Business Name Registration

Type your new business name here

1 Year
3 Years

$99 for 1 year

$189 for 3 years

ASIC Accredited

We are ASIC Registered Agents (45838).

Record of Registration

Business Name Record of Registration delivered same day.

AI Business Name Generator

Use our AI Business Name Generator to create the best business name.

Registration Period

Business Name Registration

A registered business name in Australia allows an entity to trade as a name other than its legal name. Register, renew and manage your ASIC registered business names.

Business Name Questions

Do I need to register a business name?

The registration of a business name in Australia allows an entity or individual to trade under a name different to that of their legal name.

In Australia, there are certain circumstances when you will need to register your business name. Before you choose a name for your business, you should find out if it must be registered.

See the table below for scenarios of when you might want or need to register a business name.

Scenario	Registration required	Example
Operating your business as a sole trader under your personal legal name	No	If John Doe was operating a business and called it ‘John Doe’, he would not need to register a business name
Operating a business partnership under the names of the partners	No	If John Doe and Greg Barnes were operating a business called ‘John Doe and Greg Barnes’, they would not need to register their business name
Operating your business under personal legal name plus other words	Yes	If John Doe has a business called ‘John Doe Carpentry’, he would need to register the business name
Using a combination of words and phrases as your business name	Yes	If John Doe operated a business called ‘The Carpentry People’, he would need to register his business name
Having a company (Pty Ltd) that is operating under the registered name	No	If John Doe has a company called ‘The Carpentry People Pty Ltd’ and intends to also trade under this name, there is no need to register a separate business name
Having a company (Pty Ltd) and operating your business under a different name	Yes	If John Doe has a company registered as ‘The Carpentry People Pty Ltd’ but wanted to trade as ‘Carpentry College’, he would need to register a business name associated with the company structure

How do I choose the best business name?

Choosing the best business name

An effective business name should communicate what your business does and be as short as possible, catchy and memorable. Choosing the right name can help you build brand awareness and customers will quickly come to associate your business name with your brand.

Spend time researching business names before you start your business. This helps you avoid wasting time, effort and money having to change the name in the future. It will also help you choose the best domain name and email address.

Selecting your business name – checklist

Use this checklist to help you choose the right business name for your business:

Is the business name available? You can check if a name is available clicking on the ‘Register Business Name’ button at the top of this website and entering it into the search box.
Is a suitable matching domain name available for your business? You can check that in the domain name section.
Does the business name suit your brand?
Is the name easy to say, hear and write or spell? This will help make sure people can find you through internet searches when, for example, they hear radio or podcast ads you run.
Will the business name work in the future? Consider if the name will work if you change your goods or services.
Has the business name already been trade marked? You can check that in the trade mark section.
Is the business name appropriate? Consider your customers’ cultural expectations and ensure the name is not offensive or problematic.
Is a potential competitor currently using your business name or one that is similar?
Could your business name negatively affect the business in the future? Consider the financial or reputational risks that could come from having to change the name in the future.
Is the business name available on key marketing channels (e.g. social media, domain name for your website and email)?

Will I receive my Record of Registration certificate?

Yes, all business name registrations and renewals receive a digital email copy of their ASIC Record of Registration once processed.

Can I register multiple business names?

There is no limit to the number of business names that a single entity can own, as long as you have an ABN.

How much does it cost to register my business name?

Business name registration costs $99 for 1 year or $189 for 3 years which includes the ASIC Government Fee and your Record of Registration emailed directly to you.

How much time does it take to register my business name?

In most cases your business name will be instantly registered. There are circumstances where a manual review process is required that can take a few days. In this case we will keep you updated along the way.

Is my chosen business name available?

Check your business name availability using our business name search tool, available when you press the Business Name Registration button.

What identification do I need to register a business name?

We will ask for your personal information such as name, place of business, phone number and email address, but most importantly you will need an active ABN (Australian Business Number). If you don’t have one yet, you can register a new ABN by following the menu links above.

Accordion Panel

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This can occur for a number of reasons, the most common is that you have entered a word that is not in the dictionary (this could be two words joined together without a space, a slang word or misspelling). It could also be that you have chosen a word that is restricted or potentially undesirable. Business names that will be manually reviewed do need to be assessed by someone at ASIC to ensure the use is appropriate.

In the event that your business name is refused you are able to resubmit your application with us with a new available name at no extra cost.

Please get in touch with our team if you would like further clarification on the availability of your name.

When do I need to renew my business name?

Business names can be registered or renewed for 1 or 3 years at a time. We will notify you at least 8 weeks prior to the expiry of your name to ensure you don’t forget to renew on time.

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