---
title: "Screen an acquisition for a notification exemption"
url: "https://ailawframework.com/practice/competition-and-consumer-law/screen-an-acquisition-for-a-notification-exemption"
type: "task"
site: "AI Law Framework"
id: "A29-CO20261022-2"
practice_area: "Competition & Consumer Law (ACCC / ACL)"
tier: "yellow"
lawyer_review: "required"
last_reviewed: "2026-10-22"
---

# Screen an acquisition for a notification exemption

> From the transaction documents, list which of the published exemption categories might apply: control, Chapter 6 voting power of 20 per cent or less, land and quasi-land, financial-market arrangements, ordinary-course…

Canonical page: https://ailawframework.com/practice/competition-and-consumer-law/screen-an-acquisition-for-a-notification-exemption  
Last reviewed: 2026-10-22

Site index for agents: https://ailawframework.com/llms.txt

## Key facts

| Fact | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Practice area | [Competition & Consumer Law (ACCC / ACL)](https://ailawframework.com/practice/competition-and-consumer-law.md) |
| Human involvement | Yellow: Lawyer and AI draft together |
| How AI is used | From the transaction documents, list which of the published exemption categories might apply: control, Chapter 6 voting power of 20 per cent or less, land and quasi-land, financial-market arrangements, ordinary-course asset acquisitions, and internal restructures. Note any targeted rule that removes the exemption. Do not decide that an exemption applies. |
| What the lawyer must review | The lawyer decides whether an exemption applies and whether the acquisition is outside the regime. The ACCC page says an acquisition that meets a threshold must still be notified only if the target is connected with Australia and no exemption applies. Share acquisitions are exempt where the acquirer does not obtain control, or already had control, unless an instrument requires notification despite that, and where the target is a Chapter 6 entity and the result is voting power of 20 per cent or less. Land exemptions include ordinary-course acquisitions, residential development, land businesses not operating a commercial business on the land, lease extensions and renewals, a later acquisition where an earlier equitable interest was notified or waived or occurred before 1 January 2026, and sale and leaseback. Acquisitions of assets in the ordinary course are generally outside the regime, other than land or patents. Coles and Woolworths have additional land and supermarket-business notification requirements that apply regardless of the general thresholds. The lawyer reads the determination, not only the ACCC summary, before advising that no notification is required. |
| Written for / versions | 1 jurisdiction versions below |

## Checking plan

**Source-by-source verification**

Trace relied-on content to independent sources and check for relevant material the output has missed.

- What the AI does: From the transaction documents, list which of the published exemption categories might apply: control, Chapter 6 voting power of 20 per cent or less, land and quasi-land, financial-market arrangements, ordinary-course asset acquisitions, and internal restructures. Note any targeted rule that removes the exemption. Do not decide that an exemption applies.
- What the lawyer does: The lawyer decides whether an exemption applies and whether the acquisition is outside the regime. The ACCC page says an acquisition that meets a threshold must still be notified only if the target is connected with Australia and no exemption applies. Share acquisitions are exempt where the acquirer does not obtain control, or already had control, unless an instrument requires notification despite that, and where the target is a Chapter 6 entity and the result is voting power of 20 per cent or less. Land exemptions include ordinary-course acquisitions, residential development, land businesses not operating a commercial business on the land, lease extensions and renewals, a later acquisition where an earlier equitable interest was notified or waived or occurred before 1 January 2026, and sale and leaseback. Acquisitions of assets in the ordinary course are generally outside the regime, other than land or patents. Coles and Woolworths have additional land and supermarket-business notification requirements that apply regardless of the general thresholds. The lawyer reads the determination, not only the ACCC summary, before advising that no notification is required.
- Who reviews: Responsible lawyer with competence in the matter
- Basis: Practical workflow informed by the linked primary sources; the traffic light and working checks are editorial guidance, not a court or regulator classification.
- Why: The level reflects what the work is, the consequence of an error, and how much of the output the lawyer must independently re-derive.

## Checks the lawyer makes

1. Check the target is, or is not, carrying on a business in Australia before treating a threshold as the end of the question.
2. For a land deal, match the facts to a named exemption on the ACCC page and then to the determination. Do not stop at the summary.
3. For Coles or Woolworths, apply the targeted land and supermarket rules even where the general thresholds or the control exemption would not require notification.
4. Do not treat an ordinary-course acquisition of a patent, or of an interest in land, as outside the regime.

## Notes

- These are suggested working checks. Confirm the required checking with the responsible lawyer before work starts; the checking approach does not establish permission to use AI.

## Sources

- [ACCC, thresholds for notifying acquisitions](https://www.accc.gov.au/business/mergers-and-acquisitions/thresholds-for-notifying-acquisitions) (checked 2026-10-22)

## Jurisdiction versions

| Jurisdiction | Level |
| --- | --- |
| [United States](https://ailawframework.com/practice/competition-and-consumer-law/screen-an-acquisition-for-a-notification-exemption/united-states.md) | Yellow |

*Practice guidance for planning and review. Confirm current primary sources and the requirements of the actual matter. This is general information, not legal advice.*