Yes. In Australia, accountants can receive referral fees from mortgage brokers when they introduce clients with lending needs, provided the arrangement is properly structured and disclosed.
The key legal principle is that the accountant is making a referral — they are not providing credit advice, comparing loan products, or making lending recommendations. Those activities require an Australian Credit Licence. The accountant’s role ends at the introduction; the licensed mortgage broker handles all credit assessment, product comparison, and recommendation.
Disclosure requirement. The accountant must disclose to their client that they will receive a payment for the introduction. This is a general obligation under professional conduct rules and helps maintain client trust.
Professional body considerations. CPA Australia and Chartered Accountants ANZ do not prohibit referral fee income. However, accountants should confirm their professional indemnity insurance covers referral activities and check whether any restrictions apply under their specific AFSL (if they hold one).
Written agreement. A written referral agreement between the accountant and the mortgage broker should document the fee structure, disclosure obligations, and scope of the arrangement.
In practice, referral arrangements between accountants and mortgage brokers are common and widely accepted in the Australian professional services market. The accountant benefits from an additional income stream; the client benefits from a trusted introduction to a qualified broker.
