Every superannuation fund in Australia (except SMSFs) must be regulated by APRA (Australian Prudential Regulation Authority) and hold an RSE (Registrable Superannuation Entity) licence. Checking this before you roll over your super takes 2 minutes.
What APRA Regulation Means
APRA regulates the financial soundness of large super funds. APRA-regulated funds must:
- Hold an RSE licence
- Have a board of trustees that meets APRA’s fitness and propriety standards
- Maintain adequate capital and liquidity
- Submit annual financial and operational data to APRA
- Pass APRA’s annual performance test (MySuper products)
APRA regulation is a minimum standard — not a quality guarantee — but it means the fund is a real, licensed entity subject to ongoing government oversight.
How to Check on the APRA Register
- Visit apra.gov.au/register-of-regulated-entities
- Under “Industry type”, select Superannuation
- Search by fund name or ABN
- Confirm the entity appears with an Active RSE licence status
What you’ll see for a legitimate fund:
- Fund name and ABN
- RSE licence number (e.g., L0000XXX)
- Trustee name and licence status
- Entity type (Corporate trustee, etc.)
How to Check on the ATO’s Superannuation Fund Lookup (SFLU)
The ATO maintains a separate database used to confirm fund compliance:
- Visit superfundlookup.gov.au
- Search by fund name, USI (Unique Superannuation Identifier), or ABN
- The status column should show Complying or Registered
A “complying” status means the fund meets the requirements for employer contributions and rollovers.
What APRA Regulation Does NOT Cover — SMSFs
Self managed super funds (SMSFs) are not APRA-regulated — they are regulated by the ATO. SMSFs will not appear on the APRA register. This is normal for legitimate SMSFs. To verify an SMSF:
- Ask the SMSF trustee for the fund’s ABN and unique superannuation identifier (USI)
- Use the ATO’s SMSF verification tool — your existing fund may also do this on your behalf
- Never roll over to an SMSF you didn’t set up yourself unless you are confident in the trustee’s identity and legitimacy
What to Do If a Fund Is Not on the APRA Register
If you search for a fund and it doesn’t appear, or the status shows as cancelled or surrendered:
- Do not roll over your super
- Ask the fund or adviser for their RSE licence number and check it directly
- Contact the ATO on 13 10 20 to confirm the fund’s status
- Report your concern to ASIC at asic.gov.au/report-misconduct
What APRA-Regulated Funds Must Provide You
A legitimate APRA-regulated fund will always:
- Provide a current Product Disclosure Statement (PDS)
- Issue annual member statements
- Have a publicly accessible annual report
- Display their ABN and RSE licence number on all official documents
If any of these are missing or unavailable, treat it as a significant red flag.
For more: How to Verify a Super Fund, Super Scams, SMSF Guide, How to Report a Super Scam. For advice on your situation, speak with a licensed financial adviser via MoneySmart.