Check if a business name is available in Australia
See which names on the ABN register are identical to yours under the ASIC rules this site applies. ASIC's own availability check makes the final call, and the result links to it.
Your answer appears here
Can I register this business name?
- Yes
- Check first
- No
A plain answer first, then the ASIC rule behind it and the date it was read.
- Identical names
- Names identical under the ASIC tests this site applies (listed below)
- Similar names
- Business, company and entity names on the ABN register
- Each match
- Its ABN, status and state, one tap from the full record
Unofficial. Reads the Australian Business Register's public web services. Not affiliated with or endorsed by the ABR, the ATO, ASIC or the Australian Government. How it works.
Updated . Rules checked against asic.gov.au and abr.business.gov.au the same day.
How ASIC decides a name is taken
You can't register a name that is identical or nearly identical to another business name or company name, including names someone has applied for, names being transferred or reviewed, and names cancelled in the last 4 or 6 months (depending on whether the holder or ASIC cancelled them) (ASIC: Rules for acceptable business names (opens in a new tab)). ASIC compares names after ignoring (ASIC: Rules for acceptable business names (opens in a new tab)):
| ASIC ignores | Treated as identical | This site applies it |
|---|---|---|
| Singular or plural | The Child Garden / The Children Gardens | Yes |
| "The", "a" and "an" | A bird in hand / Bird in hand | Yes |
| Case, fonts, accents, spaces, punctuation | Australian Holiday Apartments! / australiaholidayapartments | Yes |
| Word order (against non-company names) | Green House / House Green | Yes |
| www, com, net, org (against non-company names) | www.myfirstbusiness.com.au / My First Business | Yes |
| Aust, Co, No, &, Inc, Corp (against company names) | Australian Garden Company / Aust Garden Co | Yes |
| Pty, Ltd, Limited, NL (against company names) | Smith Pty Ltd / Smith (our example; the others are ASIC's) | Yes |
| Words taken to be the same | Fresh Bread Bakehouse / Fresh Bread Bakery | No |
| Pronunciation | Dollar Shop / $ shop | No |
The last two rows are why a clear result here is a good sign rather than a guarantee: ASIC's check also uses its list of words taken to be the same, compares names that sound alike, and searches registers this site can't see (ASIC: Rules for acceptable business names (opens in a new tab)).
Names and words with restrictions
Some names are "undesirable" and can't be registered: for example, a name suggesting a connection that doesn't exist with any level of Australian government, a foreign government, the Royal Family, a charity or the United Nations, or one that uses "Commonwealth" or "Federal" other than as a place name (ASIC: Rules for acceptable business names (opens in a new tab)).
Other words are "restricted" and need consent: from ASIC for some, from the relevant minister for others, and from APRA for a third group (ASIC: Rules for acceptable business names (opens in a new tab)). State and territory laws also limit professional terms such as architect, builder and veterinarian, which ASIC doesn't check (ASIC: Rules for acceptable business names (opens in a new tab)).
Names can only use English letters, numbers, spaces, common punctuation and a few symbols; accented letters aren't allowed (ASIC: Rules for acceptable business names (opens in a new tab)).
Do you need to register a business name?
You must register a business name if you run a business in Australia and don't trade under your own name. You don't need to if you trade as an individual under your first name and surname, as a partnership under all the partners' names, or as a company under the company's own name (ASIC: Register a business name (opens in a new tab)).
ASIC's examples: John Smith doesn't register "John Smith" but does register "John Smith Gardening" or "John Smith & Co"; partners Peter Nguyen and Helen Lee register "Nguyen & Lee Plumbing" but not their own names (ASIC: Register a business name (opens in a new tab)).
Register it: cost and steps
| Registration | ASIC fee from 1 July 2026 |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $47 |
| 3 years | $108 |
Fees rise with CPI each July (ASIC: Schedules of business names fees (opens in a new tab)). To register (ASIC: How to register a business name with ASIC (opens in a new tab)):
- Have an ABN. Or the reference number from your ABN application. You can also apply for both together through the Business Registration Service (ASIC: Register a business name (opens in a new tab)).
- Log in to ASIC Connect. Start a business name registration.
- Enter the name exactly as you want it on the register. ASIC says business names are case-sensitive, so check your capital letters. When it tests whether two names are identical, it ignores case.
- Choose 1 or 3 years. Add the holder's details and address, and confirm the holder is eligible.
- Pay within 10 business days of approval. If you don't, ASIC refuses the application. ASIC says the name should be registered within 48 hours of payment.
Once registered, show the name wherever the business is open to the public, and put the name and your ABN on invoices and purchase orders (ASIC: Register a business name (opens in a new tab)).
A business name isn't a trade mark
Registering a business name lets you trade under it and stops anyone else registering an identical or nearly identical name. It doesn't give you exclusive rights to the name, and it won't protect you if you use someone else's trade mark. Only a registered trade mark, through IP Australia, gives exclusive rights, and ASIC suggests checking trade marks before you register a name (ASIC: Business names vs trademarks (opens in a new tab)).
Questions people ask
How do I check if a business name is taken in Australia?
Search it here first to see identical and similar names already on the ABN register. Then run ASIC's business name availability search on ASIC Connect (opens in a new tab): select "check business name availability" and it shows green (available), amber (ASIC will assess it after you apply) or red (unavailable) (ASIC: Register a business name (opens in a new tab)).
Can two businesses have the same name?
Not for a new registration. ASIC can't register a name that is identical or nearly identical to another registered business or company name (ASIC: Rules for acceptable business names (opens in a new tab)). A registration doesn't stop others using similar words, though; only a trade mark gives exclusive rights to a name (ASIC: Business names vs trademarks (opens in a new tab)).
Do I need an ABN to register a business name?
Yes, or an ABN reference number if your ABN application is still being processed (ASIC: Register a business name (opens in a new tab)). See how to get an ABN.
Why did ASIC's search give me amber?
Amber means ASIC needs to assess the name after you apply. It can be because the name is close to another one, or because a word is "unknown" to ASIC's system, such as a made-up word, an unusual spelling or words joined together (ASIC: Register a business name (opens in a new tab)).
Is a trading name the same as a business name?
No. Trading names are not registered business names and don't appear on ASIC's business names register (ASIC: Business names register (opens in a new tab)). The ABR stopped collecting them in 2012 and shows old ones only as history (ABN Lookup: Glossary (opens in a new tab)).
Sources
Every rule on this page comes from the official pages listed here. Each was read on the date shown, and the Updated date at the top is when this page was last checked against them.
- ASIC: Rules for acceptable business names (opens in a new tab) Read 30 September 2026.
- ASIC: Register a business name (opens in a new tab) Read 30 September 2026.
- ASIC: How to register a business name with ASIC (opens in a new tab) Read 30 September 2026.
- ASIC: Schedules of business names fees (opens in a new tab) Read 30 September 2026.
- ASIC: Business names vs trademarks (opens in a new tab) Read 30 September 2026.
- ASIC: Business names register (opens in a new tab) Read 30 September 2026.
- ABN Lookup: Glossary (opens in a new tab) Read 30 September 2026.