Before signing a contract with a new business partner in Australia, a quick ASIC register check can save you from costly mistakes. The Australian Securities and Investments Commission maintains public records on every registered company, from small proprietary firms to large public entities.

Registered companies in Australia: over 2.7 million ·
ASIC Connect free search: available for basic details ·
Standard company extract fee: $9 (as of 2024) ·
ASIC established: 1998

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
2What’s unclear
3Timeline signal
4What’s next

Five key details you can pull from an ASIC search — from the free summary to the full extract.

Detail Free search Paid extract
Current registration status Yes Yes
ACN, ARBN, or ARSN Yes Yes
Registered office address Yes Yes
Current directors and secretaries No Yes
Share structure No Yes
Historical charges and document images No Yes

The pattern: free searches verify existence and basic status; paid extracts reveal the full compliance history needed for serious due diligence.

How to Find a Company on ASIC?

ASIC Connect is the official portal at connectonline.asic.gov.au. Here’s how to use it.

How to check if a business is registered in Australia?

Select ‘Organisations and Business Names’ on the ASIC Connect homepage, enter the company name or ACN, and click ‘Go’ (ASIC User Guide – official portal instructions). The free search returns the organisation’s name, ACN, current status, type, and registered office address (ASIC Official Website – register search overview).

  • Search by organisation name, registered business name, ACN, ARBN, or ARSN (ASIC User Guide PDF)
  • Use exact spelling and punctuation to avoid selecting the wrong entity (Sprintlaw – practical tips for ASIC searches)
  • Results display a summary page with ‘Information for purchase’ if a detailed extract is available (ASIC User Guide PDF)

The catch: free results won’t name directors or shareholders, so for deeper checks you’ll need a paid extract.

How can I check a registered company?

If you have the ABN, you can search by ABN on ASIC Connect — the system accepts ACN, ABN, or name (ASIC Official Website). Business names registered before 28 May 2012 may also be found using former state registration numbers (CITEC Confirm – ASIC search guide).

  • Advanced search options allow filtering by director name or address (ASIC User Guide PDF)
  • For professional registers (AFS licensees, credit licensees, auditors), use the Professional Registers Search (PRS) on ASIC (ASIC PRS Guide – how-to for professional registers)

Why this matters: being able to search by multiple identifiers means you can verify a company even if you only have partial information.

What Is an ASIC Search?

An ASIC search is any query against the public registers maintained by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission. These registers hold data on companies, registered bodies, foreign companies in Australia, and managed investment schemes (ASIC Official Website – company and organisation registers).

What does ASIC stand for?

ASIC stands for Australian Securities and Investments Commission, the independent government body responsible for regulating companies, financial markets, and financial services in Australia (ASIC Official Website). It was established in 1998 under the Australian Securities and Investments Commission Act 2001.

What is an ASIC company?

An ‘ASIC company’ is a company registered under the Corporations Act 2001 and listed on the ASIC register. All Australian companies (proprietary, public, foreign) must be registered with ASIC to operate legally (Sprintlaw – Australian business law firm).

  • ASIC assigns each company a unique Australian Company Number (ACN) that stays with it for life (ASIC Official Website)
  • ASIC also registers foreign companies that carry on business in Australia, assigning them an ARBN (ASIC Official Website)

The implication: when you see an ACN, you know the company has met ASIC’s registration requirements and is subject to Australian corporate law.

How to Check If a Business Is Registered in Australia?

Checking registration is a two-step process: use ASIC Connect for incorporated entities, and for unincorporated business names (sole traders, partnerships) use the Business Names Register on ASIC Connect or through Service NSW portals.

How can I verify a company?

Start with a free ASIC Connect search. Enter the business name or ABN and look at the status field (ASIC Official Website). A ‘Registered’ status means the company is active. Check for any ‘Deregistered’ or ‘Suspended’ flags — these indicate the company is not in good standing (Business Australia News – navigating ASIC registers).

  • Verify current registration status and type (company, sole trader, partnership) (ASIC User Guide PDF)
  • Check for any deregistration or suspension notices in the free summary (Sprintlaw – ASIC extract guide)

How to check if a company is OK?

“OK” means more than just registered. For due diligence, also verify that the company has not been involved in insolvency or wind-up actions (Sprintlaw – due diligence checklist). A paid company extract will show historical events, charges, and document images that reveal the company’s compliance history (Sleek Australia – ASIC extract guide).

  • Compare the registered office address with the address provided by the business partner (Sprintlaw)
  • Check for any court actions or ASIC penalties in the extract’s historical data (Sleek Australia)

The trade-off: free checks catch the obvious problems; paid extracts uncover the hidden risks.

Who Needs to Be Registered with ASIC?

Registration with ASIC is mandatory for specific entity types. Understanding who must be registered helps you know when an ASIC search is appropriate.

Register a business name – ASIC

While individuals can operate as sole traders under their own name, if they trade under a different name they must register that business name with ASIC (ASIC Official Website). All companies, proprietary and public, must be registered; foreign companies carrying on business in Australia also need registration (ASIC Official Website).

  • Proprietary limited (Pty Ltd) companies – the most common type (Sprintlaw)
  • Public companies (Ltd)
  • Foreign companies with an Australian place of business
  • Certain associations and cooperatives (ASIC Official Website)

What is the difference between a company and a business name?

A company is a separate legal entity with its own ACN; a business name is simply the trading name of an individual or partnership. Sole traders and partnerships may register a business name but are not companies (Business Australia News – business names explained).

  • Companies have limited liability; sole traders do not (Sprintlaw)
  • Penalties apply for operating as a company without registration (ASIC Official Website)

Why this matters: if you’re dealing with a ‘company’ that isn’t registered, you have no legal entity to hold accountable.

How Can I Verify a Company?

Verification goes beyond a simple existence check. Here’s how to conduct proper due diligence using ASIC and other resources.

How to check if a company is legitimate in the USA?

For US companies, use the SEC’s EDGAR system or the Secretary of State where the company is incorporated. For Australian companies, ASIC registers are the authoritative source (ASIC Official Website).

  • Verify ACN, directors, registered address, and status to assess solvency (Sprintlaw – due diligence tips)
  • Check for any insolvency or wind-up actions in the extract (Sleek Australia – what an extract shows)
  • Compare with third-party reports from authorised information brokers (Sprintlaw)

How to check if a UK company is worth doing business with?

For UK companies, use Companies House. For Australian companies, the same principles apply: use the ASIC extract to review the company’s history of compliance, charges, and director appointments (Sleek Australia – ASIC extract guide).

  • International checks use respective local registries (SEC, Companies House, ASIC) (ASIC Official Website)
  • For foreign companies registered in Australia, search by ARBN on ASIC Connect (ASIC Official Website)

The pattern: local registries provide the same core data everywhere — name, status, directors, charges. What changes is the cost and accessibility.

Confirmed facts

  • ASIC is the sole company registrar in Australia
  • ASIC Connect is free for basic searches
  • Company extracts have a set fee starting at $9
  • ASIC maintains registers for companies, business names, and professional licensees

What’s unclear

  • Exact number of registered companies updates regularly
  • Third-party prices vary
  • ASIC data update speed may occasionally be slow

Expert Perspectives on ASIC Searches

Two views on why using ASIC registers matters for business verification.

“ASIC’s registers provide a critical layer of transparency. Anyone considering a business relationship in Australia should start with a free ASIC search to confirm the entity exists and is in good standing.”

— ASIC spokesperson, in official guidance (ASIC Official Website)

“For serious due diligence, the paid company extract is indispensable. It reveals the full compliance history, including director changes and charges, which are invisible in a free search.”

— Business verification expert, quoted in a legal guide (Sprintlaw – due diligence insights)

For anyone considering a business partnership in Australia, the choice is clear: take five minutes to search the ASIC register, or risk entering an agreement with an unregistered or deregistered entity. A free search is the first line of defence; a paid extract is the full investigation. The cost is small, the protection substantial.

Related reading: Australian Taxation Office – Services and Contact Guide · Australian Stock Market – Trading Hours and ASX Guide

Additional sources

download.asic.gov.au, download.asic.gov.au

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a company search and a business name search on ASIC?

A company search retrieves data on a registered company (with an ACN), while a business name search looks up a trading name registered by an individual or partnership. Both can be performed on ASIC Connect, but they draw from different registers.

Can I search for a director on ASIC for free?

Free searches do not return director names. You need a paid company extract to see current and former directors and secretaries. The professional registers search (PRS) may list directors of AFS licensees, but that is a separate register.

How often is ASIC register updated?

ASIC updates its registers as soon as lodgements are processed. However, there can be delays — especially during peak periods. The free company alert service can notify you of changes to a monitored company.

Does an ASIC company extract include financial statements?

No, ASIC extracts do not include financial statements. They show current status, officeholders, share structure, charges, and document images. Financial statements are lodged separately and may be obtained through ASIC’s document retrieval service for an additional fee.

What does a ‘deregistered’ status mean on ASIC?

A ‘deregistered’ company has been formally removed from the ASIC register. It no longer exists as a legal entity. Dealing with a deregistered company can be risky — any contracts it entered may be unenforceable.

Can I search for an Australian company if I only have the ABN?

Yes. ASIC Connect accepts the ABN in the organisation search field. The system will look up the associated ACN and return the company record. The ABN is issued by the Australian Business Register, which links to ASIC’s data.

How long does it take to get an ASIC company extract?

Paid extracts are usually delivered instantly via ASIC Connect after payment. Some complex requests may take a few minutes. Third-party brokers may take longer, but direct ASIC purchases are near-instant.

Is there a way to check if a company is in liquidation using ASIC?

Yes. The free ASIC search will show ‘Under external administration’ or ‘In liquidation’ in the status field. A paid extract provides details about the liquidator and the date of appointment.