Crimes (Currency) Act 1981 & RBA Prop Money Rules Explained for Australian Filmmakers

If you are buying prop money for a shoot, a stage show or a training exercise, the law is the first thing your producer, insurer or legal team will ask about. This guide sets out the prop money Australia laws that matter in plain English, how the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) approaches reproductions of banknotes, and the practical steps an art department can take so the paperwork holds up. It is general information, not legal advice. For a specific production, check the current text of the legislation and speak to your own lawyer.

The short answer

Making, using or passing off imitation currency as real money is a serious offence in Australia. Buying and using clearly marked reproduction notes for a legitimate production purpose is a normal part of screen, stage and photographic work. The difference comes down to four things: how the notes are marked, how they differ from genuine banknotes, how they are marketed, and what you do with them afterwards.

What the Crimes (Currency) Act 1981 is aimed at

The Commonwealth Crimes (Currency) Act 1981 sits alongside the Criminal Code and deals with offences relating to currency. Its purpose is to protect the integrity of Australian money. In practice that means it targets counterfeit currency, and reproductions that could realistically be accepted by a reasonable person as the real thing.

Section 22 is the provision our compliance standard is built around. In summary, it is concerned with making or possessing things that look like Australian currency without a lawful basis. A reproduction that is clearly and permanently marked, and that differs from a genuine note in ways a reasonable person would notice, is treated very differently from a note that has been made to deceive. Always read the current wording of the Act on the official legislation site, because amendments happen and a blog post is never a substitute for the text.

Two points are worth stating clearly:

• The offence is about deception and misuse, not about the existence of a prop. Film, television, theatre and photography have used reproduction currency for as long as those industries have existed.
• Intent matters, but intent alone is not a defence. A prop that looks identical to a real note and is carried in a wallet is a problem regardless of what the owner meant.

What the RBA says about reproductions

The Reserve Bank of Australia is responsible for Australian banknotes and publishes guidance on reproducing banknote images. The guidance exists because banknotes carry security features, and because convincing copies cause real problems for shops, banks and the public. The RBA's position, in broad terms, is that reproductions must be clearly distinguishable from genuine notes, for example through changes in size, one-sided printing, or prominent markings, and must not be used in a way that could mislead.

The RBA updates its guidance when new banknote series are released, so check its banknote pages before you finalise a brief. If your production needs something the standard guidance does not cover, such as a close-up hero shot of a new-series note, the RBA is the body to ask, and the answer should go on your production file.

How PROPPS builds notes to the standard

Every product PROPPS PTY LTD sells is a non-legal tender reproduction prop made solely for motion pictures, television, theatre, visual arts and simulation training. We have been supplying Australian productions from Eltham, Victoria since 2019, and more than 500 film, television and theatrical productions have used our work. The compliance standard behind every note is simple:

1. Specimen markings on every note. Each note carries permanent specimen markings so that no one could mistake it for legal tender at a glance or in the hand.
2. Paper, not polymer. Genuine Australian banknotes are printed on polymer. Our notes are printed on non-reflective archival paper, so the feel is different the moment someone picks one up.
3. Deliberate differences from a genuine note. We design reproductions to deviate from the real thing in material and treatment, not just in a label.
4. Honest marketing. We never describe prop notes as spendable, undetectable or interchangeable with real money. Our pages say what the product is and what it is for.
5. Traceable dispatch. Orders ship by Australia Post Express with a mandatory signature on delivery, so every parcel has a named recipient.

You can read the same standard on our compliance page, which is the page to send to a producer or insurer who wants it in one place.

A compliance checklist for productions

Use this list when you brief the art department or prepare a production file. It takes about ten minutes and answers most of the questions an insurer or location owner will raise.

1. Name the purpose of the notes in the call sheet or prop schedule, for example "reproduction currency for scene 14, bank counter".
2. Keep a copy of the supplier's invoice and the specimen marking details on the production file.
3. Store prop notes with the prop master or art department, not loose in a costume pocket or a personal bag.
4. Brief the cast and background performers: the notes are for the camera and they are never spent, shown off or posted as real cash.
5. If you shoot in a public place, tell the venue or local police beforehand, and keep a copy of the supplier details on set.
6. Return, destroy or securely store unused notes at wrap. Do not leave them in a location or hire car.
7. Keep close-up hero shots of any note under your own control and check the RBA's current guidance before you publish stills or trailers.

Red flags when you choose a supplier

Prop currency is sold by a mix of professional studios and anonymous sellers. A few signals should make you stop and ask questions:

• Claims of "government clearance", "RBA approved" or "100% compliant" with no source. Regulators do not hand out approvals for individual prop sellers. If a claim has no link to a document, treat it as a sales line.
• Language about passing detection tests. Anything that suggests the notes could fool a pen, a scanner or a cashier is describing the wrong product.
• Discreet or unmarked shipping offered as a feature. Legitimate props do not need to hide. Traceable, signed-for delivery is the safer arrangement for everyone.
• No Australian business details. An ABN, a physical address and a contact number are the minimum. You should be able to confirm who you are paying.
• Overseas listings of polymer notes that closely copy current Australian notes. These sit much closer to the legal line and can be held up at the border.

For more on weighing up local and overseas options, see our guide to local vs overseas prop money suppliers.

Using prop money on set and in public

Most compliance problems happen after the camera stops, not in the shot. A few habits prevent them:

• Do not hand prop notes to anyone outside the production, including as a joke or a tip.
• Do not use them at a shop, ATM, taxi or vending machine, even as a test.
• Do not post unmarked close-ups to social media with captions implying the cash is real.
• Do not leave notes visible in a parked car on location.
• If a member of the public or an officer asks, show the specimen markings and the supplier invoice. That is what they are for.

Special cases

Content creators and advertising. The same rules apply to a social media video as to a feature film. If the clip is meant to look like a real cash giveaway, the risk is the presentation, not the prop. Read our guide to prop money for content creators.

Training and simulation. Banks, retailers and security trainers use reproduction notes for cash-handling exercises. Keep the notes in the training room and record their return.

Theatre. Stage use is low risk because the audience is at a distance, but backstage handling still needs control. Our theatre-friendly range is built for that.

Where to go next

If you want specimen-marked notes that your legal team can sign off, start with the New Notes range, compare the $100 and $50 products, or read our guides on whether it is illegal to buy prop money and the legal difference between fake money and prop money. Orders start at $300 AUD, delivery is free from $500, and crypto payments receive a 10% discount.

This article is general information. It is not legal advice and it does not replace the Act, the RBA's published guidance or advice from your own solicitor.