If I have a business name held by a joint venture, can I use this for the company name also?

Yes, this is definitely possible albeit somewhat more complex.

The first step is to give our customer service team a call. Explain that you would like to use a business name held by a Joint Venture (JV) and they will be able to assist and ensure that your application is dealt with properly.

Please follow these instructions:

1. Enter your business name in the box on the homepage. You will be prompted to enter the ABN or State Business Number attached to the business name to prove that you hold it. In a JV both parties have their own separate ABNs but not one for the JV.

2. To get around this and proceed to the next step in the application, select that the business name was registered prior to 28 May 2012. In one of the State fields that appears enter NA. This will allow you to proceed to the next step.

3. When you reach Step 3: Company Entities, ensure that you include both members to the JV as either Directors or Shareholders or both.

4. Members of a JV may be individuals, companies or trusts. If a member is a trust you will need to scan a copy of the trust schedule and email it to support@easycompanies.com.au with an explanation of the situation. 

5. Once you are satisfied with the application, submit it. It will be rejected at first instance. Since you would have called the office by this point, our staff will be on the look out for the application and will manually submit it for review with an explanation and any other documentation required, such as a trust schedule.

6. Once this has been achieved, ASIC should be able to register the company for you. 

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.

Updated — Nov 2, 2015