How to register for GST WITH THE ATO if you already have an ABN (in Australia)

Alicia, about 12 yrs, 1 mth ago
Saturday March 9, 2013 2:19 AM

Can I please just say that you are amazing!!!!!
I was trying to do this for ages, and your step by step instructions enabled me to do this straight away!
Thank you so much, without your help I would still be trying to figure it out!

Yan, about 12 yrs, 1 mth ago
Thursday March 28, 2013 2:00 AM

Thank you so much. I got to the point of crying in frustrating at being directed in circles by the Auskey and the ATO websites.

Waited hours to speak to a person who instead of explaining how to do it online, like it is meant to be easy to do, just wanted to do it on the phone...

Is it really so difficult for them to have this step by step on their website??

Jo,, about 12 yrs, 15 days ago
Tuesday April 16, 2013 12:25 AM

Thank you so much for these clear instructions. I've also spent ages trying to figure it out. Why can't the ATO explain it like this?

Ned, about 12 yrs, 15 days ago
Tuesday April 16, 2013 12:28 AM

Perhaps we aren’t paying them enough tax to write usable instructions?

Mike, about 12 yrs, 11 days ago
Friday April 19, 2013 8:27 AM

Excellent! Thanks. Spent 6 hours today running in circles. Whoever designed this auskey + GST system needs a bullet in the head. Surely it can be done better? Thanks again, life-saver.

Jay, about 11 yrs, 11 mths ago
Sunday May 5, 2013 3:33 AM

Do you know how long it takes to show up on the ABN Search as GST Registered?

Ned, about 11 yrs, 11 mths ago
Sunday May 5, 2013 3:43 AM

I forget, but it did take some time - at least a few days.

Kashif, about 11 yrs, 11 mths ago
Friday May 17, 2013 4:56 AM

Good job mate, you should be working for ATO website advisory committee, they have made the task next to impossible

Thanks for cracking it

Eco, about 11 yrs, 10 mths ago
Sunday June 9, 2013 1:46 AM

Thank your so much for your detailed introduction !!!

tom, about 11 yrs, 10 mths ago
Monday June 24, 2013 8:44 AM

thankyou thankyou thankyou

Paul Campbell, about 11 yrs, 9 mths ago
Monday July 8, 2013 4:14 AM

thanks thanks thanks thanks thanks thanks thanks thanks thanks thanks thanks thanks. The ATO obviously got a crap website which is extremely difficult to navigate for the average person. Thanks again.

Rich , about 11 yrs, 9 mths ago
Wednesday July 10, 2013 12:36 PM

you are good! Aus Govt is really sadly woefully inadequate

Carl, about 11 yrs, 9 mths ago
Sunday July 14, 2013 1:52 AM

I went in circles for hours between busness portal and abr.gov.au. Thankyou thankyou thankyou

Kristina, about 11 yrs, 8 mths ago
Tuesday August 20, 2013 1:19 AM

Thank you so much for this, I have been trying for hours!

ha nguyen, about 11 yrs, 8 mths ago
Tuesday August 20, 2013 4:58 AM

thanks a lot indeed for your clear and easy guide. I have spent hours for it with Auskey but failed!

Rob, about 11 yrs, 7 mths ago
Saturday September 7, 2013 8:20 PM

Thanks, this was enormously helpful! Wish I found it 3 hours ago :)

Fraser, about 11 yrs, 7 mths ago
Friday September 20, 2013 5:27 AM

Like everyone else I went round in circles, before calling ATO (last resort) I searched and found this solution. THANK YOU for taking the time to post it and save a lot of people's time and sanity.

Rose, about 11 yrs, 6 mths ago
Friday October 11, 2013 5:19 AM

Thank you very much for your good step by step guide. So, after this process, Do I have to send a notice to the current customers, that now I am going to add the GST in each invoice?? Is there a template of this notice???

Parakum, about 11 yrs, 6 mths ago
Sunday October 20, 2013 4:46 AM

Thanks .. This is really useful 5/5

Sandy, about 11 yrs, 6 mths ago
Monday October 28, 2013 5:32 AM

Thank you so much for putting together such a simple step by step explanation. I have spent hours and hours going in circles in the ATO website. Pity that they can't put something like this in place.

Ajay, about 11 yrs, 4 mths ago
Monday December 9, 2013 9:36 AM

Thank you, Danke, Dhanyavaad, Gracias, Arigatogozaimus, XieXie, Merci, Nantri, All in all, You Are The Man for doing this! You Are A Good Man!!

Lia, about 11 yrs, 4 mths ago
Wednesday December 18, 2013 4:13 AM

Thank you so much - this was horrifically hard to work out, i've spent over an hour on it before finding this website!

Dude, you are awesome!!, about 11 yrs, 4 mths ago
Sunday December 22, 2013 11:31 PM

Thanks so muchhhh

Ricki, about 11 yrs, 3 mths ago
Tuesday January 7, 2014 9:08 AM

Thank you soooooo much! I was about to give up but then I found this page!

Maria, about 11 yrs, 3 mths ago
Friday January 17, 2014 8:02 AM

THANK YOU! I can't believe how difficult they make this. I was honestly wasted almost an hour simply trying to find where this was located. These are the kind of clear instructions which should be found on THEIR website!!! Thank you again.

evin, about 11 yrs, 2 mths ago
Friday February 21, 2014 12:05 PM

HI there, can someone pretty pretty please tell me once you register for gst [ i allready have an abn and have just registered for auskey] how long it takes for your registration to show on the register?

Cesc, about 11 yrs, 2 mths ago
Thursday February 27, 2014 2:30 AM

thankyou so much, i went round and round in circles before this.

How long does it take to show that you are registered for GST in the ABN lookup?

?Rory, about 11 yrs, 2 mths ago
Thursday February 27, 2014 2:56 AM

This is amazingly helpful!!

radical, about 11 yrs, 1 mth ago
Monday March 24, 2014 11:09 PM

Agree with all the positive comments. Thank-you. Helpful web pages like these are what makes the internet!

Kate, about 11 yrs, 1 mth ago
Monday March 31, 2014 3:05 AM

I was going round in circles trying to find out to register for GST using AUSkey. They sure don't make it easy do they! Thank you so much for the brilliant instructions!

Frank, about 11 yrs, 21 days ago
Thursday April 10, 2014 3:08 AM

After spending hours trying to decipher instructions on the official pages, this took 5 minutes. Thank you so much!

Ajay, about 10 yrs, 11 mths ago
Monday May 12, 2014 7:32 AM

wow excellent info... I spent few hours since last couple of months n thought it was nt possible to do so.. thanks a lot

Charlie, about 10 yrs, 11 mths ago
Monday May 12, 2014 12:45 PM

Thank you, you are awesome!

M&M, about 10 yrs, 11 mths ago
Saturday May 31, 2014 4:42 AM

Another satisfied customer, the instructions are amazing, very helpful. Thanks so much

Cecilia, about 10 yrs, 10 mths ago
Sunday June 8, 2014 11:14 AM

Thank you so so much. So many frustrating hours and uncertainty... and then I found your web page and excellent screen shots.

JuliaHutchinson, about 10 yrs, 10 mths ago
Thursday June 19, 2014 6:15 AM

Thank you so much! I hope the ATO is paying you for the valuable information they aren't providing on their website!

mco4, about 10 yrs, 10 mths ago
Saturday June 28, 2014 7:03 AM

OMG Thank you!! already wasted hours trying to work this out. Thank you thank you thank you

Sairam Reddy, about 10 yrs, 10 mths ago
Sunday June 29, 2014 1:40 PM

Excellent. I was trying last 4 hours, unsuccessful.
Very helpful. ATO need to give this details in their website.

Dave, about 10 yrs, 9 mths ago
Tuesday July 15, 2014 3:01 AM

This helped me a few months ago adding GST. I needed it again to add PAYG (IT) withholding. It also kept in the same stupid cryptic place! Don't even bother trying to get help from the ATO - they are useless.

Erin, about 10 yrs, 9 mths ago
Monday July 21, 2014 5:39 AM

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! I have been trying to figure this out for hours

pranothi, about 10 yrs, 9 mths ago
Monday July 21, 2014 10:14 AM

Hi..really useful info. Been trying to get my head into the ATO site for the last 3 hours...this one helped instantly

really thanks... you will get a lot of money., about 10 yrs, 9 mths ago
Tuesday July 22, 2014 10:58 AM

thanks.. it is hard to find.

Kanishka, about 10 yrs, 9 mths ago
Wednesday July 23, 2014 4:14 AM

Thank you so much.
This as a big help.

Ned, about 10 yrs, 9 mths ago
Wednesday July 23, 2014 4:23 AM

I am glad this is helping people :)

Beagle, about 10 yrs, 9 mths ago
Wednesday July 23, 2014 6:28 AM

I nearly went mad trying to use the portal, had to google for help on doing this which is such a simple task. Glad there are wonderful people like yourself out here providing destructions for others!

kate, about 10 yrs, 9 mths ago
Monday July 28, 2014 10:50 AM

My keyboard almost suffered sever damage trying to work it out until I googled and looked for non government search results. Now I can invoice people with your help.

Jason, about 10 yrs, 8 mths ago
Wednesday August 20, 2014 5:16 AM

Again I was so surprised that bthey make this so difficult to work out. Legendary my friend.

Mark, about 10 yrs, 8 mths ago
Wednesday August 20, 2014 1:57 PM

Christ almighty thankyou so much for this post!

matt, about 10 yrs, 7 mths ago
Monday September 22, 2014 9:29 AM

thanks so much i wasted 3 hours trying to do this took 3 mins after i saw this

Thank you so much, about 10 yrs, 7 mths ago
Thursday September 25, 2014 11:35 AM

step 4 is the bonkers counterintuitive one.

Thanks heaps for putting this step-by-step online.

Holly, about 10 yrs, 6 mths ago
Sunday October 5, 2014 5:11 AM

YOU ARE A LIFESAVER!! I spent hours trying to figure out how to do this, I was pulling my hair out and was ready to give up. As a last resort I searched google for an answer on a non-ATO page and I am so grateful I found this. THANK YOU!

THANK YOU!, about 10 yrs, 6 mths ago
Thursday October 23, 2014 9:58 AM

Why did they have to make that simple task so hard to do?!?!?!

Al the links on the ATO site directing me around in circles, I thought I was going mental!!! I reckon some IT dork is laughing his ass off hiding it away where nobody can find it.

Thank you, about 10 yrs, 6 mths ago
Monday October 27, 2014 12:28 PM

Yay. Thank you greatly.

Alicia, about 10 yrs, 6 mths ago
Monday October 27, 2014 11:20 PM

Thank you SO MUCH. Trying to work out how to do this has been driving me nuts, and the ABR/ATO sites have been entirely useless. Once I stumbled across this, I had it done in five minutes.

kashia, about 10 yrs, 4 mths ago
Tuesday December 9, 2014 11:53 PM

thank you soooooo much

Vikram, about 10 yrs, 3 mths ago
Wednesday January 7, 2015 9:06 AM

Dude you rock....thanks heaps ...

I wasnt able to get through this business portal for GST registration but your article helped me heaps man.
Thanks once again

Paul, about 10 yrs, 3 mths ago
Sunday January 11, 2015 12:34 AM

This is the only reliable instruction set on the whole internet about doing this.

The government site is simply a JOKE

Adam, about 10 yrs, 3 mths ago
Wednesday January 14, 2015 5:37 AM

Absolute legend! I was about to give up until I read your instructions.

Its hard to believe they would make it so f**king hard to register

Andrea, about 10 yrs, 2 mths ago
Sunday February 1, 2015 11:38 AM

Your are awesome God bless you...

Zeus, about 10 yrs, 2 mths ago
Monday February 2, 2015 2:11 PM

Ah thanks! I'm no stranger to computers, to say the least, but couldn't figure out how to do it.

Zeus, about 10 yrs, 2 mths ago
Monday February 2, 2015 2:12 PM

Ah thanks! I'm no stranger to computers, to say the least, but couldn't figure out how to do it.

Lfaulk, about 10 yrs, 2 mths ago
Tuesday February 3, 2015 5:46 AM

Great stuff. That ATO site is HOPELESS!

BOB, about 10 yrs, 1 mth ago
Monday March 16, 2015 1:29 PM

I LOVE YOU!!!

Nicole, about 10 yrs, 23 days ago
Thursday April 9, 2015 1:41 AM

Like everyone else, I am relieved to have stumbled across your step by step instructions. You saved me a stack of time.

Cheers !

Marcela, about 10 yrs, 15 days ago
Friday April 17, 2015 2:13 AM

This has been great, spent hours going around in circles between government websites and couldn't find clear instructions. BUT, how do I now register for PAYG??? I can't find how to anywhere! Pls help!!

Pete, about 10 yrs, 12 days ago
Sunday April 19, 2015 12:12 PM

Why isn't this the default advice given? Thank you very much!

Alex, about 10 yrs, 7 days ago
Friday April 24, 2015 6:03 AM

Thank you very much for this post. I just followed your instructions after looking for the answer on the ato website for what felt like forever. Your instructions worked perfectly!

Mandy, about 9 yrs, 11 mths ago
Saturday May 30, 2015 5:37 PM

thankyou, I was trying all afternoon and night to register for GST. I found this information and achieved my goal so quickly. I really appreciate it. I find it hard to think the ATO must presume the website is easy to navigate. It is so difficult. Even the Auskey thing was annoyingly difficult. Now I need to tackle the BAS statements. I put in the date from the beginning of the year, so I hope I have not made it worse for myself. I have no idea what to do. Lets just see what happens. X

Nat, about 9 yrs, 9 mths ago
Sunday July 12, 2015 4:15 AM

THANK YOU!!!!.......you have done what the ATO cannot - that is clearly and easily show how to register.
I was about to throw my laptop out of the window after trying to work out how to register! .....you have saved me the expense of buying a new one.....Cheers

Ned, about 9 yrs, 9 mths ago
Monday July 20, 2015 1:29 PM

Nice to see this is still helping people :)

Iman, about 9 yrs, 9 mths ago
Sunday July 26, 2015 12:11 PM

I would like to thank you so much for your great help. It was a fantastic ease-to-follow guideline.

Paul, about 9 yrs, 9 mths ago
Friday July 31, 2015 6:11 AM

Thank you for your very clear instructions. I am no stranger to IT but after going through the frustrating procedure of getting an AUSKey on a USB stick, I was about to chuck it all in when I found your explanation. The government just has to make it so hard, don't they? Thanks again.

MelbourneMe, about 9 yrs, 7 mths ago
Friday September 4, 2015 12:48 AM

Thank you so much for this. The spiraling concatenations of the AB Portal give no clue as to how to register for GST. You rock. Somehow, this should be at the top of the Google search for how to register for GST.

Steven Hope Newcastle NSW, about 9 yrs, 7 mths ago
Friday September 11, 2015 11:40 AM

Thankyou you are a legend. What a joke it is to register for GST which means the govt get money out of us and they make it so stinking hard...no wonder the country is going broke!

Jeremy, about 9 yrs, 6 mths ago
Monday October 12, 2015 4:22 AM

Took me ages to work this out. Thanks very much for posting!

lou, about 9 yrs, 6 mths ago
Sunday October 18, 2015 11:46 AM

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!!! I have some hair left :)

Damien, about 9 yrs, 6 mths ago
Tuesday October 20, 2015 8:33 PM

Years on and this is still so helpful!!!! I've spent literally hours trying to do this myself, you are a champion!!!!!

PAKMAN, about 9 yrs, 6 mths ago
Friday October 23, 2015 3:16 AM

THANK YOU LORD FOR MAKING ME FIND YOUR PAGE!
Nearly gave up and paid the $45.
YOU ARE THE BEST!

Anna, about 9 yrs, 5 mths ago
Monday November 2, 2015 11:54 AM

Best post ever! Thank you for taking the time to post great screen shots. Saved my sanity!! Thanks again super appreciate it :-)

Moz, about 9 yrs, 5 mths ago
Wednesday November 4, 2015 2:40 AM

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU for taking time to post this! - if you haven't heard it enough already!. Impossible to find and of course calling ATO was told "systems are experiencing some problems, please call back later." Sooo easy to follow through cunningly misleading screens.

Frank, about 9 yrs, 4 mths ago
Tuesday December 22, 2015 1:53 AM

thanks soooo much!! I spent hours on google and Auskey website to register GST but ended being directed in circles.

thankful, about 9 yrs, 4 mths ago
Sunday December 27, 2015 5:35 AM

THANK YOU Why doesn't the ATO have your simple advice on its website?

Perfect advice, about 9 yrs, 3 mths ago
Monday January 18, 2016 5:15 AM

Thank you so much for your step-by-step advice. I can't believe that Australian office doesn't get things right on this matter. Are we living in 21 century?

Mahesh, about 9 yrs, 2 mths ago
Monday February 1, 2016 2:28 PM

Great friend. Good job. Thank you very much. You make my day. Kind Regards, Mahesh

Michelle, about 9 yrs, 2 mths ago
Saturday February 6, 2016 3:05 AM

Wow, thanks so much. Could have saved hours of hair tearing if we'd found you first.

Theresa, about 9 yrs, 1 mth ago
Friday March 25, 2016 7:37 AM

Can't thank you enough. Am surprised ATO doesn't say more than "Apply through Business Portal". Appreciate your help.

Tim, about 8 yrs, 11 mths ago
Wednesday May 25, 2016 12:09 PM

great job - thanks a lot!!!

Alan McLxxxx, about 8 yrs, 9 mths ago
Saturday July 16, 2016 1:59 AM

You are a legend!

I was almost give up. I believe ATO did it deliberately to make it difficult for the taxpayers so the greedy accountants can get a job.

frank, about 8 yrs, 9 mths ago
Saturday July 16, 2016 10:35 AM

WOw! you lege!

Kunal, about 8 yrs, 6 mths ago
Tuesday October 4, 2016 12:40 AM

Very frustrating that ATO doesn't explain the process clearly. I guess they just want everyone to go to accountants so they can make money. Thanks heaps for this step by step guide.

undrakh, about 8 yrs, 3 mths ago
Saturday January 28, 2017 3:07 AM

thank you so much, it was confusing

Sean Smids, about 7 yrs, 9 mths ago
Monday July 17, 2017 8:50 PM

Thank you very much!! That's not an easy process post-ABN registration!

Peter M, about 7 yrs, 8 mths ago
Sunday August 27, 2017 5:34 AM

Thank you! Great tutorial!

Hannah M, about 6 yrs, 8 mths ago
Monday August 27, 2018 2:06 AM

Wow, I, like all the many posters before me going back YEARS(!!) can't thank you enough for this incredibly useful tool!!!

Ben, about 4 yrs, 8 mths ago
Saturday August 15, 2020 1:58 AM

I spent hours going in circles trying to register. Thanks, I couldnt have done it without your help. Its amazing that the tax office would make it nearly impossible to do this yourself.

Pete , about 4 yrs, 8 mths ago
Sunday August 16, 2020 2:54 AM

Thank you so much!!! why was that so hard for the ATO !!!