You can register a business name using the Australian Government's Business Registration Service. BRS combines several business and tax registrations in one place, making it even easier to start a business.
You can also register a business name directly with ASIC by using ASIC Connect. For a visual guide, read our 'How to register a business name' user guides.
If you don't have an ASIC Connect account, you can register online.
If you're logging in for the first time, make sure you say 'No', you don’t have a current business. You don't need an ASIC key to register.
Select 'business name' from the drop-down box and select 'Go'. Read the information and make sure you tick the boxes. Select 'Get started'.
You must have an Australian Business Number (ABN) or have applied for an ABN to register a business name. Select the relevant option, enter your ABN, and select 'Next'. You must enter your ABN without any spaces.
Enter the proposed business name exactly as you would like it to appear on our register. Business names are case sensitive.
You can register a business for one year or three years. After this period, it must be renewed.
Enter the proposed business name holder details (e.g. the holder's date of birth)
Enter the addresses of the proposed business name.
To hold a business name, the holder cannot be disqualified or convicted of criminal offences outlined in the Business Names Registration Act 2011.
Review your application; make sure your business name is spelt correctly. Complete the declarations and confirm you're authorised to submit the application.
You can pay by credit card, BPAY, or request an invoice. If you don't pay within 10 days, your application will be cancelled and you will need to reapply.
Once you've made payment, you'll see a confirmation screen. Once payment has been made, your business name should be registered within 48 hours.
You can watch our video tutorial to learn more about registering a business name for the first time using ASIC Connect.
How to register your business name for the first time
ASIC Connect is the online system used to manage your business name. In this tutorial, we’re going to look at the steps involved in registering a business name. The example we’ll use is for an individual business name holder, or sole trader.
It’s important to note that before you can apply for a business name, you must have an Australian Business Number, also known as an ABN, or an ABN application reference number.
You’ll also need to pay a registration fee as part of the application process. This can be paid online with a credit card, by BPAY or by requesting an invoice.
To get started, you’ll first need to visit our website at www.asic.gov.au. In the top-right corner of the page you’ll see the ASIC Connect box. Simply select Log in/Sign up to go to the ASIC Connect part of the website.
You are now at the ASIC Connect Welcome page. In the blue ASIC Connect box, you can log in with a username and password, sign up, or enter an AUSkey to log in.
In this tutorial, we’re going to select Sign up to create a new account.
At this point, you’ll be presented with information about business names and self-managed superannuation fund auditors, also known as SMSF auditors.
Take a moment to read through the information and when you’re ready, select the Sign Up button at the bottom of the page to create a new ASIC Connect account.
The sign up process is quite simple. All you need to do is:
When all details have been entered correctly, you can select Create account to finalise the sign up process.
Once you have created an account, we will send an activation email to the address you provided. This can take up to 15 minutes to reach you, depending on your email provider.
When you receive the email, select the Activate ASIC Connect Account link. If this doesn’t work, you can copy and paste the link into a browser window.
At the log in screen, you can log in using your email address and the password you created as part of the sign up process. Then simply select the Log in button.
When you log into ASIC Connect for the first time, you’ll be asked if you have a business. This tutorial assumes that you are registering a business name for the first time, so the answer to this question should be no.
If you do have an existing business that you would like to link to your account, you can select Yes and follow the prompts. For guidance, you may like to complete the How to link business names to your account tutorial.
If you don’t have an existing business name, select No and then select the Licences and registrations link to continue.
When you arrive at the Licences and Registrations page, use the drop-down box and select Business name registration, then select Go to continue.
Here you are prompted to review important information about applying for a business name. At the bottom of the page is a series of check points entitled Things to be aware of, which you should read carefully.
Tick the boxes to confirm you understand each point and then select Get started to begin your application.
To apply for a business name you must have either:
On this page, you’ll need to select the relevant option and enter your associated ABN or ABN reference number in the field provided. You can then select the Next button to continue.
The next step in registering your business name is checking name availability. To do this, enter your proposed business name in the field provided and select Check Name Availability.
The system will advise whether the name is available or not.
If it isn’t available, you’ll need to try a different name.
If it is available, you will be shown a list of existing business names that are similar to the one you have proposed and it’s recommended that you review the list before you continue.
When you’re happy with your proposed name, you’ll need to select your preferred registration period – either 1 year or 3 years. You can then select the Next button to continue.
Once you’ve selected a business name, you’ll be asked to enter your details as the business name holder.
Enter all the required details in the fields provided. When you’re done, simply select Next to continue.
Next, you’ll provide relevant addresses for your business name. You must provide an address for service of documents, a principal place of business address, and an email address. An SMS address is optional.
The far-right column next to each address type allows you to perform different actions. When you select Add, a new area will appear where you can add the relevant information for the address type you selected. You’ll need to complete all required fields. Once you’re done, you can select Save Address and the details will appear in the centre column. If you need to make any changes, you can select Edit beside the relevant address.
Once you’ve finished entering all addresses, you can select the Next button to continue with the registration process.
Before you go any further, you’ll need to confirm your eligibility. Carefully read through the requirements of a business name holder and then tick the boxes next to the eligibility statements to declare that they are true.
When you’ve ticked all boxes, you can select the Next button to proceed.
At this point, you’ll have the opportunity to review the details you’ve provided.
Read through the information that is displayed and check that it’s correct. If there are any errors, select Edit in the appropriate area and update the appropriate details. When all details are correct, select Submit to continue.
The final step before payment is to declare your agreement with the conditions of the transaction.
Read the declaration carefully and, if you agree, tick the boxes to confirm your agreement. Under Authority, select the relevant option – you’re either the applicant or you’re lodging the application on behalf of the applicant. When you’re done, select the Next button to proceed to payment.
There are various options for paying the fee for registering a business name.
You can choose to pay now by credit card, or pay later by BPAY or invoice. First let’s look at the option to pay now by credit card, then we’ll return to this screen to look at how to pay later.
To pay now, you‘ll need to select the Pay Now radio button at the bottom of the screen and then select the Pay Now button.
On the next page, you can enter your Card Number, Expiry Date and CVV number. Then to process the payment, select Submit.
If the payment is successful, your payment receipt will be displayed. Make sure you don’t close the browser window at this point, because you need to return to ASIC Connect to finalise the transaction. Instead, select the Close button within the Pay Now window. Now, let’s look at how to pay later.
When you select the Pay later radio button at the bottom of the screen, you will be able to choose either BPAY or Invoice.
If you select Invoice, the invoice will be sent to the email address you provided. If you select BPAY, you’ll need to print or make a note of the BPAY details, so that you can process your payment through your bank.
To confirm, you will select Pay Later.
Once you have chosen a payment method and completed the appropriate steps, you’ll be taken to a final confirmation screen. Here you can:
You should now know the basic steps involved in registering a business name.
Further assistance using ASIC Connect can be accessed be selecting the Help button at the top-right of the screen. You can also take a look at any of the other helpful tutorials available.
You can also watch our video tutorial on how to register a business name using ASIC Connect.
ASIC Connect is the online system used to manage your business name. In this tutorial, we’re going to look at the steps involved in registering a business name. The example we’ll use is for an individual business name holder, or sole trader.
It’s important to note that before you can apply for a business name, you must have an Australian Business Number, also known as an ABN, or an ABN application reference number.
You’ll also need to pay a registration fee as part of the application process. This can be paid online with a credit card, by BPAY or by requesting an invoice.
To get started, you’ll first need to visit our website at www.asic.gov.au. In the top-right corner of the page you’ll see the ASIC Connect box. Simply select Log in/Sign up to go to the ASIC Connect part of the website.
You are now at the ASIC Connect Welcome page. In the blue ASIC Connect box, you can log in with a username and password, sign up, or enter an AUSkey to log in.
If you don’t yet have an account, select Sign up and follow the prompts. You can also refer to our user guide How to sign up for an ASIC Connect account for guidance.
In this tutorial, we’re going to assume that you already have an ASIC Connect account.
Select the Log in button to access the log in page. Then enter your username and password and select Log in.
Once logged in, you’ll be shown a list of your most recent transactions and messages.
Under the Do It Now menu on the right-hand side of the page, select Register a business name. This will take you to the Licences and Registrations page where you’ll need to use the drop-down box to select Business name registration, then select Go to continue.
On the next page, you’ll be prompted to review important information about applying for a business name. At the bottom of the page is a series of check points entitled Things to be aware of, which you should read carefully.
Tick the boxes to confirm you understand each point and then select Get started to begin your application.
To apply for a business name you must have either:
On this page, you’ll need to select the relevant option and enter your associated ABN or ABN reference number in the field provided. You can then select the Next button to continue.
The next step in registering your business name is checking name availability. To do this, enter your proposed business name in the field provided and select Check Name Availability.
The system will advise whether the name is available or not.
If it isn’t available, you’ll need to try a different name.
If it is available, you will be shown a list of existing business names that are similar to the one you have proposed and it’s recommended that you review the list before you continue.
When you’re happy with your proposed name, you’ll need to select your preferred registration period – either 1 year or 3 years. You can then select the Next button to continue.
Once you’ve selected a business name, you’ll be asked to enter your details as the business name holder.
Enter all the required details in the fields provided. When you’re done, simply select Next to continue.
Next, you’ll provide relevant addresses for your business name. You must provide an address for service of documents, a principal place of business address, and an email address. An SMS address is optional.
The far-right column next to each address type allows you to perform different actions. When you select Add, a new area will appear where you can add the relevant information for the address type you selected. You’ll need to complete all required fields. Once you’re done, you can select Save Address and the details will appear in the centre column. If you need to make any changes, you can select Edit beside the relevant address.
Once you’ve finished entering all addresses, you can select the Next button to continue with the registration process.
Before you go any further, you’ll need to confirm your eligibility. Carefully read through the requirements of a business name holder and then tick the boxes next to the eligibility statements to declare that they are true.
When you’ve ticked all boxes, you can select the Next button to proceed.
At this point, you’ll have the opportunity to review the details you’ve provided.
Read through the information that is displayed and check that it’s correct. If there are any errors, select Edit in the appropriate area and update the appropriate details. When all details are correct, select Submit to continue.
The final step before payment is to declare your agreement with the conditions of the transaction.
Read the declaration carefully and, if you agree, tick the boxes to confirm your agreement. Under Authority, select the relevant option – you’re either the applicant or you’re lodging the application on behalf of the applicant.
When you’re done, select the Next button to proceed to payment.
There are various options for paying the fee for registering a business name.
You can choose to pay now by credit card, or pay later by BPAY or invoice.
First let’s look at the option to pay now by credit card, then we’ll return to this screen to look at how to pay later.
To pay now, you‘ll need to select the Pay Now radio button at the bottom of the screen and then select the Pay Now button.
On the next page, you can enter your Card Number, Expiry Date and CVV number. Then to process the payment, select Submit.
If the payment is successful, your payment receipt will be displayed. Make sure you don’t close the browser window at this point, because you need to return to ASIC Connect to finalise the transaction. Instead, select the Close button within the Pay Now window. Now, let’s look at how to pay later.
When you select the Pay later radio button at the bottom of the screen, you will be able to choose either BPAY or Invoice.
If you select Invoice, the invoice will be sent to the email address you provided. If you select BPAY, you’ll need to print or make a note of the BPAY details, so that you can process your payment through your bank.
To confirm, you will select Pay Later.
Once you have chosen a payment method and completed the appropriate steps, you’ll be taken to a final confirmation screen. Here you can:
You should now know the basic steps involved in registering a business name.
Further assistance using ASIC Connect can be accessed be selecting the Help button at the top-right of the screen. You can also take a look at any of the other helpful tutorials available.
Once your business name is registered, you will receive a record of registration.
If you choose to pay for your business name registration via invoice, we will email it to you within 48 hours. You must pay within 10 business days.
Once the business name has been registered, we'll email you a copy of your record of registration. You can then trade using the name.
If your details change, you must update your details with us. (for example, if you've moved addresses).
You must prominently display your business name wherever you're open to the public, like at your storefront. You must also update your business correspondence, such as invoices or purchase orders, to include your registered business name and ABN.
If you want exclusive rights to your business name, you should consider protecting it with a registered trademark. A registered trademark is a type of intellectual property (IP) right that protects a business's unique brand, products or services. This will help you:
Visit the IP Australia website to:
