When you’re starting out in business, working out all of the registration processes you need to complete can be difficult.
Two of the most common registrations businesses complete are for an Australian Business Number (ABN) and a business name (also known as a trading name).
Registering for both of these are completely separate processes. Below we cover what each of these registration processes involves:
Having an ABN for your business is not compulsory, however you will need one when dealing with government (such as at tax time), or if you need to register for goods and services tax (GST).
You also generally need to put an ABN on your invoices, or other documents relating to sales that you make. If you don’t, other businesses may withhold 46.5% from any payment to you.
You do not need an ABN in order to register for a business name.
For more information on whether you need an ABN, see our Register for an Australian Business Number (ABN) topic.
Registrations for ABNs are managed by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO). You can apply using the following methods:
There is no cost to register an ABN, however if you use a tax agent to register on your behalf, they may charge a fee for their services.
For more information on how to register, see our Register for an Australian Business Number (ABN) topic.
The fastest way to get an ABN is to apply online via the Australian Business Register . As long as the ATO can validate your details against the data on their systems, your ABN will be issued immediately and they will send you written confirmation of your ABN registration.
Otherwise, the ATO aims to provide a decision on your application within 28 days of receiving all of the necessary information. If your application is incomplete or incorrect it may take longer.
For more information on how long the application process can take, please contact the ATO directly on 13 28 66.
Unlike business name registrations, your ABN registration does not need renewal - it will remain active until it is cancelled. Once it's registered, you can check the status of your ABN using the ABN Lookup website.
A business name is simply a name or title under which a person, or other legal entity, trades.
If you only want to trade under your own name, such as Sally Smith, then you don't need to register a business name. If you want to trade as Bob Smith’s Building Supplies, then you will need to register the name.
Registering a business name will not give you exclusive rights to use that name however. If you want exclusive use throughout Australia, you should consider registering for a trade mark.
Yes, there are restrictions on what name you can register. If your proposed name has a trade mark registered against it, if it is too similar to a business name already registered in your state or territory, or it is too similar to a registered company name, then your application may be rejected. There are also restrictions on certain words such as ANZAC, Chamber of Commerce, or Made in Australia. Names that may be considered offensive or containing foreign language characters may also be rejected.
For more information on what names you can and cannot register in your state or territory, visit the following agency websites:
Before you apply, you should search ASIC Connect and IP Australia's trade marks database to see whether your chosen name has already been taken. Please be aware that even if you don't find your proposed name on these resources, it does not guarantee that your application will be accepted by the agency responsible for registering names in your state or territory.
You may also want to consider whether you want to register your chosen name as the domain name for a website. See our registering a domain name topic for more information.
Registering business names is managed by each individual state and territory and will require you to pay a fee. If you want to operate your business in more than one state or territory, you will need to register your name in each one.
You do not need to have an ABN in order to register for a business name.
Visit the following agency websites for specific information on registering in each state and territory:
For more information on registering a business name, see our business name topic.
As registrations are handled by each state and territory, the processing time can vary from being approved the same day to through to being approved after 10 business days, if your application is submitted correctly.
Until you receive confirmation that your business name registration has been approved, you should not start using it.
To find out how long registration of your business name may take, contact your state or territory agency directly:
The duration of your business name registration will vary depending on the state or territory you register it in, and in some cases, how long you initially choose to register it for.
As a guide, the following registration periods are available:
| State/Territory |
Period(s) |
| Australian Capital Territory |
3 or 5 years |
| New South Wales |
3 years |
| Northern Territory |
3 years |
| Queensland |
1 or 3 years |
| South Australia |
3 years |
| Tasmania |
3 years |
| Victoria |
3 years |
| Western Australia |
3 years |
Depending on which state or territory you register your business name in, you may or may not be notified when it is due for renewal.
For more information on registrations, licences and taxation, visit our Registration & licences and Taxation topics.
You can call the Small Business Support Line free of charge on 1800 77 7275 for information and referral sevices for small businesses.
