We have started sending renewal notices to business names that were registered before 28 May 2012. Check our list of renewal notices that have been issued.
You can only renew once we send you a notice that your business name is ready to renew.
Even if your expiry date has passed, we won’t cancel your business name until after we have sent you a renewal notice and you have had time to renew.
See our YouTube video or download our user guide for step by step instructions on How to renew a business name. |
Renewing a business name
If you have registered a business name and want to continue to carry on business under that business name, you must renew the registration of the business name before it expires. We will send you a renewal notice that will tell you how to go online and renew the registration by paying the renewal fee. You can only renew once we send you a notice that your business name is ready to renew.
We will provide at least 28 days notice when a business name is due to expire. In most cases we will provide around two months notice. If you wish to continue to carry on business under a business name, you must renew your registration before it expires.
Renewal notices from ASIC
We will send the renewal notice by mail to the address for service of documents recorded on the business names register.
If the business name was registered before 28 May 2012, this is the address given to us by the state and territory agencies when information about your business name was transferred to us. Allow five to seven days from the date of issue to receive it.
You may check your business name details on the register at any time to make sure the address is correct. If needed, use ASIC Connect to update the register so that we have the correct address before sending your renewal.
You will receive your renewal notice:
- in paper through the mail if you have not provided us with a business email address, or
- by email if you have provided us with a business email address. You can provide us with a business email address through ASIC Connect.
Your renewal notice will ask you to use ASIC Connect to pay your renewal fee.
After receiving your initial business name renewal notice, if you don't renew, you will receive:
- a reminder notice 28 days after your renewal notice was issued, and
- an overdue notice 14 days after your renewal was due for payment.
We will not take any action to cancel business names until the renewal payment due date has passed. We will issue cancellation notices before cancelling a business name.
Even if you did not receive the renewal notice – for example, if you are an agent – you can use ASIC Connect to complete a renewal transaction if you have linked the business name to your ASIC Connect account .
What if I have not received my business name renewal notice?
If you believe you should have received your renewal notice, first check that your business name details held on our register are correct.
We can only issue notices to an address on our register. If the address is incorrect, update our register using ASIC Connect making sure to keep a note of the transaction number.
Then, send us an online inquiry with the transaction number to tell us that you need the renewal notice re-issued to the updated address.
We are currently receiving a large number of transactions to update business name details. We are trying to work through them as quickly as possible.
Renewing identical business name registrations
If you previously registered your business name in more than one state or territory, all your business names have been transferred to ASIC's national business names register. Any of these names can be used to carry on business nationally.
You may choose to keep one business name record (e.g. the one with the latest registration expiry) and allow your remaining business names to lapse by not paying the renewal fee. This may reduce the administrative burden and cost of maintaining several business names.
See more information about removing identical names.
Renewal period and fees
You will need to elect whether to renew your business name registration for a further one year or three years. A discounted annual registration renewal fee applies when you register for three years.
Once your business name renewal has been processed, you cannot change the registration period. You will need to wait until the current registration period ends.
More information on registration and renewal fees.
Renewal details
You must ensure the information on the business register is correct and up-to-date. If during your renewal you need to update your details, you can do this through ASIC Connect.
If you believe the registration expiry date on the register is wrong based on your last state registration, please contact us.
Don’t forget that having a registered business name does not give you ownership of the name or the exclusive right to use the name. Registering a business name:
- does not stop another person from registering a similar name
- will not prevent the name being registered as a trademark
- will not prevent the name being used by someone that has already registered it as a trademark, and
- does not protect you from legal action if the name of your business infringes the intellectual property rights of another (for example, a name which is a registered trademark).
The obligation to register a business name is a legal obligation which is entirely separate to any steps that business owners may take to protect any intellectual property rights in a name or brand, such as registering a trademark.
Similarly to when you register a business name for the first time, before you renew your registration you might want to undertake the following checks:
- check to see if the name is identical or similar to a registered trademark, by using the new free IP Australia Trade Mark Check (TM Check)
- if you would like to register a domain name in addition to your business name, check to make sure that the domain name you want is available at www.auda.org.au , and
- check for any state or territory licences you may require to use a name or conduct a particular type of business in your state or territory. For more information go to Business Licence Information Service.
Confirmation
Once you have paid your renewal fee, we will send confirmation of your successful registration renewal and a Record of registration for a business name to the business email address. You will also be able to see your new registration expiry date on the business names register.
We will update the register once we process the payment of your renewal fee. The time this will take will depend on the payment method you use. It may take between 2-5 business days for your payment to be processed.
If you wish to receive your record of registration again, please contact us to arrange for it to be re-issued.