How to Renew an Australian Business Name Online Before It Is Cancelled

When do you need to renew your business name?

If you want to continue carrying on business under your registered business name, you must renew its registration with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC).

ASIC sends a renewal notice at least 30 days before the registration renewal is due. The notice is usually sent by email. It tells you that the business name is ready for renewal and provides the information needed to complete the transaction.

You can check the renewal date of a registered business name through ASIC's Business Names Register. Do not confuse a business name renewal with a company's annual review: they are separate ASIC processes with different legal requirements and fees.

How much does business name renewal cost?

You can renew an Australian business name for either 1 year or 3 years.

ASIC's fees applying from 1 July 2026 are AUD 47 for a 1-year renewal or AUD 108 for a 3-year renewal. ASIC fees are not subject to GST.

ASIC indexes some fees each year from 1 July, so use the amount shown in the official renewal transaction if you are renewing after a later fee change.

What should you do when the ASIC renewal notice arrives?

ASIC usually sends business name renewal notices to the email address recorded against the registration. If ASIC does not have an email address, it sends a paper notice to the service of documents address.

If another person, such as an agent, originally registered the business name and recorded their email address, ASIC may send the notice to that person.

If you have not received the notice, first check your spam or junk folder and confirm who has the registered email address. If the notice is lost or ASIC does not have an email address, you can ask ASIC to resend it. ASIC says you should receive a replacement notice within 5 business days after making the request.

Which online renewal method should you use?

ASIC provides two online renewal routes. The right one depends on whether you only need to renew or also need to change registration details.

Option 1: Business name renewal service

If you only need to renew the registration, ASIC recommends its dedicated Business name renewal service.

Enter the account number shown on your renewal notice. You can instead enter your ABN if that ABN is listed against the business name on the Australian Business Register. Select the business name, choose a 1-year or 3-year renewal period, review the details and complete the declaration and payment.

Option 2: ASIC Connect

Use ASIC Connect when you need to renew and also review or update the business name details. You need an ASIC Connect account and the business name must be linked to the account.

After signing in, select Lodgements and notifications, choose the business name, select Renew business name and then choose Go. Select the 1-year or 3-year period, review the information, submit the transaction, make the required declaration and proceed to payment.

If you are setting up a business name for the first time rather than renewing one, use the separate process to register an Australian business name.

How do you pay the renewal fee?

ASIC allows you to pay immediately online using Visa or MasterCard. You can also request an invoice and pay using BPAY or Australia Post.

The renewal is reflected on the Business Names Register once ASIC receives the payment. ASIC then emails you a record of registration after the payment has been processed.

What happens if you do not renew by the due date?

If you do not renew your business name by the due date, ASIC may cancel the registration. Failure to renew by the due date is the most common reason ASIC cancels a business name.

ASIC does not immediately cancel the name without notice. If ASIC intends to cancel it, it sends a cancellation notice. If the reason for the proposed cancellation is failure to renew, you can stop the cancellation by renewing and paying the renewal fee within 2 months of receiving ASIC's notice that it intends to cancel the name.

If you no longer want to trade under the name, you do not need to take action after receiving the cancellation notice. ASIC says it will cancel the business name 2 months after sending the notice of its intention to cancel and will write to confirm the cancellation.

If you intentionally want to end the registration rather than wait for ASIC's process, see how to cancel a business name you no longer use.

Can you restore a business name after ASIC cancels it?

If ASIC cancelled the business name because you did not renew it on time, you can ask ASIC to restore it, but only within 6 months after cancellation.

ASIC states that another person cannot register the business name for at least 6 months after it has been cancelled. To request restoration within that period, contact ASIC and provide the business name, your name, ABN, email address and contact phone number. If you are acting for the holder, ASIC also requires written evidence that you are authorised to act.

After more than 6 months, the old registration cannot be restored. You may instead be able to register the name again if it is still available.

Be careful with third-party renewal notices

You may receive business name renewal offers from private service providers. These are not necessarily ASIC notices and the provider may charge additional service fees.

ASIC advises business owners who receive unsolicited renewal correspondence that they can wait for the official ASIC reminder and complete the renewal directly with ASIC at the published ASIC fee. If a message claiming to be from ASIC appears suspicious, verify the renewal independently rather than relying on links in the message.

What happens after you renew?

After you submit the renewal and ASIC receives payment, the Business Names Register is updated to show the next renewal date. ASIC also emails a record of registration after payment has been processed.

Check that your registered contact details remain current so future notices reach you. ASIC requires business name holders to notify it of changes to relevant registration details, generally within 28 days of the change.

Remember that renewing a business name does not renew a company registration, ABN or GST registration. Those are separate obligations. If your business circumstances have changed, the relevant processes may include registering your business for GST or, for a company that has permanently stopped trading and meets the requirements, voluntarily deregistering the company.