FAQ's for ABN registrations
An Australian Business Number (ABN) is a unique 11 digit number that identifies your business to the government and community. It is different to your tax file number.
You will need an ABN when starting a business as it will need to be included on invoices and legal documents.
If you want to start a business you will need an ABN to identify your business to others when ordering and invoicing. If you do not include an ABN on invoices you issue, then your client / customer are legally obliged to withhold tax from money they owe you. You will also need an ABN when you go to register for an Australian domain name for your business.
No.
This is a common mistake by many people starting out in business. Getting an ABN and registering for GST are two very different things. Everyone starting a business needs an ABN, but not everyone will need to register for GST.
For more information about GST registration, click here.
If you have lost your ABN you can jump onto the ABN Lookup website https://abr.business.gov.au/ and do a search. If you can’t find it there, give your accountant a call.