Get all the licences, registrations and permits you need for your business, quickly and easily, and all in one place. The Australian Business Licence and Information Service (ABLIS) builds a personalised report listing everything you'll need to apply for.
When you build the report you'll find you need to apply for one or more registrations from the Tax Office, even if it's only an Australian Business Number (ABN). The four most common Tax Office registrations for new business owners are outlined below.
Australian Business Licence and Information Service
Use the Australian Business Licence and Information Service (ABLIS) to build your own report with:
- all the local, state and federal licences, registrations and permits you need
- application forms, with links to online registrations
- contact details for the local, state and federal agencies you'll need to deal with.
Apply and register for an ABN, GST, TFN and PAYG
You can apply for an Australian Business Number (ABN), register for Goods and Services Tax (GST), apply for a Tax File Number (TFN) and register for Pay As You Go (PAYG) withholding tax online at the Australian Business Register.
Australian Business Number (ABN)
An ABN is the key identifying number for your business when you deal with the Tax Office (ATO), government agencies and other businesses. To be entitled to an ABN, you must be either:
- a registered company
- running a business as a sole trader or as a partnership
- an association, cooperative or trust.
Goods and Services Tax (GST)
You must register for GST if:
- you are a business (if you're in business and not just pursuing a hobby you probably meet this requirement) and,
- your annual turnover is $75,000 or more (or $100,000 for a non-profit organisation).
You must also register for GST if you provide taxi travel (regardless of turnover). You may register for GST if the turnover of your enterprise is below the threshold and you don't supply taxi travel.
Tax File Number (TFN)
Partnerships, companies and trusts need their own TFN. You can obtain a TFN at the same time as your ABN, using the same application form.
Sole traders use their individual TFN in dealings with the Tax Office.
PAYG withholding
Register for PAYG withholding if you will deduct tax from employee wages, or withhold tax from businesses that did not quote an ABN in their dealings with you.
Note that this is different to the PAYG system where you report your business and investment income in your quarterly Business Activity Statement (BAS).
Assistance for overseas business intenders
Invest Victoria provides guidance through approvals such as planning permits. For more information visit the Invest Victoria website.
