Contents

Part 1--Preliminary                                                                                                             2

Division 1--Introduction                                                                                            2

1............ Short title............................................................................................. 2

2............ Commencement................................................................................... 2

Division 2--Definitions                                                                                                4

3............ Dictionary........................................................................................... 4

4............ Business.............................................................................................. 7

5............ Entities................................................................................................ 7

6............ Notified State/Territory registers......................................................... 8

Division 3--Constitutional basis and application of this Act and the Transitional Act 10

7............ Constitutional basis for this Act and the Transitional Act................. 10

8............ Meaning of referring/adopting State................................................. 11

9............ Meaning of referred business names matter.................................... 13

10.......... General application of this Act and the Transitional Act................... 15

11.......... Government bodies not liable to prosecution.................................... 15

Division 4--Interaction between business names legislation and State and Territory laws       17

12.......... Concurrent operation intended.......................................................... 17

13.......... When business names legislation does not apply.............................. 17

14.......... Avoiding direct inconsistency between Commonwealth and State and Territory laws             18

15.......... Regulations to deal with interaction between laws............................ 20

Division 5--Objects of this Act and consequences of registration     22

16.......... Objects of this Act............................................................................ 22

17.......... Consequences of registration of a business name............................. 22

Part 2--Offences relating to business names                                                      24

18.......... Offence--carrying on a business under an unregistered business name  24

19.......... Offence--must include business name in written communications... 24

20.......... Offence--must display business name at places open to public........ 27

21.......... Offence--carrying on a business under a business name while disqualified            28

Part 3--Registering a business name                                                                       30

22.......... The Business Names Register........................................................... 30

23.......... Application to register a business name............................................ 30

24.......... Decision to register a business name to an entity.............................. 31

25.......... Is a business name available to an entity?......................................... 31

26.......... Identical or nearly identical names..................................................... 33

27.......... Undesirable names............................................................................ 33

28.......... Restricted words and expressions..................................................... 33

29.......... Priority.............................................................................................. 34

30.......... Refusal for failure to pay registration fee on time.............................. 34

31.......... Consent applications......................................................................... 35

32.......... Disqualified entities........................................................................... 36

33.......... Steps taken by ASIC to register a business name to an entity........... 38

34.......... Refusal to register............................................................................. 39

Part 4--Obligations to give information to ASIC                                            41

35.......... Notifying changes--entity that gives information to ASIC............... 41

36.......... Obligation to notify ASIC if entity becomes disqualified.................. 41

37.......... Obligation to give ASIC information if requested............................. 41

38.......... Notifying ASIC of bankruptcy, insolvency etc................................. 43

39.......... Notifying ASIC of appointment of a legal personal representative... 44

40.......... Notification by successor in relation to a deceased estate.................. 45

41.......... Federal Court may order information be given to ASIC................... 46

Part 5--Cancelling the registration of a business name                               47

42.......... Cancellation--request by entity to whom business name is registered 47

43.......... Cancellation--ASIC becomes aware of matter that would have affected registration decision 47

44.......... Cancellation--entity is disqualified................................................... 48

45.......... Cancellation--Ministerial determination revoked.............................. 48

46.......... Cancellation--failure to satisfy a condition of registration................ 48

47.......... Cancellation--entity not carrying on a business under the business name               49

48.......... Cancellation--failure to provide information.................................... 49

49.......... Cancellation--registration has expired.............................................. 50

50.......... Cancellation--entity to whom business name registered ceases to exist.. 51

51.......... Cancellation--business name used in infringement of trade mark.... 51

52.......... Notification of cancellation of business name................................... 51

53.......... Notice requirements in relation to partnerships, unincorporated associations, trusts and joint ventures   51

54.......... Business name held during review period for cancellation decision.. 52

Part 6--Renewing the registration of a business name                                54

55.......... Application to renew registration...................................................... 54

Part 7--Review                                                                                                                      56

56.......... Reviewable decisions........................................................................ 56

57.......... Internal review of certain decisions................................................... 58

58.......... Administrative review of certain decisions........................................ 60

59.......... Payment of registration fee if business name to be registered as result of review     60

Part 8--Accessing the Business Names Register                                               62

60.......... Access to certain information in the Business Names Register by request               62

61.......... Certain information to be publicly available...................................... 63

62.......... Certain information to be made available to government bodies........ 63

Part 9--Administration                                                                                                    65

63.......... ASIC's functions and powers........................................................... 65

64.......... Directions by Minister...................................................................... 65

65.......... Arrangements with States and Territories......................................... 66

66.......... ASIC may arrange for use of computer programs to make decisions 66

67.......... Forms for documents to be lodged with ASIC................................. 66

68.......... Manner in which documents to be lodged with ASIC...................... 67

69.......... ASIC may refuse to receive document etc......................................... 68

70.......... Fees are payable to ASIC on behalf of the Commonwealth.............. 69

71.......... When is an application fee fully paid?............................................... 69

72.......... Waiver and refund of fees................................................................. 69

73.......... Address for receipt of notices........................................................... 70

74.......... ASIC may destroy or dispose of certain documents......................... 70

75.......... ASIC may issue formal warning....................................................... 70

76.......... Interaction with Australian Business Register................................... 70

77.......... Protection of confidentiality of information....................................... 71

78.......... Liability for damages......................................................................... 72

79.......... Delegation......................................................................................... 73

80.......... Minister may delegate prescribed functions and powers under this Act 73

Part 10--General                                                                                                                 75

81.......... Application of this Act to partnerships.............................................. 75

82.......... Principal contact of a partnership...................................................... 75

83.......... Application of this Act to unincorporated associations and bodies... 76

84.......... Principal contact of an unincorporated association or body............... 77

85.......... Application of this Act to a trust with 2 or more trustees.................. 77

86.......... Principal contact of a trust................................................................. 78

87.......... Joint ventures.................................................................................... 79

88.......... Application in the Territories of Christmas Island and Cocos (Keeling) Islands      81

89.......... Entities that have ceased to exist........................................................ 81

90.......... Regulations....................................................................................... 82

Schedule 1--Notified State/Territory registers                               83

1............ New South Wales............................................................................. 83

2............ Victoria............................................................................................. 83

3............ Queensland....................................................................................... 84

4............ Western Australia.............................................................................. 84

5............ South Australia................................................................................. 84

6............ Tasmania........................................................................................... 85

7............ Australian Capital Territory............................................................... 85

8............ Northern Territory............................................................................. 86

 

 

 

Business Names Registration Act 2011

No. 126, 2011

 

An Act in relation to business names, and for related purposes

[Assented to 3 November 2011]

The Parliament of Australia enacts: