You can lodge most visa applications yourself - nothing legally stops you. Plenty of straightforward cases (single applicant, clear-cut occupation on the skilled list, no character or health complications) go through fine without an agent. If your situation is simple, DIY is a reasonable option, especially with the ImmiAccount guides and the Department's own checklists. Where it gets trickier is with skills assessments, points calculations (especially if you're borderline on the invite threshold), partner visas with complex relationship evidence, or anything involving a previous visa refusal/cancellation, health issue, or character concern. Small errors in those areas can lead to delays or refusals that are hard to fix later, and once a visa is refused it can affect future applications too. A registered migration agent (look for MARA registration - you can verify anyone's number on the OMARA website before engaging them) won't guarantee an outcome, but they can help you avoid the common mistakes: wrong evidence for a subclass, missing a key document, misjudging which stream or state nomination gives you the best shot, etc. Worth at least a paid consult if your case isn't simple. For what it's worth, I looked into a few agent directories when I was going through this and found Immigration Buddy (immigrationbuddy.com.au) useful for comparing MARA-registered agents and getting a general sense of pathways before committing to anyone. Doesn't replace doing your own research, but it's a decent starting point. Good luck with the application - happy to answer more specific questions if you share your visa subclass.