Feb 25, 2019 I lost my ABN, Where can I find my ABN?
An ABN (Australian Business Number) is a registration number issued by the government in order for businesses to carry out any commercial activities. As a business owner, you will have to register for one online if you haven’t already since it would not be automatically issued to you. After you register for an ABN, make sure you store a record or a copy of it. Your ABN will sticks with you for life. But it’s all good if you lost your ABN, there are ways for you to find it.
Look for documents
Your ABN is included in your Tax Invoice or any letters the government sent to your business. Check if you have any physical documents at home or in your office.
ABN Lookup
ABN Lookup is an online tool for anyone to look for ABNs of all registered businesses. Your ABN should show up on the record if it has been registered. You can search by your name or ACN (Australian Company Number), since all records available to the public including your ABN would be shown.
Alternatively, you can call Australian Business Register (ABR) to ask about your ABN. They will ask you a few security and identification questions in order for you to retrieve your ABN.
Reactivating for an ABN
Unused ABNs could be cancelled by the ABR and might not show up on the lookup. If that’s the case, you can re-submit an online application to reactivate your ABN. Once that's done, your ABN will be shown as active on the ABN lookup.
Your ABN is crucial to running your business. You need it to register a business name or ACN, and for tax purposes. So make sure you store your ABN and any important documents safely. And if you lost your ABN, you should look for it ASAP!
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