What is a registered business name?

A registered business name allows a business to trade as something other than its legal name.

When a business is registered it has a legal name under which it can trade. In each case the business type is allowed to trade Australia wide as their legal name without having to register a business name. eg:

• When registering a company you get to choose the legal name when making the application, e.g. 'Great Graphic Design Pty Ltd'
• A sole trader will automatically have the legal name of the person who registers the ABN, for example John Smith.
• A partnership's legal name will consist of all the names of the people involved.

So the company 'Great Graphic Design Pty Ltd' can trade Australia wide as its own name, however if it wants to trade as 'Great Logos' or just 'Great Graphic Design' it would first have to register a business name.