Australian resident director
A proprietary company needs at least one director who ordinarily resides in Australia. Directors must be individuals and meet the eligibility conditions.
Australia Company Formation
Register an Australian Company
Planning to set up an Australian Pty Ltd? Send us your shareholder and director arrangements, business purpose and target state. We first verify the Australian resident director, Director ID, registered address and share details, then prepare the ASIC filing. After incorporation, you can continue with ABN, TFN, GST, accounting and banking.
- Pty Ltd requires at least 1 Australian resident director
- ASIC fees and follow-up items listed separately
- A 9-digit ACN is issued on registration
- ABN, TFN, GST and banking can follow
ASIC fees are usually adjusted each July; the amount at lodgement or on the annual statement prevails.
1+At least one director ordinarily resident in Australia
A$636ASIC registration fee (from 1 July 2026)
Updated: September 2026
Australia company formation service
Before You Lodge
Settle these 4 items before lodging
What usually causes delays is not the form, but director, address and shareholding details that were not settled in advance.
Director ID
Each director should obtain a director ID before appointment, and it must be applied for by the director personally — an agent cannot complete the identity application.
Australian address
Both the registered office and the principal place of business need physical addresses; the registered office cannot be a PO Box.
Shareholders and shares
At least one shareholder, with share class, number issued, holder names and addresses defined. Non-employee members of a Pty Ltd are usually capped at 50.
Key Parameters
Key requirements for a Pty Ltd
These go directly into the registration data or affect later use — best settled before lodgement.
- Directors
- At least 1; at least 1 ordinarily resident in Australia
- Company secretary
- Optional for a Pty Ltd; if appointed, at least 1 ordinarily resident in Australia
- Shareholders
- At least 1; usually no more than 50 non-employee members
- Share details
- Register share class, number issued, holders and addresses, with members’ written consent
- Registered office
- A physical street address in Australia, no PO Box; written occupier consent if not owned
- Business address
- The principal place of business also needs a physical address
- Internal rules
- Replaceable rules, a own constitution, or a combination of both
- Outcome
- A 9-digit ACN and Certificate of Registration
Company registration and business name registration are two separate ASIC records. If the trading name differs from the legal company name, the business name registration must be checked separately.
What We Actually Do
From information checks to document delivery
Send us what you have. We verify the formation conditions first, then separate the missing documents, the ASIC filing and the optional post-registration items.
Confirm name, state and business use
Verify the proposed name, target state, business type and actual use; if the trading name differs, confirm the business name.
Verify directors, shareholders, address and shares
Confirm director eligibility, Director ID, shareholder identity, holding percentages, share classes and the company address.
Prepare the ASIC filing
Consolidate names, birth details, addresses, appointments, company address and share data into the final version and review it with you before lodgement.
Follow up registration and requests
Progress the registration on the confirmed data; if the regulator asks for additions or corrections, we keep communicating per item.
Deliver documents and list next steps
After incorporation, deliver the agreed documents and list ABN, TFN, GST, accounting and banking as separate follow-up items.
Costs, Split Clearly
Government fees, service fees and follow-ups listed separately
Separate one-off costs, annual costs and on-demand items before signing — no surprise budgeting after registration.
A$636
ASIC registration fee
From 1 July 2026, the common proprietary company registration fee is A$636. ASIC fees exclude GST.
A$342
Annual review fee
The annual review fee for a common proprietary company is A$342; it appears on the annual statement.
On demand
Address, tax numbers, accounting and more
Registered address, ABN/TFN/GST, ongoing accounting, banking, notarization or other services are confirmed per business.
ASIC amounts above reflect current fees from 1 July 2026; official fees are usually adjusted each July and the amount at lodgement or on the annual statement prevails.
Send 4 details and an advisor can judge the next step
Who the shareholders are, whether there is an Australian resident director, what business you run, and what the company will be used for.
Before You Start
Send what you have — no need to prepare everything at once
Check against the list below; anything missing will be listed separately after our review.
Before You Start
- 2–3 proposed English company names
- Each director’s name, residential address, date and place of birth
- Each shareholder’s identity, address, share count, price per share and holding arrangement
- The Australian registered office and principal place of business
- Business description: what you sell, to whom, where you operate, how you get paid
- Whether you plan to apply for ABN, TFN, GST, bank or payment accounts
Overseas shareholders or directors — two things first
- Director ID must be applied for personally：We can explain the timing and what information to prepare, but the identity application must be completed by the director personally.
- Keep document details consistent：Passport names, addresses and birth details must match the company filing; whether translation, notarization or apostille is needed depends on the receiving party.
- Do not submit details with different spellings across systems
- Before changing an address, confirm which records it affects
- For corporate shareholders, prepare parent-company registration and authorisation documents early
Real Deliverables
Judge delivery by documents, not promises
Registration services are judged by the actual registration result and the agreed documents. Shareholding structures, tax numbers, addresses and follow-up services differ per client — no one template fits all.
Registration result
ACN, Certificate of Registration and other agreed documents
Follow-up checklist
ABN, TFN, GST, accounting and banking, listed as needed
After Registration
Company registered — now complete the operating toolkit
The ACN is the registration outcome; ABN, TFN, GST, accounts and platform profiles proceed per actual business — not bundled by default.
Company identifier
A unique 9-digit ACN is issued on registration. Some company documents and external materials must show the company name and ACN.
Business and tax identifiers
The ABN is an 11-digit business identifier; the company also needs a TFN. Eligibility, order and documents depend on the entity.
Assess obligations at the threshold
When GST turnover reaches or is expected to reach A$75,000, mandatory registration and later BAS lodgements come into play.
Banking and payments
Banks, Stripe and other providers run their own KYC. Successful registration does not guarantee account approval.
Trading name
If the trading name differs from the legal name, check whether separate registration on ASIC’s Business Names Register is needed.
Books and tax
Keep bank, platform, contract, invoice and expense records from the first transaction — later filings and reviews get easier.
A real operating plan shapes the right structure
Amazon Australia, Shopify, B2B trade, SaaS, consulting, local sourcing or an Australian operating entity — each needs different tax numbers, accounts, contracts and maintenance. Explain the transaction flow before registering to avoid rework.
Annual Maintenance
Dates to watch after registration
Track ASIC, ATO and operational matters on separate timelines — paying the annual fee alone is not the whole picture.
Annual Statement
ASIC usually sends the annual statement near the registration anniversary, listing company records and the annual review fee.
Pay the fee and pass solvency resolution
Pay the annual review fee by the due date on the statement; directors usually also pass and keep a solvency resolution within 2 months of the review date.
Company changes
Watch ASIC notice periods when directors, addresses, shares or most other company details change.
Appoint a public officer
Once the company operates in Australia or earns Australian income, check the ATO public officer appointment requirement.
GST registration and BAS
Register when turnover reaches the mandatory threshold, then prepare BAS per the reporting cycle.
Tax and statements
Whether income tax returns, financial statements or audits apply depends on company size, ownership and business.
Connecting Next Steps
Take what you need after registration
Company registration, tax numbers, accounts, platforms, accounting and cross-border documents are handled per actual business — not all at once.
Marketplace onboarding
When Amazon, Shopify or TikTok Shop require company, tax and account details, review the platform requirements first.
E-commerce services →Banking and collections
Prepare KYC by company structure, shareholder identity, business proof and fund use — registration is not a banking guarantee.
Bank account services →Choosing a collection account
Decide the account type by entity, platform, currency, transaction size and fund path, then compare fees.
Bank account services →Accounting and annual reviews
Start from bank statements, platform reports, contracts and invoices; confirm GST, corporate tax and annual matters per company.
Accounting services →ODI filing
When a Chinese enterprise plans to fund, acquire or increase capital in an Australian entity, judge the ODI requirement by project and fund path.
Ask about conditions →Trademark protection
Registering a company name is not a trademark right. Plan trademarks per target market for long-term brands.
Trademark services →Service Scope and Boundaries
Scope, delivery and boundaries you can verify
Zhongcheng Huigu and its cross-border team support Australian company registration, annual maintenance, accounting, tax numbers, marketplace onboarding and banking. ASIC, ATO, banks and platforms review independently; matters requiring licensed accounting, tax or legal advice are confirmed separately.
Verify first, quote second
Review directors, shareholders, address, business and follow-up needs, then scope the services.
Final data reviewed before lodging
Names, addresses, appointments and share details are confirmed as the final version to reduce post-registration changes.
Fees with clear boundaries
Government fees, service fees, third-party costs and optional items listed separately.
Support after registration
Tax numbers, accounting, accounts, platforms or notarization can continue per actual business.
No promised approval outcomes
Bank, tax, platform and government review results are never packaged as fixed approval rates.
Official References
FAQ
The 9 most common questions before registering
Can Chinese shareholders register an Australian Pty Ltd?
Overseas shareholding structures can be discussed, but a Pty Ltd needs at least one director ordinarily resident in Australia, plus the registered address, Director ID and share details. Corporate shareholders also need parent-company documents and authorisations.
Without an Australian resident director, can we still register first?
We do not recommend lodging a structure that does not meet the conditions. ASIC is explicit about the local director requirement for proprietary companies. Send your team and business situation first so we can review the structure.
Can you apply for the Director ID on our behalf?
No. ABRS requires each director to complete the director ID application personally. We can explain the timing and what to prepare, but the identity application must be done by the director.
What official information do we receive after registration?
A 9-digit ACN and the Certificate of Registration. Other internal documents, tax numbers or follow-up services depend on the written scope agreed.
Do ABN, TFN and GST come automatically with the company?
No. They are not bundled by default. ABN, TFN and GST are applied for according to the company’s eligibility and business; our proposal separates company registration from tax registrations.
When does GST become mandatory?
When GST turnover reaches or is expected to reach A$75,000, check the mandatory registration requirement. After registering, BAS lodgements follow the reporting cycle — the GST registration itself is not the end.
Is paying the ASIC annual fee enough each year?
No. Beyond the annual review fee, watch the annual statement, company detail updates, the solvency resolution, tax filings and possible GST obligations — depending on company size and business.
After trading starts, is an ATO contact required?
Once the company operates in Australia or earns Australian income, check the public officer requirement. ATO’s current guidance expects qualifying companies to appoint one within 3 months of the relevant start time.
Does registration guarantee an Australian bank account or Stripe?
No. Banks and payment providers independently review shareholders, directors, business proof, address, source of funds, website and transaction plans. Registration is only part of the account file.
Verify the conditions first, then get an itemised quote
Send the shareholder situation, Australian resident director, company purpose, expected payment methods, and whether ABN, TFN or GST are needed. We confirm the structure first, then list government fees, service fees and optional items.
This page summarises public Australian sources for general understanding and is not legal, tax or banking advice. Actual requirements follow the final review of ASIC, the ATO and other authorities.
