Onboarding & Credit

ABN Verification Checklist

A quick, reliable way to verify a customer's ABN before you invoice — confirming the entity, its GST status and that the number genuinely belongs to who you are dealing with.

What this checklist covers

  • Confirm the ABN is valid and active
  • Match the ABN to the entity you are trading with
  • Check GST registration so your tax invoices are right
  • Record the result and recheck when things change

5 min

Before you start

Verifying an ABN takes a minute and prevents invoices to the wrong entity, GST errors and disputes. Have the customer's stated details to hand before you look them up.

  • The ABN the customer has given you.
  • The legal or trading name they say it belongs to.
  • Access to the ABN Lookup website.
  • The customer record where you will store the result.

Step 1 — Look up and confirm the ABN

  1. Enter the ABN on ABN Lookup.
  2. Confirm the ABN is active and not cancelled.
  3. Check the entity name returned matches the customer you are dealing with.
  4. Note the entity type — sole trader, company, partnership or trust.
  5. If the ABN is cancelled or the name does not match, pause and query it before trading on credit.

Step 2 — Check GST and tax detail

  1. Confirm whether the entity is registered for GST and from what date.
  2. Use the GST status to set the correct tax treatment on the customer record.
  3. If the customer claims to charge GST but is not registered, raise it before relying on their invoices.
  4. For a company, cross-check the ACN against ASIC for consistency.
  5. Note any recent name change shown against the ABN.

Step 3 — Record and maintain

  1. Save the verified ABN, entity name and GST status to the customer record.
  2. Use the verified legal name on invoices and statements.
  3. Recheck the ABN if the customer changes name or you have not traded for a while.
  4. If you ever suspect details have changed, verify again before extending fresh credit.
  5. Keep a note of the date you verified.

Common mistakes

  • Accepting an ABN on trust and never actually looking it up.
  • Missing that the ABN is cancelled, leaving you unsure who you are billing.
  • Getting the GST status wrong and issuing incorrect tax invoices.
  • Invoicing the trading name when the ABN belongs to a different legal entity.
  • Never rechecking, so a later name change goes unnoticed.

A verified ABN is the simplest building block of a clean, payable account. See the answers library for more on tax invoices and ABNs. This is general information, not tax advice — confirm GST treatment with your accountant or the ATO.

Key takeaways

  • Always look an ABN up rather than accepting it on trust
  • Match the ABN to the exact entity you are trading with
  • Use the GST status to get your tax invoices right
  • Recheck the ABN when names change or after a long gap

Frequently asked questions

Why verify an ABN at all?

To confirm you are dealing with a real, active entity, to invoice the correct legal name, and to get GST right. An unverified ABN can hide a cancelled registration or a different entity, both of which cause payment and tax problems.

What does it mean if an ABN is cancelled?

It means the entity is no longer registered for that ABN, which can signal the business has ceased, restructured or changed. Do not extend credit on a cancelled ABN until you confirm exactly which entity you are now trading with.

Does the ABN tell me if the customer charges GST?

ABN Lookup shows whether the entity is registered for GST and from when. That status drives whether their invoices should include GST and how you treat the transaction. Confirm your own GST position with the ATO or your accountant.

Related checklists

Free invoicing tools

Work the checklist, then get paid

Use the free Invoice Generator, then let Merion recover anything that goes unpaid — commission-only.

Invoice Generator Browse all checklists