ASO works to assist individuals, businesses and other organisations by providing guidance on how to comply with sanctions laws. But we cannot provide you with legal advice or advice on the sanctions laws of foreign countries.

How can I get help?

Register as a Pax user

Pax is the Australian sanctions portal. You will need to register as a user of Pax to apply for a sanctions permit.

Make a general enquiry

General enquiries can be made through Pax. On the Pax landing page, click on the Contact Us tab on the navigation bar to submit your query. We will endeavour to respond as soon as possible, noting that more complex queries may require more time. 
Please note that the ASO is unable to provide legal advice. The ASO is also unable to provide specific advice regarding proposed or hypothetical activities. You are responsible for understanding your obligations and taking steps to work out whether your proposed activity is compliant with Australian sanctions laws or requires a permit. You should consider seeking independent legal advice to determine whether you require a sanctions permit.

Apply for a sanctions permit

If you believe your proposed activity is affected by sanctions and that you meet the criteria for a permit, you can apply for a sanctions permit through Pax. You will need to provide all relevant information. The ASO cannot progress your application without information indicating why the proposed activity is prohibited and details of the relevant authorisation(s) you are seeking. The ASO cannot progress applications which provide insufficient information.

Before making an application, you should read all the information on this website, follow the What You Need To Do Checklist and get your own legal advice as appropriate.

While we work as quickly as possible to process applications, you should allow a minimum of 3 months for ASO to process your application, especially for complex activities and activities in high-risk countries or regions. The ASO will endeavour to prioritise applications with commercial deadlines, but given the complexity of the relevant considerations, there is often limited scope to reduce the time it takes to finalise the process. The ASO will often need to consult with domestic, and sometimes international partners to ensure it is making the correct and preferable recommendation to the Minister. The ASO will not recommend the Minister grant a permit unless it has completed the necessary consultation. It is therefore in your interests as an applicant to ensure the ASO has sufficient time to give your application due consideration. Go to Sanctions Permits for information on how to minimise unnecessary delays.

Get updates on Australian sanctions law

You can subscribe to our email list to receive email updates on Australian sanctions law.

You can also view all updates on our website on the ASO landing page on the DFAT website.

Find out whether a person or entity is subject to targeted financial sanctions

You are responsible for undertaking the due diligence checks necessary to ensure the persons or entities connected with your proposed activity are not subject to targeted financial sanctions.

We maintain a Consolidated List  of all persons and entities subject to targeted financial sanctions, which is designed as one tool to assist you in undertaking your due diligence checks. Information on how to search the list is provided under Consolidated List.

Get notification of updates to our Consolidated List

Subscribe to our email list to receive notification of updates to the Consolidated List.

Find out about ASO presentations

We provide free presentations on Australian sanctions law for individuals, Australian businesses, universities and other organisations in Australian major capital cities. Subscribe to our email list to receive information on upcoming presentations including the location, timing and how to register.

Request an ASO speaker for an event

We are available to present at seminars hosted by industry groups, professional associations and peak bodies. To enquire about an ASO speaker for your event, please send us an email.