How the plan is built
Tell the planner when you can start, how your directors will get their Director IDs, who your resident director will be and what else applies. It lays out each step in order, shows which steps run at the same time, and gives an earliest and a latest finish date in business days.
The order is fixed by law and by practice:
- Director IDs come first. Every director must hold one before appointment. Overseas directors without Australian identity documents apply on paper with certified documents, which ABRS says can take up to 56 business days.
- Your resident director is engaged in parallel. A proprietary company needs at least one director who ordinarily lives in Australia from the day it is registered (s201A).
- ASIC registration needs the directors' consents, their Director IDs, a registered office in Australia and the A$636 fee.
- ABN, TFN, GST and PAYG withholding follow registration, usually in one application.
- A bank account needs the ACN and ABN, and the bank will verify every director and beneficial owner.
Which durations are official
Only two figures in the plan come from a government source: the paper Director ID processing time (up to 56 business days, from the NAT 75433 form) and the rule that you must register for GST within 21 days of becoming required to. Every other range is a planning estimate, labelled as such, because ASIC, the Australian Business Register and banks do not publish fixed processing times. Treat the latest date as the one to plan around.
How to shorten it
- Start Director ID applications the day you decide to enter Australia. Directors can apply up to 12 months before appointment.
- Have identity documents certified correctly the first time. ABRS says documents that don't meet its certification rules delay processing.
- Prepare the parent company's registry extract and ownership chart before you approach a bank.
- If you need foreign investment approval, check that before you commit to dates.
We arrange the resident director, registered office and ASIC registration as one engagement. Start onboarding or check your company with the eligibility checker.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to set up a company in Australia from overseas?
The slowest step is usually the Director ID for overseas directors who lack Australian identity documents. They apply on paper, and ABRS says processing can take up to 56 business days. If every director can apply online, the timeline depends on ASIC registration, the ABN application and bank checks, which the planner shows as planning ranges.
Can we register the company before the directors have Director IDs?
No. A person must hold a Director ID before they are appointed as a director, and the directors are appointed when the company is registered. Start Director ID applications first.
What does ASIC charge to register a company?
A$636 for a company with share capital, from 1 July 2026. The fee is indexed every 1 July.
When do we need to register for GST?
When GST turnover reaches A$75,000, or when a new business expects to reach it in its first year. You must register within 21 days of becoming required to.
Official sources
- ABRS: apply for your director ID abrs.gov.au
- ABRS: Application for a director ID for people living outside Australia (NAT 75433) abrs.gov.au
- ASIC: fees for commonly lodged documents (from 1 July 2026) asic.gov.au
- ATO: registering for GST ato.gov.au
- business.gov.au: register for an ABN business.gov.au
- Foreign investment in Australia (FIRB guidance) foreigninvestment.gov.au
Checked against these sources on . Fees, thresholds and forms change: confirm with the source before you lodge.
General information about Australian law and practice, not legal or tax advice for your circumstances. Check the official sources, or ask your adviser, before you act.