Nov 22, 2022
How To Check If A Company or Business Name Is Registered
Choosing the perfect business or company name can be a little bit tricky. As a new business owner (or potential business owner) you’ll likely spend quite a bit of time searching out a name that is both memorable and communicates what your business is all about.
But thinking up the right name is only the first step in the process. In order for it to be registered here in Australia, it also needs to be unique. And that means it can’t have been registered by anyone else already.
But what is ‘company’ name registration? How is this different from ‘business’ name registration? And how can you check if a company or business name has already been registered by another organisation?
Company Name versus Business Name
In Australia, company names and business names are sometimes used interchangeably, but they actually depend on how your business is structured. If you structure your business as a company (that is as a separate legal entity), then when you register a company the name you choose will become your company name.
A business name, on the other hand, is the name under which you conduct business. If you are a sole trader or a partnership, you can register and conduct business under a business name (such as Sydney Plumbing).
If you are a company, you can trade under your company name (such as Sydney Plumbing Pty Ltd), but you may also conduct business under one or more additional business names. For example, your registered company name may be John Smith Towing Pty Ltd, but you may choose to operate as John Smith Towing, or even JS Towing. In that case, any additional business name that you choose to trade under must also be registered, and therefore, unique.
Do You Need to Register Your Company or Business Name?
In almost all cases, the answer is yes. Almost all entities will need to register their business or company name with ASIC regardless of their entity structure. And to do that, the name must be completely unique (other than one exception). Uniqueness, and therefore availability, is determined on a nationwide scale, meaning your new company or business name must not be the same as any other name currently operating within Australia.
Sole trader or partnership exception…
If your business is structured as a sole trader or partnership then you must register the business name unless your business is named after you or your partner (for example, ‘John Smith’). However, if you use any other words in the business name (for example, ‘John Smith Towing’) you are then required to register your business name with ASIC.
How to Check if a Company Name is Registered in Australia
Of course, it’s impossible to know the name of every business operating in Australia. That’s why you need to be able to check if a company or business name is already registered (and therefore unavailable) before you take any other steps in the business – whether branding or operational or production.
2 Easy Steps to Check Company or Business Name Registration
Step 1:
Brainstorm several name options. That way if your first isn’t available, you’ll have a few other options up your sleeve. Remember that a good company or business name is not just unique but also memorable and conveys to your potential customers or clients what you do.
Step 2:
To check the status of a company name, you can use our Company Name Search tool. If you need to check the status of a business name, you can do so using our Business Name Registration tool.
Simply type in your preferred name (for example, John Smith Towing) and we’ll tell you whether or not your desired company name is available. Even better, we’ll provide you with the additional information and support you need to get started today.
The ASIC Process
Of course, you can also check company name availability on ASIC. Head to ASIC’s website, and from this page you’ll be able to search ASIC’s name register. This database has the name of every company and business name registered in Australia, and will show you whether or not your desired name is available.
Using the search box as shown above, select ‘Check business name availability’ in the first box, and then type in your potential business name in the second (as shown below). Click Go.
You will then be given your results which tell you whether the name is currently available or not, and a list of related business names that are currently registered. If the business name you’ve chosen is available, then you will get a result that looks like this:
It's good news for John Smith, the name ‘John Smith Towing’ is currently available. On the other hand, if the name you’ve chosen is not available, you will get a result that looks like this:
If you receive an unavailable result, you will need to redo the search with another potential company or business name until you find one that is currently available for registration.
Next Steps
Now that you know how to check if a company name is registered, you need to complete the actual registration process. This can be done quickly and easily with our simple Company Registration form or Business Name Application. In fact, you can have your ACN or ABN and required documents in less than five minutes.
Our expert team is also more than happy to help you research your name options or even register your domain. We make starting your business easy and straightforward and ensure that you meet all your legal obligations in the process. Get in touch with us today!
All information provided on this webpage is general information about our products and services. Nothing on this webpage is intended to be professional advice of any kind and should not be relied on as such. You should obtain specific financial, legal or other professional advice before relying on the content of this webpage. By not seeking such advice, you accept the risk that the information on this webpage may not meet the specific needs of your business. Our liability is limited to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law in accordance with our website terms and conditions.
