Once you’ve chosen your business structure, it’s time to make it official.
Registering your business ensures that you're following the law, helps protect your business name, and makes your business easier to find and trust.
What you need to do:
You need an ABN to run your business. It’s easy to apply online, but make sure you have your Tax File Number (TFN) ready.
Your ABN helps you pay the right taxes and identify your business to others, such as customers, suppliers and the government.
Watch out for third-party registration services.
When registering for things like an ABN, GST or a business name, be aware that some paid services may be listed online above the official government websites in search results.
These providers charge a fee to handle registrations that you can often do yourself.
For example, registering for an ABN or GST through the Australian Government is free, and the only standard fee is for a business name.
This helps ensure that no one else can use the same business name in the same industry. However, registering your business name through the BRS only prevents others from using the exact name, but they can still use a similar name.
If you want full protection for your business name and brand, you’ll need to register a trade mark.
Registering a trade mark gives you exclusive rights to your business name, logo and/or other branding elements.
This means no one else can legally use a name, logo, or symbol that’s too similar to yours in the same market or industry, as long as you have registered them as a trade mark.
Protecting your business with a trade mark helps you stand out from competitors and safeguards your brand identity.
You can check if your trade mark is available using the free TM Checker tool.
If it is, you can apply for trade mark protection for up to 10 years for as little as $330. This is an important step if you want to prevent others from copying or misusing your brand.
A trade mark ensures your business name or logo is truly yours, which is especially important as your business grows.
Starting a business means you need to understand GST and tax rules.
The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) provides a complete guide on their website. It’s also a good idea to speak with a financial expert to make sure you’re on the right track.
If your business earns (or expects to earn) $75,000 or more per year, you must register for GST in Australia.
Your business will probably need a website at some stage, and the domain name (the web address) should match your business name.
It’s a good idea to check if your preferred domain name is available when choosing a business name and registering it with an accredited domain registrar.
Registering your domain name as soon as possible will ensure no one else can register it.
Having a website is important for your business, and it’s helpful if your business name matches across social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn so customers can easily find you online.
Registering and protecting your business name and online presence gives you a strong foundation as your business grows.