Key points:
- Before you deal with another business, it’s important to check that it is genuine and trustworthy.
- ASIC and other government agencies hold information about businesses that can help you work out if they are genuine. This information is contained in online registers.
- You should search these registers before dealing with a business.
- There are other ways to check on a business’s credentials.
About government registers
ASIC and other government agencies keep records about businesses and the people who run them. This information is stored on registers that you can search. These include the Australian business register (ABR), the business names register and the companies register.
Australian business register
Before you deal with a business, check that it is registered and has an Australian Business Number (ABN).
To check if a business has an ABN, go to the Australian Business Register’s ABN Lookup service. You can search for a business by name, ABN or Australian Company Number (ACN).
ABN Lookup
The following may be warning signs:
- The name the business operates under is not listed.
- The ABN or ACN the business gives you is not listed.
- The ABN or ACN is linked to an entity or business name that seems different from the person or business you’re dealing with.
Business names register
If you want information about who owns or operates a registered business name, you can search for the business name in ASIC’s business names register:
Business names register
(Search within 'Business names index'.)
Companies register
If your ABN Lookup shows that the business you’re researching is a company:
- check that it is registered and solvent before dealing with it
- check who the company directors are.
These details are only available for companies, not other businesses, such as sole traders and partnerships.
Company registration and solvency
To check whether a company is registered, search the ASIC companies register. You can search by the company name or ACN.
You can also use the companies register to check whether a company is under external administration. This usually means it is insolvent.
Company and organisation registers
(Search within 'Organisation & Business Names'.)
The following may be warning signs:
- There are no results for the ACN.
- The company is listed as deregistered.
- The company is listed as under external administration (‘EXAD’).
- The ACN is linked to a company that seems different from the business you are dealing with.
Company director details
To find out information about a company’s directors, you can buy a ‘company extract’ from the companies register. The company extract is a PDF document that will tell you:
- the names of the current company directors
- how long these directors have been with the company.
The following may be warning signs:
- The company changes directors frequently.
- The person you are dealing with seems to be in charge of the company but is not listed as a director.
If you have any doubts about a person, you can:
Form 963: Application for information about a specific personal name
Important: If a business, or business name, is listed on a government register, that does not guarantee that the business is trustworthy. There are many other ways to check a business is trustworthy. See More you can do.
Get help with searching government registers
People who help you with your business, like an accountant or lawyer, may be able to help you with searches.
There are also information brokers who package and sell information from government registers.
Monitor a company and report problems
To monitor a company, you can register for our free company alert service. This service will send you an email if documents are lodged about the companies you nominate.
If you think a company director may be breaking the law, you can report misconduct.
If you are concerned about a company’s products or services, you may need to contact the fair trading or consumer affairs agency in your state or territory.
More you can do
This page is mainly about how you can use ASIC’s registers and services to check on a business. Here are some other ideas:
- Check that they have a licence, if they are in a field that needs one. Do this through your state or territory’s fair trading or consumer affairs department.
- Check whether they are a member of an industry or professional association.
- Check their credit rating.
- Ask for referees or talk to other people who deal with the business.
- Get professional advice.
