From November 2018, all trading names, including the trading name listed using your Australian Business Number (ABN), will be removed from the ABN Lookup. Only registered business names will continue to be listed on the ABN Lookup.
Trading names will no longer be legally valid. If you require your trading name you will need to register it as a business name with ASIC.
If you have a proprietary limited company that uses the same name as your registered trading name you can elect to use the company name in place of the trading name, however you must use it with the Pty Ltd. If you do not wish to use the Pty Ltd then you must register the company name as a business name.
If you already have a company registered with this name the name is yours and another person will not be able to register a business name using this name.
Please feel free to contact Quantum Partners to assist with your business name registration.
You can find the steps below to register your business name.
What you need to do
To register your trading name as a business name you will need to register for an online account with ASIC. You can do this through this link ASIC website. Make sure you have your ABN when you apply.
You don’t need to register a business name if you trade under your own name (‘John Smith’), but you’ll need to have a business name if it’s anything else (‘John Smith Plumbing’).
You can’t apply for a business name that is identical to one already on the register. You can use the ‘Check name availability’ search function to see if the name you want is available.
The fees for registering a business name are:
› $35 for one year
› $82 for three years.
What happens next?
After a business name has been successfully registered, ASIC will email you a copy of your record of registration and your business name will appear on the ABN Lookup on the same day.
You must display your business name wherever you’re open to the public, including at your storefront or other pace of business.
You must also include your business name and ABN on any business correspondence that you send out, including invoices or purchase orders.
