupt or insolvent.
  • Money: upfront payments, start-up costs, and ongoing payments to you and to others.
  • Agreement terms: term, renewal, goodwill, restraint of trade, supply restrictions, whether you can make one-sided changes, and arbitration.
  • Optionally, your standard form franchise agreement and logo. Personal information and details of particular franchisees or sites must be redacted first.

Master franchisors with two or more sub-franchisors follow the same rules. Keep the register entry consistent with your disclosure document, buyers and their lawyers cross-check the two.

Timing and annual confirmation

  • Register at least 14 days before you enter into your first franchise agreement.
  • Confirm or update the profile at least once a year, on or before the 14th day of the fifth month after your financial year end: 14 November for a 30 June year end, 14 May for a 31 December year end.
  • Keep it consistent with your current disclosure document. An entry that hasn't been updated or confirmed for 18 months can be removed from the Register.
Diarise the annual confirmation date. Register lapses are a live ACCC enforcement target: Cash Converters and Mobile Travel Agents each paid a $16,500 infringement notice in June 2025 over alleged missed annual updates, and the OPSM and Laubman & Pank franchisor paid $19,800 in March 2026 after missing its May 2025 update.

Turning the register into a recruitment advantage

Because the register is public and comparable, a complete, current, professional entry stands out against thin or lapsed competitors. FranchiseScope surfaces register-sourced information to prospective franchisees, so an accurate profile helps genuinely interested, capital-ready candidates find and trust your system.

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Frequently asked questions

When must a franchisor register on the Franchise Disclosure Register?

A franchisor must register at least 14 days before entering into its first franchise agreement, and must confirm or update its profile at least once a year, on or before the 14th day of the fifth month after its financial year end (14 November for a 30 June year end).

Is the Franchise Disclosure Register free?

Yes. It is a free, public, government-hosted register at franchisedisclosure.gov.au. Franchisors supply their own information, and the ACCC has kept the Register since 21 October 2025.

Does the register replace the disclosure document?

No. The register is a public summary buyers use to shortlist; the disclosure document is the fuller record you must give a prospective franchisee at least 14 days before signing. Keep the two consistent.

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