Australia GST# Australia ABN# Cross Border E-Commerce

Australia is a mature and developed economy with a huge e-commerce market potential. 70% consumers shop online frequently, which is a market full of business opportunities for cross-border sellers. If you are planning to enter the Australian market, let's familiarize yourself with the Australian ACN, ABN and GST.

 What is ACN Australia
ACN is the Australian Company Number, a 9-digit number. All businesses in Australia must register with an ACN, which is equivalent to a business registration in China.
What is ABN Australia
ABN is called Australian Business Number, which is an 11-digit number (2-digit tax code + 9-digit ACN number). If you have an ACN, you don't necessarily have an ABN. Some dormant companies don't have an ABN, but if you have an ABN number, you must have an ACN number.
You can think of the ACN as a domestic code certificate + business license and the ABN as a tax registration certificate.

When to Register for Australian GST
GST registration is required when your company's Australian turnover (gross corporate revenue minus GST) reaches or exceeds AUD$75,000 (GST threshold).
IMPORTANT: If a business sells all of its sales (specifically direct mail) to Australian consumers through a third-party sales platform, it does not need to register for the GST as it will be withheld and paid by the sales platform.
If you are selling products from a standalone site to customers in Australia, you need to register a GST tax code with the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) if your revenue exceeds AUD$$75,000 in a 12-month period.
Import customs clearance:
Importers or individuals are required to pay import GST, customs duty or other charges on goods over AUD$1,000 at the time of entry.
That is to say, if you need to apply for GST credit for customs clearance of imported high value goods (above AUD$1000), you must apply for an ABN number.

What is Australian Deferred Customs Clearance
When importing goods into Australia through a freight forwarder, you will be required to pay Customs Duty and Goods and Services Tax (GST) of 10% at the point of entry. Normally, you will need to have funds available to pay the GST as soon as the shipment arrives at customs, and if the value of the imported goods is significant, this may have an impact on your cash flow.
However, if you have applied for Deferred GST Scheme (DGST) with the Australian Taxation Office (ATO). Instead of paying the GST upfront when the goods clear customs, the importer can defer the GST payment until the Business Activity Statement (BAS) is due the following month. At that time, you can offset the GST you owe against the GST you paid when you sold the goods.
BAS: Business Activity Statements, Business Activity Return, when you register for ABN and GST in Australia, filing a BAS return will report the amount of GST you have declared and paid.

How to Apply for Deferred GST Scheme
In Australia, importers can take advantage of the government's Deferred GST Scheme (DGS) to defer payment of GST on imported goods, but not all importers are eligible to apply for the DGS. Importers must meet the following criteria to apply.

1. Holds an ABN and is registered with GST
2. Must file monthly BAS returns and pay taxes electronically.
3. Imported goods for domestic sale
4. No late filing of returns or overdue taxes
5. Not charged or punished by the court in the past 3 years
   Importers may be disqualified from applying for the scheme if they fail to pay the duty on time.
   Green Circle is the Amazon SPN tax service provider, is also the first batch of domestic service providers to get the Australian GST tax number, there have been a number of successful cases under the number. The registration time is about 1 month, if you have related needs, or have any questions about Australian tax, welcome to consult the green circle sister ~ WeChat!