The form takes about 2 minutes to fill in. Once you complete payment, we review and lodge your application with the ATO — and most ABNs are issued within 5 minutes. In some cases, particularly where the ATO requires manual identity checks, it can take up to 24 hours. Very rarely, the ATO may require up to 28 days for a manual review, but this is uncommon and we keep you informed by email and SMS at every stage.

The ATO does offer a free direct service — but it has no compliance review, no support if things go wrong, can take up to 28 business days, and requires you to navigate multiple government websites. We review your application for errors before lodgement, handle rejections at no extra cost, and deliver your ABN typically within 5 minutes of payment. Over 200,000 Australians have chosen us for the speed, expertise, and peace of mind. You can also apply directly at abr.gov.au if you prefer.

We charge a one-off administration fee of $89.00 to process your ABN application. This covers reviewing your application for compliance, lodging it with the ATO, and following up on any issues — including free resubmission if your application is rejected. There are no hidden fees, no ongoing charges, and no surprises.

An ABN is an 11-digit number that uniquely identifies your business to the government, other businesses, and the community. You need an active ABN to invoice clients without the 47% PAYG withholding tax, to register for GST, to get an Australian domain name (.com.au), and to work on platforms like Uber, DiDi, and Airtasker.

To complete your application, you will need:

• Your full legal name (as registered with the ATO)
• Your date of birth
• Your Tax File Number (TFN) — strongly recommended
• Your current Australian residential address
• A brief description of the services you plan to provide

We strongly recommend providing your TFN when applying. The ATO uses your TFN to confirm your identity — without it, your application may be rejected or placed in a manual review queue, which can delay processing by days or even weeks. If you are unable to provide your TFN at the time of applying, you can still submit your application and our team will contact you if the ATO requires it. You can find your TFN on any ATO letter, your tax return, or through your myGov account linked to the ATO.

We fix it and resubmit for free — no extra charge, no questions asked. Common reasons for rejection include name mismatches with ATO records, incorrect or missing TFN, address discrepancies, or identity verification issues. Our team will contact you, explain exactly what needs correcting, and relodge your application as soon as it's resolved. Your original payment covers the full service including all corrections and resubmissions.

No. As a sole trader, you can only have one ABN. If you previously had an ABN that was cancelled, the ATO will reactivate your original number — you will not receive a new one. However, you can run as many businesses as you like under the same ABN, and you can register multiple Business Names linked to that single ABN.

Yes. If you had a previous ABN that has been cancelled, the ATO will reactivate your original number. You keep the same ABN — it cannot be replaced with a new one. Click here to reactivate your ABN. The process is exactly the same as applying for a new one, and our team handles it on your behalf.

Once your ABN is issued, it may take between 3 and 24 hours for it to appear as active on ABN Lookup while the ATO updates their records. You will receive a confirmation from us by email and SMS as soon as your ABN is active. You can also check your status using our ABN Lookup service.

It means your ABN application has been submitted successfully but the ATO needs additional time to verify your details manually. This can happen if:

• You have not used your ABN for a long time
• You have recently changed your name
• Your name is very commonly used
• The ATO has placed additional security on your account

Yes. You can add GST registration and/or a Business Name to your ABN application on the same form. One form, one payment, everything done together — no need to fill out separate applications on different websites. GST registration is mandatory if your turnover exceeds $75,000/year or if you drive for Uber, DiDi, or any rideshare platform.

Yes. All gig economy platforms operating in Australia require you to have an active ABN before you can sign up and start earning. If you drive for Uber or DiDi, you will also need GST registration regardless of your income level. You can register for both on our platform in one go — start your application here.

Absolutely. We use 256-bit SSL encryption for all data transmission. Your personal information and TFN are handled exclusively for the purpose of submitting your application to the ATO and are never stored in plain text or shared with third parties. ABNora is a registered tax agent authorised by the Tax Practitioners Board (TPB Registration No. 26179243).

No. Your sole trader ABN stays with you regardless of what business activities you undertake. For example, if you originally registered as a "cleaner" and now work as a "carpenter", your ABN is still valid. You can run multiple businesses under the same ABN without needing to reapply.

You can use our free ABN Finder to check if you have an existing ABN and whether it is still active. If your ABN is no longer active, you can reactivate it here — we handle the entire process on your behalf.

No. As a sole trader, you can only ever have one ABN. If your ABN was cancelled, the ATO will reactivate your original number — you cannot be issued a new one. The reactivation process is identical to applying for a new ABN; we lodge the request and the ATO reinstates your existing number automatically.

Most ABNs are reactivated within 5 minutes of us lodging your application with the ATO. In some cases, particularly where the ATO requires manual identity verification, it can take up to 24 hours. Very rarely the ATO may require up to 28 days for a manual review — but this is uncommon and we keep you informed by email and SMS at every stage.

The cost is $89.00 — the same as registering a new ABN. This covers our compliance review, lodgement with the ATO, and free resubmission if anything goes wrong. There are no hidden fees and no ongoing charges.

There are several common reasons the ATO cancels an ABN:

• You stopped trading and didn't notify the ATO
• The ATO cancelled it due to a long period of inactivity
• Your details became outdated or unverifiable in the ABR
• You (or someone acting on your behalf) previously requested cancellation
• You sold or closed your business without updating the ATO

You'll need the same details as a new ABN application:

• Your full legal name — exactly as it appears in ATO records
• Your date of birth
• Your Tax File Number (TFN) — strongly recommended
• Your current Australian residential address
• A brief description of the business activity you'll be undertaking

No. Using a cancelled ABN is a breach of Australian tax law. Clients who pay you without a valid, active ABN are required by law to withhold 47% of your payment and send it to the ATO. You should reactivate immediately before invoicing or accepting any payments for your business activities.

Yes. You can register for GST and/or a Business Name at the same time as reactivating your ABN — all on the same form with one payment. We process the ABN reactivation first, then lodge the additional registrations automatically. Start your combined application here.

We fix it and resubmit for free — no extra charge, no questions asked. The most common reason for rejection is a name or date of birth mismatch with ATO records. Our team will contact you, explain exactly what needs correcting, and relodge your application as soon as it's resolved. Your original payment covers all corrections and resubmissions.

You can check your ABN status instantly using our free ABN Finder or ABN Lookup. If it shows as "Cancelled", you need to reactivate it. If it shows as "Active" but you're not sure whether your details are up to date, you can use our lookup service to verify the information on the ABR.

Yes. Since the ATO reinstates your original ABN number, your registration history remains linked to that number. Any prior GST registrations, Business Names, or lodgement history associated with your ABN will still be on record with the ATO.

Your reactivated ABN will remain active indefinitely as long as you continue to use it for legitimate business activities and keep your details up to date with the ATO. The ATO may cancel an ABN again if it detects prolonged inactivity or if your details become outdated.

Once your ABN is active, you may want to:

• Update your clients and business partners with your active ABN
• Re-register for GST if required (turnover over $75K, or rideshare)
• Re-register your Business Name if it was also cancelled
• Update your ABN on any invoices, contracts, or platforms (Uber, Airtasker, etc.)

Yes. GST registration requires an active ABN. If you don't have one yet, you can register for both your ABN and GST on the same form — we'll process the ABN first and then lodge your GST registration automatically. Start your combined application here.

Yes. All rideshare and taxi drivers in Australia must register for GST from day one, regardless of how much they earn. This includes Uber, DiDi, Ola, and any other rideshare platform. Without GST registration, you cannot legally operate. You can register for both your ABN and GST on our platform in one go — start here.

It's optional but can be beneficial. Voluntary GST registration lets you claim back the 10% GST on all business purchases — equipment, supplies, software, fuel, and more. It also makes you appear more professional to larger clients and is often required for government contracts. The only obligation is lodging a quarterly BAS return.

We charge a one-off fee of $99.00 to process your GST registration. This covers reviewing your application for compliance, lodging it with the ATO, and handling any rejections or resubmissions at no extra cost. There are no hidden fees or ongoing charges.

GST registrations are typically processed by the ATO within 24–48 hours. We notify you by email and SMS as soon as it's confirmed. In some cases where the ATO requires additional identity verification, it may take up to 7 business days — we keep you informed at every stage.

A Business Activity Statement (BAS) is a form you submit to the ATO each quarter to report the GST you've collected from clients and the GST credits you're claiming on business purchases. The ATO will notify you of your lodgement dates once you're registered. Most small businesses lodge quarterly.

We fix it and resubmit at no additional cost — no questions asked. The most common reason for rejection is the ATO needing your Tax File Number (TFN) for identity verification. Our team will contact you, explain exactly what's needed, and relodge your application as soon as it's resolved. Your original payment covers all corrections and resubmissions.

When you buy something for your business that includes GST (most goods and services in Australia), you can claim that 10% back from the ATO through your quarterly BAS return. For example, if you buy $1,100 worth of equipment (including $100 GST), you get that $100 back. This applies to tools, software, fuel, office supplies, professional services, and most other business expenses.

Yes. You can add GST registration, a Business Name, or both to your ABN application on the same form. One form, one process — we handle everything together. Start your application here.

You must start charging GST from the date your GST registration takes effect — this is usually the date the ATO processes your registration, not the date you applied. From that date onwards, you must include 10% GST in your prices and issue tax invoices for sales over $82.50. You cannot backdate GST charges to before your registration date.

Yes. If your turnover falls below $75,000 and you're not a rideshare driver, you can cancel your GST registration. However, you must lodge a final BAS return and account for any GST credits you've previously claimed. Contact us if you need help with cancellation.

Absolutely. We use 256-bit SSL encryption for all data transmission. Your TFN and personal information are handled exclusively for the purpose of submitting your application to the ATO. They are never stored in plain text or shared with third parties. ABNora is a registered tax agent authorised by the Tax Practitioners Board (TPB Registration No. 26179243).

No. As a sole trader, your ABN cannot use "Pty Ltd" in the business name — that suffix is reserved for registered companies, which are a different entity type. A company must be registered with ASIC and requires an annual fee to maintain. As a sole trader, you obtain your ABN and can run as many businesses under it as you like, with as many Business Names as you need — just without the "Pty Ltd" designation. For enquiries about company registration, please contact us.

ASIC may reject a Business Name for several reasons:

• The name is already taken or too similar to an existing registered name
• The name is considered inappropriate or misleading
• The address provided is missing required details (unit number, floor level)
• The address includes "Corner of" or is a PO Box (not accepted)
• The address is not recognised by Australia Post as a valid postal address

No. If ASIC rejects your Business Name, one of our team members will contact you by email, asking for an alternative name. We will check availability and register the new name on your behalf — completely free of charge. Your original payment covers the full service including corrections and resubmission.

No. Your ABN must be active before a Business Name can be registered. Once we reactivate your ABN and it shows as active on the ATO website, we can then process your Business Name registration. This can take a few hours (sometimes up to 24 hours) after the ABN is reactivated. As soon as the Business Name is approved, ASIC will send you a confirmation email with your registration record and ASIC-Key. If your ABN is currently cancelled, reactivate it here first.

Yes. You can register as many Business Names as you like under the same sole trader ABN. This is ideal if you operate across different industries or services — each name is registered independently with ASIC. Register another Business Name here.

Business Name registrations are typically processed by ASIC within 1–3 business days. Once approved, ASIC will send you a confirmation email directly with your registration record and ASIC-Key. We strongly recommend downloading and saving these documents immediately, as the ASIC link expires after 30 days.