How do I check an ABN in Australia?
Use ABN Lookup (opens in a new tab), the free public search of the Australian Business Register. It lets you check whether an ABN is active or cancelled, see the business type and GST status, view public details given to the ABR, and see historical trading names where available.
No login is needed. A record also shows the main business location by state and postcode, any registered business names, and, for companies, the ACN with a link to the ASIC record.
Last updated: October 2026 · Last checked: 19 October 2026.
What are the steps to check a business on ABN Lookup and ASIC?
Run both checks: ABN Lookup confirms the tax identity, and ASIC confirms the company registration.
- Open ABN Lookup and type the ABN, ACN or business name into the search box.
- Open the matching record and check the ABN status, entity name, entity type and GST registration date.
- Note the ACN shown under ASIC registration, if the business is a company.
- Open ASIC's company and organisation register search and choose Organisation & Business names.
- Search by company name, business name, or ACN, ARBN or ARSN.
- Check the free details: the registration date, next review date, registered office suburb and the list of documents lodged.
- If you need officeholders or past details, buy a company extract from below the free results.
What is the difference between an ABN and an ACN?
An ACN is a 9-digit number that ASIC issues to every company when it is registered, while an ABN is an 11-digit number that can identify any type of business, including sole traders and partnerships. ASIC's ACN page (opens in a new tab) notes that the ABN comes from the Australian Taxation Office, not ASIC.
A company's ABN is often its ACN with two extra digits at the front, for example ACN 123 456 789 and ABN 36 123 456 789. When that is the case, the company can show its ABN wherever it would otherwise have to show its ACN, such as on invoices and receipts.
What is free and what is paid on ASIC's company register?
Basic company details are free, and extracts and document copies are paid. ASIC's company and organisation registers page (opens in a new tab) lists these fees for Australian companies:
| Information | Cost |
|---|---|
| Name, type, ABN/ACN, registration date, next review date, registered office suburb, state and postcode, list of documents lodged | Free |
| Current company extract | $10 |
| Current and historical company extract | $20 |
| Roles and relationship extract | $23 |
| Certificate of registration | $23 |
| Copy of a lodged document (under 10 pages / 10 pages or more) | $20 / $50 |
| Certified copy of a lodged document (under 10 pages / 10 pages or more) | $43 / $73 |
ASIC extracts no longer show officeholder addresses. ASIC's public beta company search currently shows only free information.
Which other ASIC registers help verify a business?
ASIC's register search page (opens in a new tab) links to several registers beyond the company register. These are the most useful for checking a supplier or partner:
- Business names register: who holds a registered business name. Most of it is free, and trading names are not on it; use ABN Lookup for those.
- Professional registers search: AFS licensees, credit licensees, registered auditors and liquidators, searchable by name, licence number, ACN or ABN.
- Banned and disqualified registers, for organisations and for people.
- Moneysmart's financial advisers register, for an adviser's history and qualifications.
The professional registers search (opens in a new tab) is updated once a day, and most of its information is free.
Need help marketing a regulated business in Australia?
Buyers often check your ABN and licences before they make contact, so your listings and your marketing should tell the same story. shakalakaa runs professional services marketing in Australia, as well as B2B SaaS marketing in Australia.