How to read an ABN Lookup entry

Before you pay a new supplier, it takes about a minute to look up their ABN. The Australian Business Register publishes a public entry for every ABN, and most people glance at it without knowing what the lines mean.

At the top is the entity name, which is the legal name of the person or company the ABN belongs to. It often differs from the name on the invoice. A sole trader's entry shows their own name, with the trading name listed further down. A company's shows the registered company name. If the two names are nothing alike, ask about it before you pay.

Next to it is the ABN status, either active or cancelled, with the date it took effect. An active ABN means the business can be dealt with as normal. A cancelled one shows the date it was cancelled, and it means the business has no valid ABN from that day. Some are cancelled because the owner closed up. Others are cancelled because the details were never kept current, and the owner may not know.

The entry also shows the entity type, such as individual or sole trader, or Australian private company, which tells you how you're dealing with them. Below that is the GST line. It says whether the business is registered for GST and from what date. If an invoice charges GST and the entry says the business isn't registered, something is wrong.

State, postcode and business names

The entry shows the main business location as a state and postcode only, never a street address. It also lists any business names linked to the ABN. If the name on your invoice doesn't appear there, ask the supplier where it comes from.

Why it matters when you pay

When a business sends an invoice without a valid ABN, the person paying may be required to withhold tax from the payment and send it to the ATO. That is a bigger problem for you than for the supplier, so check the ABN first and keep a record of when you did.

Look up your own entry too. Customers do it, and an old trading name, the wrong GST date or a cancelled status can cost you a job. If your ABN has been cancelled and you're still trading, we can help you reactivate it. Our ABN registration page covers new ABNs and reactivation for both sole traders and companies. If you need an ABN, we handle the application with you and lodge it. If you're not sure what your entry means, our team can help on 1300 070 000, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm Melbourne time.

You can run a search on the ABN Lookup site.