How to Register an Online Business in Australia [Infographic]

Last updated: 7 December 2024

How to Register an Online Business in Australia – Registering a new business in Australia can be confusing. That’s why we designed this simple (and hopefully helpful) infographic.

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Step-by-Step: How to Register an Online Business in Australia

To set up and register your online business in Australia, you must take several vital steps, including deciding on a business or company name, choosing a business structure, registering with the Australian government and obtaining the necessary licenses and permits.

Let’s go through them step-by-step.

1. Choose your business or company name

First, you need to decide on a business or company name. You have several options when it comes to naming your business:

• Your own name (e.g. Emma Smith)
• Business name (e.g. Tasteee)
• Pty Ltd company name (e.g. ES Baking Pty Ltd), or
• Combination of business name and Pty Ltd company (e.g. ES Baking Pty Ltd trading as Tasteee).

Brainstorm business or company names using an online business name generator. Check out: namelix.com, looka.com, shopify.com or ChatGPT. Then, check if your proposed name is available using the ASIC website and a domain name/social media username checker, such as namechk.com.

2. Decide on a business structure

Next, you need to decide on a business structure. In Australia, there are 4 options:

• Sole trader
• Pty Ltd company
• Partnership, or
• Trust

Each structure has unique requirements and benefits, so carefully consider the best fit for your business. For more detailed information on these business structures, see our feature article: How to Choose the Right Business Structure in Australia.

An affordable option for incorporating your Pty Ltd Company (which you can do easily online) is $899 through Incorporator.com.au or $681 through Company123.com.au. This includes $576 of Government fees from ASIC. Bear in mind some accountants charge 2-3 times this amount.

If you choose a Pty Ltd company or trust, you must verify your digital identity with the Australian government app, myGovID. Then, apply for a Director ID from the Australian Business Registry Services.

3. Register with the Australian government

Once you’ve decided on a business name and structure, you can use the Australian Government Business Registration Service (register.business.gov.au) to register everything you need for your new online business in one place!

Use this one service to register:

• Your own name or business name with the Australian Business Register
• Your Pty Ltd company name with ASIC
• For GST (if your annual revenue exceeds $75,000) with the ATO
• For PAYG withholding tax (if you have employees) with the ATO and
• For FBT (e.g. private use of a company car) with the ATO

Once registered, you will be given:

• ABN (Australian Business Number) by the Australian Business Register
• ACN (Australian Company Number) and Certificate of Registration by ASIC, and
• TFN (Tax File Number) by the ATO (not for Sole Traders)

After registering, check if you need a license/permit to operate using the ABLIS (Australian Business Licence and Information Service) online database. This is a one-stop shop for determining what Australian licenses, permits, approvals, registrations, etc. your business needs to meet its compliance obligations.

4. Buy your domain and register social media handles

Next, you must register your domain names and social media handles (i.e. usernames like @elonmusk).

You should register your ‘.com. au’ domain name with a domain registrar (e.g. netregistry now webcentral, google domains, etc.) using your ABN or ACN. Also, consider registering:

• Overseas domains (e.g. ‘.com’, ‘.co.nz’, ‘.co.uk’, etc.)
• Alternative TLDs (e.g. ‘.org’, ‘.net’, ‘.biz’, ‘.info’, etc.)
• Hyphenated or misspelled versions of your domain name (e.g. ‘123legal.com.au’)

then redirecting them to your primary domain name.

Then you should register your social media handle on all the appropriate social media platforms like:

Even if you don’t use a particular social media platform, it’s a good idea to register your handle just in case. You might use that platform down the line – but more importantly, you stop anyone else from using it! This is called cybersquatting.

5. Register your brand with IP Australia

Finally, to protect your online business, brand name and intellectual property, you must register a business name with IP Australia and receive a trademark.

Just because you set up a Pty Ltd company or registered your business name with ASIC, this does not protect your brand name. Any business can use your brand name. The only way to protect your brand name and restrict its use is to register it as a trademark with IP Australia.

This concept is one of the most misunderstood aspects of starting or running a business. And business owners frequently contact us because someone has started using their brand name – which they thought they owned!

We hope you found this infographic about how to register an online business in Australia helpful.

About the Author: Vanessa Emilio

Vanessa Emilio (BA Hons, LLB, ACIS, AGIA) is the Founder and CEO of Legal123.com.au and Practice Director of Legal123 Pty Ltd. Vanessa is a qualified Australian lawyer with 20+ years experience in corporate, banking and trust law. Click for full bio of Vanessa Emilio or follow on LinkedIn.

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