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Registering your organisation

Your NFP organisation may need to get an ABN. You may also need to register for some taxes such as GST, fringe benefits tax, PAYG withholding or other taxes.

Last updated 3 September 2020

Your NFP organisation may need to get an Australian business number (ABN). You may also need to register for some taxes such as GST, fringe benefits tax, PAYG withholding or other taxes.

Charities need to be registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) before they can claim tax concessions.

If you need help, phone the Not-for-profit infoline on 1300 130 248.

Find out about:

Getting an ABN

An ABN helps you when dealing with the ATO and other government agencies. If you have an ABN, you can also apply to be a deductible-gift recipient (DGR) or a tax concession charity.

With an ABN, you can also register for:

  • GST
  • fringe benefits tax
  • PAYG withholding
  • other taxes you may need to pay.

To get an ABN:

  • Apply onlineExternal Link through the Australian Business Register
  • phone us on 13 92 26, or
  • apply through a registered tax agent.

Make sure you tell us about any changes to your corporation’s registration details.

See also:

Registering for GST and other taxes

If your organisation needs to register for GST, FBT or PAYG withholding, you can select these options on the ABN application form.

If your organisation already has an ABN and needs to register for GST or other taxes, there are other application forms you should use.

Your not-for-profit organisation must be registered for GST if its GST turnover is more than $150,000.

See also:

Registering your charity with ACNC

Charities must be registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) before they can be endorsed by us to access tax concessions, such as income tax exemption, FBT exemption, FBT rebate and GST charity concessions.

If your charity already received charity tax concessions from us when ACNC was established in December 2012, it will have been automatically registered with the ACNC. You can check in Find a registered charityExternal Link to see if your charity is already registered.

To register with the ACNC, visit Register my charityExternal Link (your charity will need to have an ABN). You can apply for some tax concessions at the same time.

Benefits of registering your charity

When your charity is registered with the ACNC, it:

  • can apply for tax concessions from us
  • can receive other Australian government concessions, exemptions or benefits
  • is recognised as a registered charity in Australia and listed on the ACNC Register.

If your charity is registered with the ACNC you must keep records, report each year to ACNC and tell us if your charity’s details change.

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