How to choose a company name in Australia

HOW TO CHOOSE A COMPANY NAME There are specific legal issues to consider before you move forward. You will need to register your company name with ASIC, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission.' It is important to note that a company name is not the same as a business name. A company name is not the same as a business name! A company name is a legal name and appears papers. A business name, also known as a trading name is the name that customers know your business by. all official documents and legal A company name can be the same as a business name however it is most common that have a different legal and business name. An example of a legal name is 'LawPath Operation Pty Ltd' and an example of a business name is 'LawPath'. If your company name is not exactly the same as your business name then you must notify ASIC to link the names. You don't have to use your business name when choosing a company. Company name avaiſability Acceptable company names The first step is to check if your proposed company name is available. To be approved as a company name, it must be unique and distinct from all other company names. LawPath's Name Search tool can be used to confirm whether the name is available should not be false, misleading, offensive, or otherwise illegal matter. for registration.? Your proposed company name will be deemed unacceptable if: It is similar to an existing registered company It includes prohibited words such as 'consumer', "bank' or 'ANZAC', however permission may be granted to use such words It suggests a misleading connection with government or the Royal Family It's considered obscene or offensive to the public What about identical or similar company names? Reserving a name ASIC provides the option to reserve a company name. Legal disputes can result in cases of identical or similar company names.4 This ensures the name is not taken by somebody else before you're ready to register.5 Approved names will be reserved for two months. It's your responsibility to consider the problems that a similar name could incur. What if I don't have a name for my new company yet? If you haven't decided on a company name yet, you are allowed to use an Australian Company Number (ACN) assigned by ASIC as your company name. An ACN is a unique nine-digit identifier that will be used in coexistence with your chosen legal elements (such as Pty Ltd) as the company name. You can use this as your legal name and would be followed by a proprietary limited, such as "770 989 220 Pty Ltd" Are you ready to incorporate? Registering a company with LawPath is safe, simple and takes just minutes to complete. Run a free company name search to get started! INC. References: 1. http://www.asic.gav.au/for-business/registering-a-business-name/ 2. http://sem.lawpath.com.au/acn-registration-start/ 3. http://www.asic.gov.Bu/for-business/starting-a-company/haw-to-start-a-company/restricted-words-in- companybady-corporate-names/ 4. http://sem.lawpath.com.au/trademark-registration/ 5. http://www.asic.gov.Bu/regulatory-resources/forms/forms-folder/410-application-for-reservation-of-a-name/ LAWPATH We've made legal easy