Keeping your business details up to date
It's your responsibility to maintain your Australian business number (ABN) details. Details must be updated with the Australian Business Register (ABR) within 28 days of becoming aware of changes.
Regularly reviewing who has access to your tax and business information helps protect you from fraud or an identity security event. Outdated or incorrect details can make your business vulnerable to security risks.
Businesses may also hold significant taxpayer information. If this data is accessed in an identity security event, it could lead to a serious data breach, affecting you and your business.
Who can access a business’s tax information
Several people and roles may have access or manage a business’s tax details:
- Authorised contacts – people officially allowed to speak to us on behalf of the business (with listed addresses and phone numbers).
- ABR associates and contacts – roles linked to the business’s ABN, such as public officers. They have limited access and can only interact with us in specific ways. Certain associates and contacts are considered the principal authorityExternal Link of the business. If you are an eligible associate listed in the ABR , you can link to your business in RAM using your Digital ID and ABN.
- RAM administrators and usersExternal Link – those who can access online services on behalf of your business, for example, Online services for business and the ABR.
- Access Manager permissions – lets you manage which functions others can access on behalf of your business.
- Client-to-agent linking – registered agents nominated to act on behalf of the business. These agents would have access to all information on the business held in our records.
It’s important to review who has access for each entity and update these details when necessary.
How to update business details
Check and update the following:
- Authorised contacts and associates via the ABRExternal Link using your Digital ID and RAM.
- Who is authorised in RAM to access online services such as ABR or Online services for business.
- Permissions in Access Manager for those accessing Online services for business on behalf of your business.
- Registered agents nominated to act on behalf of the business via Online services for business.
For more information, or other ways to update your business details, see Update your details or contact your registered tax or BAS agent.
When to contact us
Contact us as soon as possible if you notice that:
- Someone has access to your business’s tax information but was not officially nominated as one of the following:
- authorised contact
- ABR associate and contacts
- RAM authorisation
- assigned permissions in Access Manager.
- Your business details have been changed without your knowledge, such as updates to your
- bank account
- address
- phone number.
Regularly review and update your business details to protect your business and meet legal obligations.
More information
For more information on how to keep your business's and client's data safe, see: