Entity Type
Entity type identifies the legal structure on an ABN record. See common values like sole trader, company, and trust - and what each means for the entity behind it.
- Definition
Entity Type
A classification on each ABN record that identifies the legal structure of the registered entity.
Why it matters
Every ABN record includes an entity type. It tells you the legal structure behind the registration - whether the holder is a sole trader, a company, a trust, or something else.
- A sole trader record means something different from a public company record. Entity type sets that context immediately.
- When two entities share a similar name, entity type helps tell them apart.
- In change feeds, entity type signals how significant a change might be. A public company status change may matter more than one on a sole trader.
Common entity type values
The ABR dataset includes several entity type classifications. The most common:
| Value | Description | |-------|-------------| | Individual/Sole Trader | A person operating a business in their own name | | Australian Private Company | A company registered with ASIC, not publicly listed | | Australian Public Company | A company listed on a stock exchange or with public shareholders | | Partnership | Two or more people or entities running a business together | | Trust | An entity where a trustee holds assets on behalf of beneficiaries | | Other Incorporated Entity | An incorporated body that does not fit the standard company categories | | Superannuation Fund | Provides retirement benefits for members |
Not every ABN record uses these exact values. Less common types exist for government entities, co-operatives, and other structures.
What this means
Entity type tells you the legal structure under which the entity was registered. An "Australian Private Company" is an ASIC-registered company that is not publicly listed. "Individual/Sole Trader" means a person running a business under their own ABN. These values come from the ABR dataset. They reflect the structure recorded at registration.
What entity type tells you
Entity type identifies the legal structure recorded at registration — sole trader, company, trust, or partnership. Use it to set expectations for the rest of the record and to distinguish similarly named entities.
For companies, ASIC's register provides directors, shareholders, and compliance history. For ABN-specific details, see the ABR.
This page is part of an independent reference product. The site compares weekly data snapshots to surface changes and explanations. Read our methodology.