ABN Record Glossary
Definitions for the key fields on ABN records displayed across this site. Each entry explains what the field shows, how it relates to change detection, and its limitations.
Every ABN record carries a few standard fields: status, GST registration, entity type, and a record timestamp. You will see these fields on entity pages, in change feeds, and across intelligence reports. The definitions below explain each one — what it shows, how the site uses it for change detection, and what it does not confirm.
Terms
ABN Status
ABN status is a field on every Australian Business Number record. It shows the current registration state — either Active or Cancelled — along with the date that status took effect.
ASIC Number
A field on some ABN records that shows the Australian Securities and Investments Commission registration number — typically an ACN for companies or an ARBN for registered bodies.
Entity Type
A classification on each ABN record that identifies the legal structure of the registered entity.
GST Status
The GST status field shows whether an ABN-registered entity has an active Goods and Services Tax registration, along with the effective date recorded in the public dataset.
Other Names
A field on ABN records that lists additional names associated with the entity, such as trading names or former business names, beyond the primary registered name.
Record Last Updated
A date on each ABN record showing when the source registry last modified it. This is separate from ABN Signal's own weekly detection date.
State and Postcode
Two fields on ABN records that show the state or territory and postcode associated with the entity's registration, derived from the business address provided to the ATO.
Each glossary entry covers what the field means in context and what it does not confirm on its own. Definitions reflect publicly available data from the Australian Business Register and this site's independent interpretation — they do not carry official or legal authority. The site refreshes its dataset weekly, so field values reflect the latest available snapshot, not real-time source data.
This page is part of an independent reference product. The site compares weekly data snapshots to surface changes and explanations. Read our methodology.