Registering an ABN: do it yourself or use an accountant?
An ABN is free from the Australian Business Register, and a sole trader can apply online in one sitting. When doing it yourself is fine, when it pays to have an accountant do it, and what we charge – $165, or $198 with GST.
An ABN is free. You can apply for one yourself through the Australian Business Register, and if your application is complete you usually get the result as soon as you submit it. An accountant does not make the number cheaper – it costs nothing either way. What you pay an accountant for is getting the surrounding decisions right: whether you are entitled to an ABN, which structure it belongs to, whether to register for GST at the same time, and what you have to do once you have it.
Doing it yourself
With us
New to the numbers? ABN vs TFN and ABN vs ACN explain what each one is.
Doing it yourself
The application is made on the Australian Business Register's website. It is free, and anything that charges you a fee for "the ABN" itself is charging you for a free government service. If your application has everything it needs, you find out as soon as you finish the form; if it needs further review, it can take about 20 business days, and the ATO may contact you with questions.
You will need your TFN, your personal details and a description of the business activity.
Applying yourself is usually fine when:
- you are a sole trader, trading under your own name
- the work is genuinely a business – you have more than one client, you set your own hours, you supply your own tools
- you are well below the GST threshold, or you know you need GST and why
- you will not employ anyone yet
When it pays to use an accountant
The ABN form asks questions that have consequences, and an application can be refused if you are not running a business or enterprise.
You are not sure you are entitled to one. If one business sets your hours, supplies your tools and pays you by the hour, you may be an employee rather than a contractor – and an ABN does not change that. See employee vs contractor.
You are not sure of the structure. An ABN belongs to an entity. A sole trader's ABN cannot be moved to a company later; the company gets its own. If a company or a trust is the better choice, it is worth deciding before you apply. Our business structuring page has a short tool to help.
GST is part of the question. You must register for GST once your GST turnover reaches $75,000, and rideshare drivers from the start. Registering voluntarily below the threshold has pros and cons, and you generally have to stay registered for at least 12 months. See the GST registration threshold.
You are about to hire. You need PAYG withholding registration before you pay your first wage, and workers compensation before the first worker starts.
You want to know what comes next. The ABN is the first step. After it come invoices that meet the rules, the BAS if you register for GST, tax to put aside, and a tax return with business income in it.
What our ABN registration includes
| Service | Fee (incl. GST) |
|---|---|
| ABN set-up | $165 |
| GST registration | $55 |
| ABN and GST registration together | $198 |
We check that an ABN is right for you, apply for it with the correct business activity, register GST where it applies and tell you what to do next. Setting up a company or partnership instead? Those fees include the registrations – see our price list.
Common questions
How much does an ABN cost?
Nothing. The Australian Business Register issues ABNs for free. Our fee of $165, or $198 with GST registration, is for doing the application and the advice around it.
How long does it take to get an ABN?
If the application is complete, often straight away. If it needs further review, about 20 business days.
Do I need an ABN to start contracting?
Generally yes, if you are genuinely running a business. Without one, a business paying you may have to withhold tax from your invoices. Starting out as a contractor covers the rest.
Can you register my ABN if I am not in Sydney?
Yes. We work online with clients anywhere in Australia, and in person in Bondi Junction.
How we can help
We register ABNs as part of setting up your business, together with GST and PAYG where you need them. New clients: get in touch or call (02) 9386 0500.