How to Register a Business Name in Australia

So you’ve picked the perfect name for your business and you’re ready to take the exciting step of registering it and making it your own.

But how exactly do you go about registering a business name in Australia?

This is exactly what our guide and video will show you.

3 Main Ways to Register a Business Name

In a nutshell, you can choose from any one of three options to legally register a business name in Australia.

The first two options are to apply online and you can do that through either:

• The government’s Business Registration Service
• ASIC Connect

The third option is to apply through a private service provider such as an accountant or a specialist business name registration service.

Now before we run through each option in more detail, I just need to point out a few things.

Firstly, before doing anything else, make sure you are legally entitled to register the business name you have chosen. To do this, check out our video on Is Your Business Name Available? Key Checks You Must Do where we run through all the steps you need to take to ensure you haven’t chosen a business name that could land you in any legal trouble.

Secondly, I need to point out that a business name is not the same thing as an Australian Business Number (ABN), an Australian company or company name, or any other licence or registration your business is required to have.

The good news though, is that depending on the method you choose to register your business name, you may be able to apply for some of those things at the same time.

Let’s take a look.

Going Through the Government’s Business Registration Service

If you choose to register your business name online at the government’s Business Registration Service you can also apply for an ABN and a company at the same time by checking the boxes.

You can also register for taxes such as GST and PAYG withholding tax and a range of other taxes as well. Once again, just check the appropriate boxes on the online form.

But if you just want to apply for your business name, simply check the Business Name box, leave all the other boxes unchecked, and click on the button to go to the next page.

From here, check the list to make sure you have all the documents and information you need to provide to finish the process. Also, take note of the fee you have to pay to complete the registration.

Once you’re ready, begin the registration process by creating an account or logging into your existing account if you have one. Once you have completed the process, you should get an email letting you know that you have successfully registered your business name.

Going Through ASIC Connect

The other way to register your business name online is through ASIC Connect.

The process is fairly similar to the previous method, with the main difference being that you need to already have an ABN – i.e. you cannot apply for an ABN when applying for a business name directly through ASIC Connect.

To make things go smoothly, be sure to have details handy such as names, addresses and your ABN. Then create a new ASIC Connect account or log into your existing account, go through the registration process, pay the fee and the business name should be yours.

Go Through Private Service Provider

The third way to register your business name is by using a private service provider.

This could be an accountant, solicitor or any other private business that provides online services with ASIC.

The main drawback to using a private service provider is that they normally charge a fee for their services on top of the fee you would normally pay if you were to register your business name online by yourself.

But if filling out online forms is not your thing, or if you just want to save yourself the time and hassle of applying for your business name by yourself, paying an extra fee might be the solution you’re looking for.

Just ask your accountant or solicitor if they offer this service, or simply type “register a business name” into Google and check the results to find a private service provider specialising in registering business names in Australia.

So there you have it – those are the three main ways you can go about registering your perfect business name in Australia.

Once you have finished, check out our videos on how to create a free logo for your business in just a few minutes, so you can get going on launching your website, social media accounts and marketing campaigns.