New National Business Name Registration System

The State/Territory based business name registration system is to be replaced by a new streamlined national system. This is expected to commence in April 2011, provided that legislation is passed in all Australian jurisdictions.

As part of the regulatory reform agenda of the Council of Australian Government, the State and Territory Governments have agreed to refer their powers for business name registration to make way for the national system.

Like the current system, businesses must register a business name if they carry on business within Australia under a name that is different to their own entity name. This allows for the person or company behind a business name to be easily identified.