• What is an identical names check?
• When should I use an identical names check?
• What further checks should I undertake?
• How do I search for an identical name?
• What information will I receive?
• I want to do a search now

When should I use an identical names check?
After a proposed company name has been chosen and before an application is lodged with us, you should use the identical names check facility. The check will tell you whether your proposed name will be rejected because it is identical to an already registered name.

Rejection occurs when the proposed name is considered under section 147 (1) (a) or section 147 (1) (b) of the Corporations Act 2001 to be identical to an already registered name.

Such a check does not guarantee that the name will necessarily be available or acceptable. Before you take any steps such as lodging your application, paying a fee and still finding you cannot have your proposed name, you should undertake some further checks.

What further checks should I undertake?
To ensure a full check of the proposed name is made you will also need to examine Schedule 6 of the Corporations Regulations 2001. Schedule 6 lists types and categories of names which are unavailable, unacceptable or restricted from use in company names.

As part of choosing a proposed name, you can use our National Names Index to search all currently registered names. This will give a different result from the Identical Names Check and may help you choose a suitable name for your company.

You may also wish to consider checking for identical trademarks at http://www.ipaustralia.gov.au.

How do I search for an identical name?
Here's how to do the search:

• select Identical Names Check
• enter the proposed name you want to search for, excluding "pty ltd", "ltd" etc
• click on the search button

Checked against ASIC's database at hh:mm:ss on dd/mm/yyyy

Name checked: XXXXXX XXXXXXX

As at the time of this extract, the name checked is not considered to be identical to any name protected by the provisions of s147(1)(a) or (b) of the Corporations Act 2001 registered on the ASIC database.

or

Checked against ASIC's database at hh:mm:ss on dd/mm/yyyy

Name checked: XXXXX XXXXX

The name is identical to that of the already registered name listed below;

Number : 000000000

Name: XXXXX XXXXX PTY LTD