Application Programming Interfaces (APIs)

Find out about ASIC’s APIs for our business names and companies registers, and for submitting reportable situations forms.

Business names and companies register APIs

These APIs can be used to lodge documents and access information on our business names and companies registers.

We have provided the specifications for these APIs on this page. There is no fee to access the APIs.

You need to apply to be an ASIC digital service provider before you can use these APIs.

How to apply to be an ASIC digital service provider

Before you apply

Read and understand ASIC’s digital services access terms and conditions (PDF 235 KB).

Review the API technical specifications below.

Contact ASIC

Contact webservices@asic.gov.au and ask for application information. Tell us which API you would like to access and your purpose for accessing it.

Complete the application

Complete your application and send to webservices@asic.gov.au.

Next steps

If we approve your application, we will provide:

access to a test environment for the purposes of development
testing support to ensure your product meets ASIC’s requirements.

Technical specifications for business name and companies registers APIs

Technical specifications for business name APIs

Our business name APIs (also referred to as ‘web services’) offer access to:

business name registrations
renewals
information from the business names register.

For technical specifications for ABN APIs, contact the Australian Taxation Office (ATO).

Table: Business name API documentation
API document	Description	Last updated
Error Codes (PDF 229 KB)	A list of error messages transmitted through the service.	21 April 2016
Message Implementation Guide for Digital Service Providers v3.4 (PDF 1.46 MB)	Outlines the information that must be included for business name registration, renewal and search transactions.	20 September 2022
Message Implementation Guide for Digital Service Providers v3.2 - Sample XML (zip 142 KB)	Sample messages submitted through the service.	6 October 2022
Business Registration Service - Message Implementation Guide for Digital Service Providers v1.8 (PDF 2.57 MB)	Outlines the information that must be included for the streamlined business registration service transaction.	20 September 2022
Web Services Implementation Guide v3.2 (PDF 472 KB)	Explains the common aspects and architecture of the system and how it works.	20 September 2022

Technical specifications for companies register APIs

Our companies register APIs (also referred to as 'EDGE') offer access to:

company registrations
maintenance transactions
scheduling workflows
commonly lodged forms
information from the companies register.

Table: Company API documentation
API document	Description	Last updated
Electronic Lodgement System (ELS) Documentation Summary v5.10 (PDF 132 KB)	A guide to our APIs.	2 August 2021
Internet Transport Layer Application Communication Protocol Specifications v1.03 (PDF 292 KB)	Outlines how the service communicates with ASIC.	27 January 2016
Document Interchange System Interface Specifications v1.07 (PDF 685 KB)	Outlines how the service communicates with ASIC.	14 April 2003
ELS Document Messages Specification v5.10 (PDF 1.00 MB)	Explains common aspects of the system.	2 August 2021
ELS Digital Signature Specification v2.00 (PDF 202 KB)	Outlines the digital signature requirements for company registration.	2 August 2021
ELS Company Registration Messages Specification v3.00 (PDF 1.27 MB)	Outlines the information that must be included for company registration transactions.	2 August 2021
ELS Registry Messages Specification v5.00 (PDF 1.01 MB)	Outlines the information that must be included for company maintenance transactions.	18 February 2021
ELS Agent Services Messages Specification v5.00 (PDF 871 KB)	Outlines the information that must be included to nominate or cease a registered agent and requirements for data downloads and other transactions.	7 October 2020
ELS ASIC Generated Messages Specification v2.00 (PDF 729 KB)	Outlines how ASIC will send messages through EDGE.	19 June 2018
Business Registration Service - Message Implementation Guide for Digital Service Providers v1.8 (PDF 2.57 MB)	Outlines the information that must be included for the streamlined business registration service transaction.	20 September 2022
Web Services Implementation Guide v3.2 (PDF 472 KB)	Explains the common aspects and architecture of the system and how it works.	20 September 2022

Reportable situations API

This API enables Australian financial services (AFS) licensees and credit licensees to submit or update high volumes of reportable situation (RS) forms. It replicates the ‘Submit or update reportable situation by licensee (includes updating a breach report)' pathway in the ASIC Regulatory Portal.

This API does not allow users to submit or update breach reports for breaches that occurred before October 2021.

How to apply for access to the reportable situations API

Before you apply

Review the ASIC Reportable Situations API User Agreement (PDF 294 KB).

Develop your own API (that will interact with our API) using version 2 of the technical specifications. You must be ready to test your API before you apply. You will only be able to access the testing environment for a limited period. If you are not ready, you may not be approved.

Complete the form

Complete the ASIC Reportable Situations API - Application Form (PDF 673 KB). Send the form to ASIC for review at api.breach@asic.gov.au.

Wait for user credentials

Wait for ASIC to provide user credentials for the non-production environment and test scenarios.

Conduct tests

Conduct tests on the provided test scenarios. Once you are satisfied with the test results, email them to ASIC for review at api.breach@asic.gov.au.

Next steps

If we approve your application, we will provide user credentials for the production environment of the API.

There is no fee to access the ASIC reportable situations API.

Technical specifications for reportable situations API

New technical specifications

We have updated our reportable situations API and released new technical specifications (Version 2). From 12 March 2027, we will no longer accept new and existing RS reports from APIs that were built using version 1 of the specifications.

If you are an existing user of version 1 of our API, find out how to transition to version 2.

Technical specifications for reportable situations API - Version 2 (NEW)

Release date: May 2026
In effect: 15 June 2026

Download: ASIC breach reporting API specification (PDF 965 KB)

For information about what has changed in this version, see Appendix M of the specifications.

Development of this API has been guided by the Australian Government API Design Standard.

Technical specifications for reportable situations API - Version 1

Download: ASIC Reportable Situations API Specifications Version 1.9 (Word 1.3 MB)

These specifications are for reference only. Developers should now use version 2 of the specifications.

Development of this API was guided by the Australian Government API Design Standard.

How to transition to version 2: Information for existing users

If you already have approved access to version 1 of our API, follow the steps below to ensure you can submit new RS reports from 12 March 2027.

Build a new/Update your API

Build a new/Update your API using version 2 of the specifications. Start building as soon as possible. From 12 March 2027, you will no longer be able to submit new RS reports using a version 1 API.

For information about what has changed, see Appendix M of version 2 of the technical specifications.

Test your API

Test your API in the non-production environment. You can use your existing credentials to access the non-production environment. The non-production environment has not changed.

It is your responsibility to test your API thoroughly and make sure it works correctly. Inadequate testing may result in RS reports being submitted incorrectly.

Use the API in the production environment

If you already have production access to version 1 of the API, you will automatically have production access to version 2 from 15 June 2026.

You can use your existing user credentials to access the production environment. No additional access request is required.

If you need help, contact api.breach@asic.gov.au.

Updating inflight RS reports submitted using version 1 API

Version 2 of the API will support both new RS submissions and updates to in-flight RS submissions done via Version 1. To update an RS report that you submitted using your version 1 API, use your version 1 API.

Some in-flight RS reports submitted in Version 1 where the product value has been updated in Version 2 will require a data fix before they can pass Version 2 validation.

Note: If any of your in-flight Version 1 submissions require a data fix, it is your responsibility to email api.breach@asic.gov.au using the template below and provide the details of the affected transactions. Once ASIC receives the list, we will verify and update the transactions on our end.

As part of the in-flight submissions being updated to version 2, access will be revoked for API Version 1.

Download template: Inflight submission data (CSV)

See the table below for more details about lodging and updating RS reports.

Table: Lodging and updating RS reports (Existing users)
Task	Before 15 Jun 2026	From 15 Jun to 11 Mar 2027	From 12 Mar 2027
Submit a NEW RS report	Use v1 API.	Use v2 API if you have tested it thoroughly. Use v1 API if you have not built and tested a v2 API.	Use v2 API. V1 API will not be accessible.
Update an RS report submitted using v1 API	Use v1 API.	Continue to use v1 API while transitioning to v2. You can only use v2 API after it has been tested, and all required v1 API data fixes have been completed.	Use v2 API. V1 API will not be accessible.
Update an RS report submitted using v2 API	NA	Use v2 API. Do not use v1 API.	Use v2 API. V1 API will not be accessible.

Note:

v1 API = an API that was built using version 1 of the technical specifications
v2 API = an API that was built using version 2 of the technical specifications.