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Registering your new business.

Thank you to our accounting software partner Xero for this great content.

There is a bit of paperwork and people who need to know about your new business. Here are a few fundamentals you need to know.

How to register a business with the government.

There are a few government departments that need to know about your business:

  • Register a business name: Unless you’re trading under your personal name, you’ll need to register a business name. You can do this through the Business Registration Service
  • Get an Australian Business Number (ABN): An ABN is a quick way to identify your business to the government and the tax office. Put it on your invoices to ensure customers don’t withhold pay-as-you-go tax from the amount they pay you. You can apply for an ABN through the Business Registration Service. Find out more about what an ABN is and how to get one.
  • Apply for licences and permits: You may need special authority for certain business activities, such as running a business from home or employing people. Some industries have very specific requirements. Find out what you need from the Australian Business Licence and Information Service.
How do I register a company?

If you’re setting up as a company, you’ll need to choose and register a name and get set up with the Australian Securities & Investments Commission (ASIC). You’ll need to submit documents explaining how your company will operate and identify who the decision-makers will be. You can start the process through the Business Registration Service.

Do I need to tell any other regulators?

There may be some more to do if you’re entering a regulated industry. A caterer, for example, needs to be registered and have a food control plan – and possibly a liquor license. Speak to friends in the industry, or your industry representative body to find out if there are special requirements.

Should I trademark a business name?

You can legally protect a business name and logo to prevent others from mimicking your identity. This can be a valuable step for businesses that plan to invest a lot in making their brand widely known.

This area of the law can get complicated – especially if you expand into overseas markets and find there’s a business there with a similar name. Ask for advice from a legal professional with experience in this area.

At the very least, use trademark registries (and search engines) to check that no one already has your business name. It’s an easy way to save yourself a lot of hassle.

Make sure your business is protected.

Ensuring you have documentation such as Terms and Conditions of Trade in place is really important for a new business.

They will help you mitigate risk, and ensure you have a robust onboarding system in place to protect your cash flow.

We can tailor your contracts to your operation with our end-to-end solution.

Disclaimer:  EC Credit Control does not provide accounting, tax, business or legal advice. This guide has been provided for information purposes only. You should consult your own professional advisors for advice directly relating to your business or before taking action in relation to any of the content provided.

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See what our clients are saying:

John Pohl
John Pohl
21. March, 2024.
EC Credit Control gets the job done. Zeta is always helpful...
Josh Horton
Josh Horton
29. February, 2024.
I was in a spot of bother with an old account that was still active. This was causing an issue for a loan and was very time critical. I was able to reach Tanya after hours and she not only helped me through sorting it out but followed up to make sure I was being looked after first thing the next morning. Very impressed with Tanya's support and the speed of EC Credit Control.
Carissa Taylor
Carissa Taylor
14. February, 2024.
As a new Accounts employee, this was my first time dealing with EC Credit and they were a breeze. I have called Monika for the smallest of questions and she has been most helpful. I didn't know we could contact them and ask for the advice that I have. I would highly recommend them. Carissa - Navace Pty Ltd
Caroline Burnett
Caroline Burnett
12. February, 2024.
Tanya is super helpful and extremely professional with a great sense of humour. She really understands what we need for our business. Highly recommend!! ????☺️
nick fish
nick fish
9. February, 2024.
Due to the fast growth of our business and increasing size dollar value size of our orders it was obvious we needed to tighten our trade legality terms to ensure the safety of our assets be they business or personal liabilities. After some positive interactions with Chris last year we decided to meet up with EC just last week to discuss. The information presented was concise and explained brilliantly making it simple for us to understand our current requirements and what to do next. We now have robust documentation to get paid on-time & in-full. Confident for future products with less stress.”
ENL Property Management
ENL Property Management
2. February, 2024.
We have been dealing with Ec for at least 5 years and can not recommend enough.
Robert Turner
Robert Turner
11. January, 2024.
Fantastic company to get your business trading terms up to date Tanya Pascoe is a fantastic Rep and supplies a good follow up service for questions and answers. I would Highly recommend the EC Credit team to any business.