What is here?
ABNsearch is a free service to help you check the ABN
number and registered details of any business.
As all invoices you receive that include GST must also quote an ABN
number, you may want to make sure that the ABN number quoted is correct.
You will then be confidant your claim for input tax credit on the GST
component of the invoice is legitimate.
The following information is provided free of charge on any Australian
business entity – if available:
The Business name, ABN number, D-U-N-S number, Name Start, Type, Status,
Class, Sub Class. (see the field definitions below)
How to use
Simply search for any business by the business name,
D-U-N-S number, ACN number or ABN number.
When searching by business name you can;
- use "exact" which searches for any business name in the
database that contains the letters exactly as you type them
- or use "sounds like" which phonetically matches the letters
you type and matches by relevance ranking to the names on the database.
Select the name you want from the result list by clicking on the business
name, or if you can't see the business, refine your search further.
More help on searching
About the ABN
An Australian Business Number,
or ABN, is your key to the new tax system. It acts as one single number
for your business to simplify reporting procedures.
Your ABN is used in your dealings with the Tax Office and, in future, other government departments
and agencies. Eventually it will replace your Australian Company Number (ACN)
or Australian Registered Body Number (ARBN).
Must
I get one?
If your yearly turnover is
$50,000 or more, you must register for GST and will need an ABN.
Non-profit organisations with a yearly turnover of $100,000 or more,
must register for GST too - and, therefore, need an ABN. Note, you may choose to
register if you're below these thresholds, even if you're not a company.
Employees, people conducting a hobby and (in most cases) self-funded retirees, will not be entitled to
an ABN. Nor will individuals or partnerships who are not conducting
commercial activities with an expectation of profit.
Claim back GST
You need to be registered for
GST and have an ABN to claim back the GST you've paid on goods and
services for your business. If you don't have an ABN, other businesses
will not be able to claim their tax credits for your supplies and may
choose to do business with a supplier who is registered.
By when?
You must register before 31st May 2000. Companies that do not have an ABN face a punitive 48.5 per cent
withholding tax on all income after 1st July 2000 and will be unable to claim input tax credits. In many cases, they will
also find they are no longer part of corporate Australia's future supplier base. This is certainly the case
when dealing with Federal Government Agencies.
Available fields defined:
| Business name |
This is the registered name of the entity as
recorded with:
- the Australian Securities & Investments Commission if it is a Company
name
- or with the appropriate agency in each state if it is a Business
name.
If a company carries on a business in a name which
is different to its company name, it must register the business name
with the appropriate State/Territory authority. These are:
Registrar-General of Business Names (Australian Capital Territory),
Department of Fair Trading (New South Wales), Office of Business
Affairs (Northern Territory), Department of Equity and Fair Trading
(Queensland), State Business and Corporate Affairs Office (South
Australia), Corporate Affairs Office (Tasmania), Office of Fair
Trading and Business Affairs (Victoria) and Business Names
Registration Office (Western Australia).
Company name
A company name must be registered under the national Corporations
Law administered by the Australian Securities & Investments
Commission (ASIC). If a company wishes to trade using a name other
than its registered company name, the trading name must be
registered as a business name.
Business name
A business name is a name under which a business operates.
Business name registration is compulsory and must be completed
before the business starts trading. Registration is obtained under
state or territory legislation, so businesses trading in more than
one state or territory must register their name under the laws of
each one. |
| ABN number |
The Australian Business Number - the single identifier
for your dealings with the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) and for
future dealings with other departments and agencies at all levels.
It will eventually replace your Australian Company Number or
Australian Registered Body Number |
| D-U-N-S number |
Dun & Bradstreet's Data Universal Numbering
System, the D&B D-U-N-S Number, has become the standard for
keeping track of the world's businesses. Its unique nine-digit code
helps you identify and link more than 57 million companies worldwide. |
| ACN number |
The Australian Company Number - the purpose of the ACN
is to ensure adequate identification of companies when transacting
business. New companies are issued with numbers by the Australian
Securities & Investments Commission (ASIC) upon registration. To
be eventually replaced with the Australian Business Number. |
| Name Start |
The date the business name was registered |
| Type |
The type of business entity, such as "Australian
Proprietary Company" or "No Liability Company".
Company type is defined at registration and refers to a company's
constitution and replaceable rules. See the ASIC
for more information. |
| Status |
The current status of the business entity eg.
"Registered" |
| Class |
The class of the business entity
eg. if a company, whether it is "limited by shares" or
is a "no liability company". In the case of proprietary
companies, (as stated in Section 112 of the Corporations Law), they
must be either:
- limited by shares; or
- an unlimited company that has a share capital
|
| Sub class |
The sub class of the business entity,
generally referring to the public/private availability of the shares
in the company. |
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