Buying a Franchise in Australia: Use the Disclosure Register

Australia’s Franchise Disclosure Register gives prospective buyers a free starting point for comparing franchise opportunities. Used carefully, it can help you narrow your choices before spending heavily on advice or applications. However, a listing is not a recommendation to buy. The practical skill is turning public information into a consistent shortlist, then knowing which questions need direct answers from each franchisor.

Understand what the register does

The Franchise Disclosure Register is an Australian Government directory containing franchisor profiles and business information. Franchisors must create a profile and publish information under the Franchising Code of Conduct, the mandatory code governing Australia’s franchising community. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) regulates the code.

A new code commenced on 1 April 2025, with some additional requirements applying from 1 November 2025. Buyers should therefore use current information rather than rely on an old downloaded profile or a sales brochure referring to earlier rules.

The register helps you find and compare information about franchise systems, including costs and contract terms. It does not replace the disclosure document or franchise agreement that a franchisor must provide directly during the buying process.

Importantly, publication on a government register does not mean the government has endorsed the opportunity, checked its profitability or guaranteed that the information is accurate. Treat a profile as information supplied by the franchisor, not an independent investment assessment.

Build a consistent comparison sheet

Start with a small group of brands offering a business model you could realistically operate. Comparing a mobile service franchise with a premises-based retail business purely on the advertised entry price is unlikely to tell you much.

Create a spreadsheet with one column per brand. Record the same information for each, using the register wherever it provides the relevant detail:

• The brand and the legal name of the franchisor.
• The type of business and where it operates.
• Stated establishment costs and ongoing payments.
• The agreement term and any information about further terms.
• The date you accessed the profile and any update date shown.
• Questions that require a direct response from the franchisor.

Keep the original wording alongside your summary. A cost described as an estimate should not become a fixed price in your spreadsheet. Likewise, an advertised starting figure should not become your assumed total investment.

Mark unavailable information as “not established”, rather than entering zero or guessing. This simple discipline prevents an incomplete profile from appearing cheaper or more attractive than a detailed one.

Turn differences into useful questions

The strongest use of the register is identifying differences worth investigating, not declaring a winner from headline figures.

For example, two brands may describe their establishment costs differently. One figure might cover a broader range of opening expenses than another. Before comparing them, ask each franchisor for a written explanation of what is included, what is excluded and whether GST is included.

Similarly, a longer agreement term is not automatically a better deal. Ask what obligations run throughout that term and which assumptions support the proposed business model. The register can highlight a difference; it cannot tell you whether that difference suits your circumstances.

Send focused questions rather than a generic request for more information:

• “What does the published investment range include?”
• “Which circumstances would place my proposed business above that range?”
• “Does this profile describe the model currently being offered to me?”
• “Why does the term in your proposal differ from the public profile?”

A discrepancy is not automatically evidence of wrongdoing. A profile may describe a broader offering than your particular opportunity. Nevertheless, obtain an explanation and supporting documents before relying on either version. Franchisors must not give prospective franchisees misleading or deceptive information; the Australian Consumer Law applies alongside the code.

Use the shortlist to control your next steps

Once you have compared profiles, separate brands into three groups: worth investigating, awaiting clarification and unsuitable for your needs. Avoid treating a missing answer as a reason to rush into an application or pay to secure an opportunity.

If you cannot locate a franchisor, try both its brand and legal business name, then ask it to identify its profile. An unexplained absence deserves further investigation, not an assumption that the register requirement is optional.

For shortlisted brands, save a dated copy of the information you relied on and share your comparison with your franchise lawyer and accountant. Ask them to investigate the unresolved differences when reviewing the actual offer. Their assessment should address your proposed business, rather than merely repeating the public profile.

Practical takeaway: Use the register to compare consistently and ask sharper questions. Commit only after the information about your specific opportunity has been explained, documented and independently assessed.