Proprietary limited company Pty LtdAustralia
What it takes to form, own and run a private limited company in Australia, and how its profit is taxed. Each figure links to the page it was read from.
This company type
At a glance
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limited by shares (most common) – an individual member is only liable for the company's debts up to the amount they have agreed to pay for their shares
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All companies must have at least one member. Proprietary companies must have no more than 50 members that are not employees of the company.
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Proprietary companies must have at least one director who normally lives in Australia.
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The cost of registering a company will increase from $611 to $636.
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The full company tax rate is 30% and the lower company tax rate is 25%. Your business is eligible for the lower rate if it’s a base rate entity.
Form it
Who registers it
- Registry
- Formed without visiting
- Not in our records
- Formed online
- Yes
What it takes to form
- A notary
- Not required
- A resident director
- Required
- Paying up the capital
- No minimum proportion has to be paid on registration: the application states whether each member's shares will be fully paid and, if not, the amount (if any) to be left unpaid on each share (Corporations Act 2001 s 117(2)(k)).
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(2) The application must state the following:
Own it
Who may own and run it
- Directors
- At least 1 · one must live there · individuals only
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Proprietary companies must have at least one director who normally lives in Australia.
- Shareholders
- At least 1 · at most 50 · a company may be one
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All companies must have at least one member. Proprietary companies must have no more than 50 members that are not employees of the company.
- Members
- At least 1 · at most 50 · one person may form it alone
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All companies must have at least one member. Proprietary companies must have no more than 50 members that are not employees of the company.
- A local company secretary
- Not required
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Proprietary companies do not need to have a secretary. If they do, at least one secretary must normally live in Australia.
- A local registered agent
- Not required
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You can also choose to give us a contact address or use a registered agent.
Each year, at the registry
- Annual registry fee
- AUD 342 (about €214)
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The annual review fee for a proprietary company will increase from $329 to $3 42
- Accounts on the public record
- Small exempt
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All large proprietary companies need to lodge financial reports. Only some small proprietary companies do.
- Audit for a small company
- Not required
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The rest of this Part does not apply to any other small proprietary company.
- Audit
- Not in our records
Important dates
When each obligation falls due, as the authority states it.
- Check the details on the annual statement, update them, and pass a solvency resolution
- Each year, on the anniversary of incorporation
With ASIC (companies register)
Changes the company has not already made must be made within 28 days of the annual review date; the solvency resolution is due within 2 months of the review date (not a lodgement, unless negative: Form 485 within 7 days). The review date is usually the registration anniversary and can be changed on application.
- Pay the annual review fee
- Each year, on the anniversary of incorporation
With ASIC
Due on the date on the annual statement, which the page says is usually 2 months after the annual review date; 60 days is an approximation of that.
- File financial report
- Not in our records
With ASIC
Not stated on asic.gov.au/for-business-and-companies/companies/company-financial-reports when checked
- Annual general meeting
- Not in our records
Not stated on asic.gov.au/for-business-and-companies/companies/company-building-blocks/company-meetings-and-resolutions when checked
- Tell ASIC of a change of director or secretary
- 28 days after change of officers
With ASIC
Stated as 28 days for most changes.
- Tell ASIC of a change to members or shares
- 28 days after change of shareholders
With ASIC
The annual-review page states 28 days for company details generally; the shareholder page (company-share-and-shareholder-rules-and-changes) says proprietary companies must tell ASIC but gives no period of its own.
- Voluntary deregistration: the company may be deregistered two months after ASIC publishes
- Stated; see the note
With ASIC
Conditions include all members agreeing, no business, assets under $1,000 and no liabilities.
What is public
- Directors
- Public
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People will be able to see shareholder details for proprietary companies online on the companies register.
- Shareholders
- Public
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People will be able to see shareholder details for proprietary companies online on the companies register.
Tax
Tax on profit
How this company type is taxed, which can differ from its place’s headline rate.
Varies · 25–30%+2 regimes
The full company tax rate is 30% and the lower company tax rate is 25% for a base rate entity.
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The full company tax rate is 30% and the lower company tax rate is 25%. Your business is eligible for the lower rate if it’s a base rate entity.
Special regimes that may apply
- Foreign equity distributions on participation interests holding · 100% exempt
Australian-resident corporate tax entities receiving a foreign equity distribution where they satisfy the minimum 10% participation test in s 768-15 in relation to the distributing company Income Tax Assessment Act 1997, s 768-5 - Shipping other · 100% exempt
Entities with a shipping exempt income certificate for a vessel, in respect of shipping activities on certified days Income Tax Assessment Act 1997, s 51-100
Whether a company qualifies depends on its activity and conditions set in each statute.
- CFC rules in Australia
- Not in our records
Close it
Closing it
The other end, which most guides leave out.
- Route
- Voluntary deregistration on application to ASIC (Form 6010) if members agree, no business, assets under $1,000, no liabilities; deregistered two months after the notice. Otherwise wind-up of a solvent or insolvent company.
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All members (shareholders) of the company agree to deregister.
- Statutory fee
- AUD 52 (about €33)
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Apply for voluntary deregistration of a company
Every business in Australia
GST
- Standard rate
- 10%
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Goods and services tax (GST) is a tax of 10% on most goods, services and other items sold or consumed in Australia.
- Other rates
- Not stated
- Registration threshold
- AUD 75,000 · about €46,960
GST turnover (business income excluding certain sales, not profit); A$150,000 for a non-profit organisation; year
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your business has a GST turnover of $75,000 or more
- Voluntary registration
- Yes
If GST turnover is below the A$75,000 threshold a business may choose to register; if it does, it must include GST in prices, claim GST credits and lodge activity statements.
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Otherwise, registration for GST is optional.
- A foreign company
- The same threshold applies
An overseas business must register for GST if its GST turnover from sales connected with Australia is A$75,000 or more; this applies to imported services, digital products and goods worth A$1,000 or less sold to consumers, and a business whose only sales go through an electronic distribution platform may not need to register. Whether a representative must be appointed is not stated on the pages read.
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You must register for GST if your overseas business has a GST turnover of A$75,000 or more from sales connected with Australia and made in the course of your business.
- Returns filed
- Depends on the business
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whether you’re completing a monthly or quarterly BAS.
- Tax authority
- Registration page read 2026-10-23
Payment and banking services
2 services name Australia on their own list: Airwallex, Stripe. Each provider, and what a listing means.
Reference
Its name and code
- Kind
- Private limited companyDerived our grouping, the same words in every country
- Name in law
- Proprietary limited company (Pty Ltd)
- ISO 20275 code
- TXVCSecondary GLEIF, Entity Legal Forms code list