ASIC Tightens Privacy: Residential Addresses Removed from Purchased Company Extracts

On 2 February 2026, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) announced that company extracts purchased through its website will no longer display the residential addresses of company officeholders.[1]  ASIC described this change as a ‘sensible precaution’ to address heightened privacy concerns, including growing risks of identity theft and cyber-crime.

ASIC previously made personal addresses of officeholders publicly available so that third parties could locate those individuals, particularly in order to serve legal documents. However, with the rise of cyber-crime, publicly sharing this information can expose officeholders to risks such as identity theft and fraud.

This article outlines:

• details of the change made by ASIC and why residential addresses were previously publicly available;
• why ASIC has taken action and how these changes align with broader regulatory and societal privacy concerns; and
• the practical implications to consider when registering and updating company details.

ASIC’s increased focus on privacy: what has changed?

In an effort to increase personal privacy and respond to safety concerns, ASIC has introduced a new restriction on public access to company information by removing the residential addresses of directors and secretaries from company extracts. As a result, ASIC will remove this information from its current and historical ASIC company extracts.

For a small fee, any member of the public can purchase a company extract on ASIC’s website. While ASIC has now stripped residential addresses from these company extracts, other key details of officeholders remain publicly available, including:

• full legal names;
• dates of birth; and
• appointment dates.

However, ASIC has not removed residential addresses from its registry entirely. Instead, ASIC has restricted access to this information to:

• government departments;
• law enforcement agencies; and
• those requiring residential address details for regulatory compliance and essential business purposes.

Therefore, officeholders must continue to provide their residential addresses when registering a company as required under the Corporations Act.[2]

Why were residential addresses publicly available?

Public access to the residential addresses of directors and secretaries has historically:

• allowed the service of legal documents; and
• provided creditor, shareholder, and public confidence that officeholders could be located and contacted.

Previously, officeholders with personal safety concerns could apply to ASIC to suppress their residential address and nominate an address for service using ASIC’s Form 379.[3]  However, current privacy concerns have led to this process being deemed insufficient.

Why has ASIC taken action now?

ASIC’s decision reflects growing concerns about the misuse and exploitation of personal data. Key drivers of ASIC’s privacy changes include:

• Identity theft, fraud and cyber-crime: Public access to officeholder addresses creates an opportunity for fraudsters to use personal data including addresses, names and dates of birth to potentially impersonate officeholders, enabling more sophisticated cyber-attacks, like email scams and invoices impersonating officeholders.
• Personal safety: Low-cost access to officeholders’ residential addresses increases their risk of experiencing harassment, threats and stalking.
• Government pressure: Treasurer Jim Chalmers has encouraged ASIC to implement this change, acknowledging how easily residential address information can be accessed and used by the public and the media. Further changes are expected as the Government intends to introduce legislation granting ASIC broader powers to amend registry information where privacy concerns arise.
• Aligning with ASIC’s regulatory strategies: The change supports ASIC’s Registry Connect program, which aims to improve the quality, security and reliability of registry data. Removing residential addresses complements ASIC’s efforts to link director identification numbers to the company register, improving traceability while strengthening privacy.

Why this matters: practical implications and a warning to companies and advisers

ASIC uses residential address information of officeholders for legal, tax and enforcement purposes.[4]  Directors may face consequences if ASIC cannot locate them due to outdated or incorrect details.

It therefore remains important to remember that:

• when registering a company, the personal details of officeholders, including residential addresses, must still be accurately provided; and
• company directors and secretaries who have changed residential address must continue to notify ASIC and update these details.

Ultimately, ASIC’s crackdown on privacy reflects a shift towards balancing transparency with personal safety in an increasingly digital environment. The change protects officeholders from unnecessary exposure without undermining corporate accountability. However, the message remains clear that ASIC’s restriction on publicly available information does not lessen compliance obligations. Companies must continue to maintain accurate and up-to-date records on the ASIC register.

What are the Cleardocs products available?

Cleardocs offer the following relevant products:

• Company Registration | Set up a new company
• Set up a small business, register a company and business name, and more | Cleardocs
• Registered Company documents | Cleardocs

More information from Maddocks

For more information, contact Maddocks on (03) 9288 0555 and ask to speak to a member of the Commercial team.

More Cleardocs information on related topics

• How to register a company in Australia | Cleardocs
• Overview of some things to consider when registering an Australian company

[1] ASIC updates information available through purchased extracts.

[2] Section 205B(3) of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth)

[3] See ASIC Form 379 – Request to supress residential address or change residential and/or alternative address here.

[4] For example, under section 109X of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth), documents may be validly served on a director by posting or leaving them at their residential address notified to ASIC.