Oceaniaphase 3

Australia: what can be established about a company

Australia has a single national companies register at ASIC, free to search for name, ACN, status, type and registered office locality, with current and historical extracts (officers, members for small companies, share structure) sold for A$10 to A$23 and copies of lodged documents for A$20 or more. ABN Lookup is free and confirms tax registration and trading names. Financial statements are lodged only by public companies, large proprietary companies and some foreign-controlled companies. There is no beneficial ownership register; Treasury published policy specifications in December 2024 but legislation has not been introduced.

Identifiers

Identifier	Format	Note
ACN	9 digits, e.g. 004 085 616	Australian Company Number issued by ASIC on registration
ABN	11 digits, e.g. 51 004 085 616	Australian Business Number issued by the ATO; for companies the last nine digits are the ACN
ARBN	9 digits	Australian Registered Body Number for foreign companies and registrable bodies
ASX code	3 letters, e.g. BHP	Listed entities; map to ACN through ASX issuer pages

Sources

Each with what it discloses, how it is accessed, and our coverage level.

Registry

ASIC Connect company searchFree search of name, ACN/ARBN, type, status, registration date, registered office locality and list of lodged documents; paid current and historical extracts with officers, share structure and members where recorded.Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) · Current extract A$10, current and historical A$20, roles and relationships A$23, documents A$20 or A$50 by length (check the authority). Officeholder addresses are omitted from extracts.

paid per document
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Registry

ABN LookupABN status and history, entity type, GST registration, main business location (state and postcode) and current and historical business names.Australian Business Register (ATO) · Free web services require registration for a GUID. ABN Lookup does not show officers or owners.

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Beneficial ownership

Beneficial ownership register (proposed)No public beneficial ownership register exists. Treasury consulted in 2022 and released policy specifications in December 2024 for a register covering unlisted entities; draft legislation is pending.The Treasury · For listed entities, substantial holder notices (5 per cent) are published on ASX. For proprietary companies, the members shown in ASIC extracts are registered holders, who may be nominees or trustees.

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Securities filings

ASX company announcementsContinuous disclosure by listed entities: results, substantial holder notices, director interest notices, annual reports.Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) · Listed entities only. Announcements older than a few years are retained but search is by code and date.

open web
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Securities filings

ASIC lodged financial reportsAnnual financial reports (Form 388) lodged by public companies, large proprietary companies, foreign-controlled small proprietary companies and some others, purchasable as document copies.Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) · Small proprietary companies that are not foreign-controlled do not lodge accounts. General purpose statements of country-by-country reporting entities are passed from the ATO to ASIC.

paid per document
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Regulators

ASIC enforcement media releases and registers of banned personsEnforcement outcomes, infringement notices, court actions and the banned and disqualified register.Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) · The ACCC (competition and consumer), AUSTRAC (AML) and APRA (prudential) publish their own actions.

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Courts

AustLIIFree judgments of federal, state and territory courts and tribunals, searchable by party name.Australasian Legal Information Institute (UNSW and UTS; non-governmental) · Published judgments only. Federal Court dockets are searchable on the Commonwealth Courts Portal; state court file searches vary and may be paid.

open web
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Sanctions

DFAT Consolidated ListAll persons and entities subject to Australian autonomous sanctions and UN sanctions implemented in Australia.Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) · Published as a downloadable file; entries carry reference numbers and listing dates.

open web
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Insolvency

ASIC published noticesStatutory insolvency notices: appointment of administrators, liquidators and receivers, creditor meetings, winding-up applications and deregistration.Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) · Notices are searchable by ACN. External administration also changes the company status in the ASIC register.

open web
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IP offices

IP Australia search servicesAustralian Trade Mark Search, AusPat and the designs register with applicant and owner names.IP Australia · Owner names are free text; ACN is recorded where supplied but not consistently.

open web
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Procurement

AusTenderCommonwealth tender notices and contract notices with supplier name and ABN.Department of Finance · Commonwealth only; states and territories run separate portals. Supplier ABN makes matching reliable.

open web
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Caveats

ASIC extracts show registered members for proprietary companies and only the top 20 members for public companies; nominee and trustee holdings are not looked through.
No beneficial ownership register exists yet; Treasury's 2024 policy design is not law.
Small proprietary companies lodge no financial statements, so accounts exist for a minority of companies.
Business names are registered separately from company names and the same trading name may be used in different states by unrelated entities.
ASIC's registry systems have been under modernisation since 2023; document numbering and search behaviour may change (check the authority).

Questions

What can I see about an Australian company for free?

Name, ACN, type, status, registration date, registered office locality and a list of lodged documents on ASIC Connect, plus ABN, GST status and business names on ABN Lookup. Officers and members require a paid extract.

Is there a beneficial ownership register in Australia?

No. Treasury released policy specifications in December 2024 for a register of unlisted entities, and legislation is expected later. For listed entities, substantial holder notices on ASX disclose holders above 5 per cent.

Are Australian company accounts public?

Public companies, large proprietary companies and foreign-controlled small proprietary companies lodge annual financial reports with ASIC, which can be bought as document copies. Other small proprietary companies do not lodge accounts.

How do I check for insolvency?

ASIC published notices list appointments of administrators, liquidators and receivers and winding-up applications by ACN, and the company's ASIC status changes on external administration.

Sources

Reviewed 26 October 2026. Rules and fees change; confirm with the authority before relying on them.

A brief on a company in Australia

Coverage stated by section; official document fees at cost.

Request a brief