Do you still need your ABN?
It’s important to cancel your ABN when you’re no longer using it so that the Australian Business Register (ABR) has an accurate view of active businesses within Australia. Up-to-date ABR data is important as it’s used by local, state and federal agencies for planning and development, disaster support and other purposes.
As we know not everyone cancels their ABN when their circumstances change, we regularly review inactive ABNs for cancellation, to keep the ABR up to date.
If we identify your ABN for review, we’ll send you or your agent an email, letter or SMS.
If you’re:
- carrying on a business – use the automated phone service to tell us you still need your ABN
- no longer in business – you don’t need to do anything. Your ABN will be cancelled.
If we cancel your ABN and you start operating again, don’t worry – you can easily re-apply for an ABN. In most cases, if your business structure hasn’t changed, we’ll register you with the same ABN.
If you’re still using your ABN, you can prevent it from appearing inactive by meeting your obligations for running a business and holding an ABN:
- Report any income earned or loss incurred under your ABN in the business section of your income tax return, even if your business hasn’t made a profit.
- If you’re registered for GST or PAYGW, lodge your business activity statement (BAS).
- If your business has made payments to contractors for services, you may need to lodge a Taxable payments annual report (TPAR).
- Make sure you update your ABN details within 28 days of any changes to your postal or physical business address, business activity, associates or contact details.
For more information on the ABN cancellation program, see ABR Integrity.
Check our current communication to ABN holders for information on how to confirm the email, letter or SMS is legitimate.