You are required to update ABN details within 28 days of becoming aware of a change. Most fields (address, phone, email, business activity, authorised contacts) are straightforward edits. What you cannot change is the entity behind the ABN: a different structure needs a new ABN, not an edit.
What you can change yourself
- Business address: the physical location. This is the one that matters most, because the ATO writes to it.
- Postal address, email and phone
- Authorised contacts: who is allowed to deal with the ATO about the ABN
- Business activity: the ANZSIC classification describing what you actually do
- Associates: partners, directors, trustees, depending on structure
- Business names linked to the ABN, though the name itself is an ASIC record
What you cannot change
The ABN is tied to the entity that holds it. If the entity changes, the ABN does not follow: you cancel the old one and apply for a new one. That covers a sole trader incorporating into a company, a partnership admitting or losing a partner such that the partnership is legally reconstituted, or a business being sold rather than renamed.
Your legal name is a separate case: you can update it, but the ATO wants evidence, because your name is how the ABN is matched to you. A marriage certificate or change-of-name certificate is the usual proof.
Three ways to do it
| Route | Best for | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| ABR online, via myGovID / Digital ID | Most changes, if your Digital ID is already set up | Free |
| Phone the ABR | When you cannot get the Digital ID working, which is common | Free |
| Your registered tax agent | Changes bundled with a structure question or a lodgement problem | Varies |
The 28-day rule, and why it bites later
The obligation is to notify the ABR within 28 days of becoming aware of a change. There is no invoice that arrives when you miss it, which is why almost nobody treats it as urgent. But stale details cause problems that surface much later. ATO correspondence goes to the old address and you never see it. Clients validating your ABN see details that do not match your invoices. Government grant and tender checks pull the register and find a mismatch. And if your ABN shows no activity and the mail bounces, it is a candidate for the ATO's inactivity cancellation programme.
Update your details, or check them first
Before you change anything, it is worth seeing what the register actually holds. It is public, and it is often out of date in a way people have not noticed. Our ABN checker shows the entity name, status and GST registration held against any ABN.
Where an agent earns the fee is the version that is not really a simple update: you are restructuring and unsure whether you need a new ABN instead, the Digital ID will not cooperate, several things changed at once, or the ABN was quietly cancelled while your details were stale.
We look the ABN up first so you are updating the right one, check the change against what the register currently holds, then lodge it: $99 including GST, tax deductible, usually same business day. Not sure which side of the line you are on? Call 1800 546 526 and we will tell you, free.
Common questions
How do I change my ABN address?
The address held against your ABN has to be updated within 28 days of you becoming aware it has changed. We look the ABN up first so you are updating the right one, check the change against what the register currently holds, and lodge it for $99 including GST, tax deductible, usually the same business day.
How long do I have to update my ABN details?
28 days from becoming aware of the change. There is no immediate penalty for being late, but out-of-date details mean ATO correspondence goes to the wrong address, and an ABN with stale details and no recorded activity is a candidate for the ATO's inactivity cancellation programme.
Do I need a new ABN if my business changes?
Only if the legal entity changes. Changing what you do, where you do it or what you call it is an update. A sole trader becoming a company is a different entity, so that needs a new ABN and the old one cancelled.
Can I update my ABN details without a Digital ID?
Yes. Phone the Australian Business Register and they can make the changes after verifying your identity, which is the usual route for people who cannot get Digital ID working. A registered tax agent can also update details on your behalf.
What does it cost to update my ABN details?
An agent-lodged update is $99 including GST and tax deductible, which covers checking the change against what the register currently holds and lodging it for you. An ABN carries no renewal fee at all, so letters demanding an "ABN renewal" payment are a known scam.
Want it lodged for you? $99, same day.
Reviewed by registered tax agents, lodged direct to the ABR, tax deductible. Free help on 1800 546 526.