- ASIC charges A$636 to register a Pty Ltd company from 1 July 2026.
- Your ABN, TFN, GST registration and Director ID are all free.
- Budget A$342 a year for the ASIC annual review from year two.
- Late ASIC fees add A$102, or A$428 once you’re over a month late.
The company registration cost in Australia starts at A$636, the fee ASIC charges to register a proprietary limited (Pty Ltd) company from 1 July 2026. Your ABN, TFN, GST registration and Director ID cost nothing, so what pushes the total higher is the extras you choose, such as a registered office, tailored legal documents or a company registration service. This guide breaks down every government fee and typical third-party cost so you can budget before you register.
How much does it cost to register a company in Australia?
The ASIC registration fee for a Pty Ltd is A$636, and it’s the only compulsory government charge to get your company on the register. You pay the same ASIC registration fee whether you lodge the application yourself or a provider lodges it for you. Everything else you need from government to start trading is free.
Government cost | Amount (from 1 July 2026) | Do you need it? |
|---|---|---|
ASIC company registration (Pty Ltd) | A$636 | Yes |
Director ID (per director) | Free | Yes, before you’re appointed |
ABN | Free | Yes, to trade |
Company TFN | Free | Yes |
GST registration | Free | Once turnover reaches A$75,000 |
Company name reservation | A$62 | Optional |
Business name (1 year / 3 years) | A$47 / A$108 | Only if you trade under a different name |
Your company name is registered as part of the A$636 application, so you only pay for a business name if you’ll trade under something different. Our guide to registering a business name covers those fees and renewals in detail.
Every director needs a free Director ID before they’re appointed. Once ASIC issues your ACN, you apply for the company’s ABN, TFN and GST together, and it helps to know how an ACN and ABN differ before you start.
What other Pty Ltd setup costs should you budget for?
Beyond government fees, Pty Ltd setup costs depend on how much you do yourself and how complex your ownership is. These are the typical third-party costs founders budget for:
- Company constitution: A$0 if you rely on the replaceable rules in the Corporations Act 2001, or roughly A$600–A$2,000+ for a lawyer-drafted constitution.
- Shareholders agreement: usually quoted alongside the constitution, and worth having once there are two or more shareholders.
- Registered office address: around A$300–A$500 a year if you don’t want your home address on the public register. It must be a physical Australian address, not a PO Box.
- Registration provider fee: from a one-off fee in the low hundreds to annual plans that bundle tax registrations and ongoing compliance.
- Business bank account: typically A$0–A$10+ a month, depending on the bank and features.
A single-director company can keep its Pty Ltd setup costs close to the ASIC fee. A company with several shareholders or outside investors should expect to spend more on legal documents upfront.
How much does it cost to register a company yourself vs with help?
Every route pays the same A$636 ASIC fee, so the real difference in the cost to register a company in Australia is what you pay someone else to do. Here’s how the three common routes compare:
Route | What you pay | Best for |
|---|---|---|
DIY with ASIC | A$636 plus your time | One director, simple share structure |
Online registration provider | A$636 plus the provider’s fee | Founders who want documents and tax registrations lodged for them |
Lawyer or accountant | A$636 plus roughly A$900–A$3,500+ in professional fees | Several shareholders, investors or trust structures |
The cheapest route can cost more later if details are wrong. Fixing a share structure or officeholder error means extra ASIC forms, and late fees if you miss the deadline. If you’ve already decided to use a provider, we compare named options and their prices in our guide to the best company registration services.
Not sure which setup costs apply to you?
What does it cost to keep a company registered each year?
Registration is a one-off cost, but your company pays ASIC every year it exists. These are the recurring costs to plan for:
- ASIC annual review fee: A$342 for a proprietary company, due each year around your registration anniversary. Our ASIC annual review fee guide explains due dates and how to pay.
- Special purpose companies: companies that only act as an SMSF trustee pay a reduced A$70 annual review fee.
- Registered office address: around A$300–A$500 a year if you use a provider’s address.
- ASIC agent support: optional, usually a few hundred dollars a year for someone to lodge changes and track deadlines.
- Bookkeeping and tax: priced separately from registration, based on your turnover and transaction volume.
ASIC also lets you prepay the ASIC annual review fee 10 years in advance at a discounted rate, which can suit a stable holding company. If you’d rather hand off BAS and tax returns from day one, compare online accounting services separately from your registration costs.
Which ASIC fees catch new companies out?
Most unexpected costs come from missed deadlines, not from registering. ASIC charges late fees automatically, and they apply to both your annual review and change notices.
ASIC fee | Amount (from 1 July 2026) | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
Late fee, up to 1 month late | A$102 | Annual review or change notice lodged late |
Late fee, more than 1 month late | A$428 | Annual review or change notice lodged late |
Change of company name | A$524 | If you rename the company after registration |
Voluntary deregistration | A$52 | If you close a solvent company |
Changes to your company’s address, officeholders or shareholders must be lodged with ASIC within 28 days. Our guide to ASIC late fees explains how they’re calculated, and if you ever wind up, here’s how to deregister a company.
How much should you budget for your first year?
Your first-year cost to set up a company in Australia usually lands in one of three ranges. These are estimates for registration and setup only, not bookkeeping, BAS or tax returns.
Setup type | Typical first-year cost | What’s included |
|---|---|---|
Lean | About A$636–A$700 | DIY with ASIC, one director, replaceable rules, optional business name |
Supported | About A$1,500–A$3,000 | Provider fee, standard documents, registered office address |
Complex | About A$3,000–A$6,000+ | Several shareholders, lawyer-drafted constitution and shareholders agreement |
The A$342 annual review fee isn’t due until your first anniversary, so budget for it in year two. From then on, the ongoing cost to set up a company in Australia and keep it compliant is mostly ASIC’s annual fee plus whatever support you choose.
Is a company more expensive to set up than a sole trader?
Yes, at the start. A sole trader ABN is free and a business name costs A$47 for one year, while a Pty Ltd costs A$636 to register and A$342 a year to maintain.
For that extra cost, a company gives you a separate legal entity, limited liability and access to the 25% base rate entity tax rate if you’re eligible. See the full costs of setting up as a sole trader, or weigh up company vs sole trader before you decide.
How Sleek helps with company registration cost
Sleek lodges your ASIC application, sets up your ABN, TFN, GST and PAYG, and prepares your company documents in one step, so your setup cost is fixed before you start. On Grow and Scale plans, the A$636 ASIC registration fee is included. You can compare what each of our company registration packages covers.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can overseas founders register a company in Australia, and what extra costs apply?
Yes. A foreign founder can register a company in Australia, provided at least one director is ordinarily resident in Australia. Extra costs may include:
- Hiring a resident director service (often AUD 1,500–5,500+ per year) if you don’t have an Australian resident director.
- Registered office services if you don’t maintain a physical presence.
- Legal and accounting advice on cross-border taxation, transfer pricing, and profit repatriation
Do foreign-owned companies in Australia face higher compliance costs than local companies?
Yes. While the ASIC registration and annual review fees are the same, foreign-owned companies may need:
- Audited financial reports (if they meet “large” thresholds under the Corporations Act).
- Transfer pricing documentation for cross-border dealings.
- More complex tax advice and ATO reporting.
This can add several thousand dollars annually to compliance budgets.
What’s the total budget I should set aside to register and operate in year one?
A lean setup (DIY, minimal professional advice) might cost ~AUD 1,000–1,500. A more realistic and professional setup for a growth-focused business is AUD 2,000–5,000+ in the first year, factoring in ASIC fees, legal/accounting setup, and ongoing compliance.
For overseas founders, the cost can climb higher due to resident director services, registered offices, and more complex tax advice.
