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ABN cancelled meaning: what your result is telling you

A cancelled ABN is no longer active on the Australian Business Register, and the date beside the status shows when that status took effect.

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  1. What the ABN status means for your next step
  2. The date beside the status is the one that matters
  3. Jump straight to the part you need
  4. Questions people ask after seeing an ABN status

What the ABN status means for your next step

The same status reads differently depending on why you looked it up. Pick the one that matches what you're about to do.

Paying an invoice

Check the status, then compare its date with the invoice's issue date. Check that the name on the result matches the name on the invoice. If the ABN shows cancelled, ask the business which ABN they trade under now before you pay. The ATO says that if a supplier doesn't give an ABN and the payment is more than excluding GST, the payer generally must withhold 47 per cent, unless an exception applies. Ask the ATO how that applies to your situation, and confirm the rule on its website.

Claiming GST

ABN status and GST registration are separate lines on a result, each with its own date. Read the GST line on its own and compare its date with the invoice too. A tax invoice must show the seller's ABN and the GST amount, or a statement that the total includes GST. Questions about GST credits belong with the ATO or your accountant, not with a lookup.

Hiring someone

Before a deposit, check the ABN the person gave you and read the status and date. An active status tells you about the ABN only. It says nothing about a trade licence, insurance or the quality of the work. If it shows cancelled, ask them which ABN they're using now and check that one too.

The date beside the status is the one that matters

A status is a snapshot with a start date. Line that date up against the invoice and you can see which status applied when the invoice was written.

Look up a status date

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  1. The status changes

    The Australian Business Register records a status for every ABN. When it changes, the register holds the new status and the date it began.

  2. The result shows that date

    On our result, the ABN status sits next to the date it took effect. That's the date the current status started, not the day you searched.

  3. Find the invoice date

    A tax invoice must show its issue date. Find it on the invoice you've been sent, usually near the top beside the invoice number.

  4. Compare the two dates

    If the invoice is dated after a cancellation date, the ABN was already cancelled when the invoice was issued. If it's dated before, it was issued before the cancellation took effect.

  5. Note what you saw

    Each result names its source and the date it was retrieved. Write both down with the status, so you have a record of what you checked and when.

Jump straight to the part you need

Start with the side-by-side table if you only have a minute. The date timeline and the questions below cover the rest.

Questions people ask after seeing an ABN status

Short answers within what the register shows. For anything about tax, the ATO or your accountant has the final word.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I pay a business with a cancelled ABN?
We can't tell you whether to pay. The status shows the ABN was cancelled from the date beside it. Compare that date with the invoice date, ask the business which ABN they trade under now, and check with the ATO or your accountant before you pay.
Can a cancelled ABN become active again?
That's for the Australian Business Register, not us. Its website explains the options for a cancelled ABN. If a business tells you its ABN is being sorted out, check the number again later and read both the status and the date.
What does the date beside the status mean?
It's the date the current status took effect. For a cancelled ABN, it's when the cancellation began. For an active ABN, it's when the active status began. Compare it with the invoice's issue date to see which status applied when the invoice was written.
Does the GST line change when an ABN is cancelled?
Read the GST line on its own. It has its own wording and its own date, separate from the ABN status. Compare that date with the invoice as well. For questions about claiming GST credits, ask the ATO or your accountant.
How current is the status I'm seeing?
Every result names its source and the date it was retrieved. Records can change after that, so check again close to the day you pay. The Australian Business Register holds the record itself.
Is this the government's ABN register?
No. We're an independent website, not part of the Australian Business Register or the ATO. Our results use Australian Business Register ABN data and ASIC company and business names data, released by the Australian Government under the Creative Commons Attribution licence.

See the status and its date for yourself.

Type the ABN from your invoice and read the status, the date it took effect and the GST line in one result.

Check the status and date