01
Export
Export your supplier contacts
From Xero, MYOB or QuickBooks, export contacts with their ABN column. A plain list of ABNs works too.
Guide · GST registration check
Check GST registration for your whole supplier list at once
Before you claim GST credits, confirm every supplier charging GST is actually registered for it. Here's how to do the whole list in one go.
Why it matters
Why accounts teams check supplier GST registration
A business only has to register for GST once its GST turnover reaches the threshold (A$75,000 for most businesses), so plenty of small suppliers are legitimately not registered. Problems start when a supplier that isn't registered puts GST on an invoice, or when an ABN has been cancelled and nobody noticed.
If a supplier wasn't registered for GST, you generally aren't entitled to a GST credit for the GST shown on their invoice. Separately, if a supplier doesn't quote an ABN at all, you may be required to withhold tax from the payment at the top marginal rate. A regular check of the supplier master catches both early.
The ABR's ABN Lookup shows GST registration and its dates for one ABN at a time. For a list of dozens or thousands of suppliers, a bulk check is faster and leaves you with a record of when you checked.
Step by step
How to check GST registration for many suppliers
02
Run
Paste the ABNs and start the check
Each ABN is validated offline first, then looked up live on the register.
03
Filter
Filter on three columns
gstRegistered = false (suppliers who shouldn't be charging GST), abnStatus = Cancelled, and rows that weren't found. Compare gstRegisteredFrom and gstCancelledDate with your invoice dates for anything older.
04
Fix
Follow up and keep the file
Ask flagged suppliers for a corrected invoice or updated details, and save the export as evidence of when the check was done.
Set and forget
Make the GST check a monthly habit
Schedule it
Point the tool at a Google Sheet of supplier ABNs published as CSV, and schedule a monthly run on Apify.
Get alerts
Send results to email, Slack or Google Sheets, or connect Zapier or Make to flag only the changes.
Cost
200 suppliers checked monthly is 2,400 lookups a year: under US$5 in results.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Does the ABR show whether a supplier was registered on a past date?
It shows the GST registration from-date and, if registration was cancelled, the cancelled date. Compare those dates with the invoice date. The tool returns both dates for every supplier.
Can I check GST registration without an ABN?
Only by searching the business name first. Use a name search to find the most likely ABN, confirm it with the supplier, then check GST.
Is a supplier with no GST registration doing something wrong?
Not necessarily. Many small businesses are below the GST threshold. It only matters if they charge GST on their invoices.
Is this tax advice?
No. It is register data plus general information. Talk to your accountant or BAS agent about how a result affects your BAS.
Try it on your own list
Data comes live from the Australian Business Register's public ABN Lookup web services. This tool is independent and not endorsed by or affiliated with the ABR, the ATO, ASIC or the Australian Government. Verify anything important at abr.business.gov.au. General information, not tax advice.