Who must comply with Aged Care Code of Conduct?
The applicability test for Comply with Aged Care Code of Conduct (ACQSC), computed across 35 industries, 9 business structures and 6 size bands.
Short answer: Some businesses
Applies when the business has approved aged care provider status.
What the obligation is
All providers + workers must comply with the federal Aged Care Code of Conduct.
The Aged Care Code of Conduct (in force since 1 December 2022, continued under the 2024 Act) applies to all approved providers + their aged care workers + governing persons. Sets behavioural expectations + grounds for compliance action including banning orders.
The applicability test
Applies when the business has approved aged care provider status.
How the regulator frames it: Approved aged care providers + workers + governing persons.
What triggers it: Working in or governing aged care.
Jurisdiction: Commonwealth law, so the test is the same in every state and territory.
Which industries are in or out
Outcome across the 35 industries Rules Mate maps (1 of 35: yes; 34 of 35: no).
| Industry | Answer |
|---|---|
| Aged care providers | Yes |
| No | 34 other industries |
Business structure and size
Structure does not change the answer in aged care providers: for every structure the answer is "yes".
Size does not change the answer in aged care providers: at every size band the answer is "yes".
Worked examples
Each line is one run of the Rules Mate applicability engine for a single business profile, with the reason the engine gives:
- Pty Ltd company in aged care providers with 6–19 employees, turnover $1M–$3M: applies. Aged care provider.
- Pty Ltd company in real estate agents with 6–19 employees, turnover $1M–$3M: does not apply. Requires approved aged care provider status.
Answers that bring it into scope
Starting from a small or large professional services company that does not otherwise meet the test, each of these single facts changes the engine's answer:
- The business is an approved aged care provider: it then applies (approved aged care provider).
What you must do, and when
- When due
- Continuous.
- Frequency
- Ongoing
- Evidence to keep
- Workforce attestation, training records, banning order register checks.
- Status
- Current
- Priority
- Critical
Penalty for not complying
Maximum penalty: Civil penalties for serious breaches + banning orders against individuals.
Audit or assurance level
Rules Mate has not yet classified the audit or assurance level for this obligation. Any audit, review or certification requirement is set by the regulator source listed below.
Obligations with the same applicability test
If this obligation applies to you, so do these 4: the engine uses the same rule for each.
What usually applies alongside it
Across the 1,890 business profiles Rules Mate evaluates, these obligations apply to most of the businesses this one applies to, and are far more common among them than among businesses generally:
Where it sits in the corpus
Rules Mate tracks 8 published obligations tagged "aged care", 7 of them rated critical. For a professional services Pty Ltd company with 6–19 employees operating in every state, 0 of those apply outright. This obligation is rated critical priority, and is an ongoing duty.
Regulator, legislation and tools
Regulated by Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission.
ACQSC: Aged care provider regulation under the new Aged Care Act (in force from 1 November 2025). Standards, complaints, and serious incident response.
Aged Care Act 2024: New federal aged care Act in force 1 November 2025 (replaces 1997 Act).
Free tools that help with this obligation:
Questions
- Who must comply with Aged Care Code of Conduct?
- Applies when the business has approved aged care provider status.
- Do sole traders need to comply with Aged Care Code of Conduct?
- Yes. Looking in aged care providers and every size band, the engine's answer for a sole trader is: yes.
- Do businesses with 1–5 employees need to comply with Aged Care Code of Conduct?
- Yes (1–5 employees, turnover $100K–$1M).
- When is "Comply with Aged Care Code of Conduct" due?
- Continuous.
Related
Sources
Computed by the Rules Mate applicability engine from the published obligation corpus; facts last checked 3 October 2026. Rules Mate is not a law firm and this is general information, not legal advice. Confirm your position with the regulator source or a qualified adviser before acting.