Do you need an ABN?

An ABN, or Australian Business Number is a unique number given to Australian businesses to identify them. Every business receives their own 11-digit number when they register. This identifies them to the government and general public. ABN’s are used for a variety of tax and business purposes within Australia. Having an ABN is essential to legitimise your business, acting as a unique identifier of your business on all documentation. You can always look up an ABN in Australia by using tools like Check ABN.

The best way to get an ABN registered is through ABN Assist. All you need to do is complete a simple form, making the process quick and easy. Your application will then be checked by registered agents, who ensure that you have completed the form correctly. If any information needs to be corrected, they will be able to assist you, ensuring you get your ABN registered fast, without headaches.

Yes, an ABN registration is essential to running a business in Australia. It is a requirement by the ATO that all Australian businesses have an ABN registered to them before they commence operations.

With an ABN you can ensure your clients and customers will pay the full amount for your services. Without an ABN registered, other businesses must withhold 46.5% from any payment they make to you.

By registering for an ABN you will also be able to register for a .com.au domain, and register your business name with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC).

Check ABN is here to make it simple and easy to find out what your ABN is. While normally you should receive a notification of your ABN registration via email, with a follow up delivered via post. However, may people lose these documents.

So, if you have misplaced your ABN you can search for it using an ABN lookup tool like Check ABN. Simply put in your name or the name of your business in the ABN check search box. The tool will then search for any registered ABN’s attached to your name or the business name.

If you can’t find your ABN, you should reach out to us. It is possible that you may have to reactivate your ABN as it was canceled due to inactivity.

If you have used the ABN lookup tool at Check ABN and have found out your ABN has been cancelled, you may need to follow these steps. Before you re-open your business you will need to reactivate your ABN. Whether it was cancelled voluntarily or not, you are not allowed to use a cancelled ABN for general business activities.

To reactivate your ABN just fill out a form here.

Once you register your ABN you should receive it within one business day from when you receive the confirmation of your details. Until this point, your ABN will likely not appear on the Check ABN search.