Oceania · Proprietary Limited Company
Register a company in Australia
Founders selling into the Australian/APAC market who can secure a resident director and want a well-regulated Pty Ltd with no state-level corporate tax.
- Government fee
- $400
- A$611 (proprietary company)
- Corporate tax
- 25%
- headline
- Min. capital
- ≈ none
- effectively none
- Setup time
- 1–2 business days
Deep dives
Everything on Australia, in depth
At a glance
How Australia scores for a non-resident
Relative edge
A trusted, single-layer-tax base into the Australian and APAC market.
Relative watch-out
A resident director plus a Director ID make a remote-only setup awkward.
Scores are Lanzamo's editorial judgement (0–100, higher = better for a non-resident founder), built on the verified data on this page — guidance, not advice.
The essentials
For non-resident founders
Can you run it from abroad?
The headline fee rarely decides it — these are the things that actually trip up a founder forming Australia from another country.
100% foreign ownership
Non-residents can own 100% of an Australian Pty Ltd, but cannot form it alone: at least one director must 'ordinarily reside' in Australia. Every director — including non-residents — must also obtain a Director ID, whose identity check is awkward from overseas.
Fully remote setup
ASIC registration itself is online and fast. The two practical blockers for a remote foreign founder are securing a resident director and completing the Director ID identity check (often done by phone from overseas).
Resident director required
At least one resident director is legally required for a proprietary company. The company also needs a registered office and principal place of business in Australia, and a public officer for ATO purposes.
Banking for non-residents: Hard
Major banks (CBA, Westpac, NAB, ANZ) generally require in-person ID verification and are cautious with foreign-controlled companies. Having the mandatory resident director materially eases account opening; fintechs (Wise, Airwallex) are common interim solutions.
Accounting burden: Moderate
Lodge a company income-tax return with the ATO, pay the ASIC annual review fee, and keep records. Small proprietary companies are usually exempt from audited statements unless 'large' or foreign-controlled (which can add ASIC reporting duties).
Why founders pick Australia
- Reputable, single-layer corporate tax (no state tax) with a 25% base rate for sub-A$50M companies
- Fast online ASIC registration and no minimum capital
- Strong access to the Australian and broader APAC market with a trusted Pty Ltd structure
- Small proprietary companies are usually exempt from audited financial statements
Watch out for
- A resident director is mandatory — foreign founders must hire a nominee service or relocate someone
- Every director must get a Director ID, and the identity check is cumbersome from overseas
- Higher government fees than peers (A$611 to register, A$329/yr review), CPI-indexed
- Opening a bank account as a non-resident is difficult and often requires in-person verification
Is Australia the right base for you?
Put Australia side by side with a U.S. LLC and 11 other jurisdictions — government fee, tax, capital and the resident-director catch — and decide with the full picture.
Official sources
Go straight to the authorities — these are the free, definitive sources for Australia.
Data reviewed June 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Can a non-resident register a company in Australia?
Non-residents can own 100% of an Australian Pty Ltd, but cannot form it alone: at least one director must 'ordinarily reside' in Australia. Every director — including non-residents — must also obtain a Director ID, whose identity check is awkward from overseas.
How much does it cost to register a Pty Ltd in Australia?
The government fee is about $400 (A$611 (proprietary company)). ASIC's fee to register a proprietary company rose to A$611 from 1 July 2025 and is CPI-indexed each year, so expect a small rise from 1 July 2026. Most founders register via an online service that bundles the ASIC fee plus a service charge. Budget roughly $215/yr in mandatory government filings. ASIC charges a mandatory Annual Review fee of A$329/yr for a proprietary company (from 1 July 2025), payable on the review date. Late payment triggers automatic penalties. This is separate from the ATO company income-tax return.
Do I need a resident director to form a company in Australia?
Yes. At least one resident director is legally required for a proprietary company. The company also needs a registered office and principal place of business in Australia, and a public officer for ATO purposes.
What is the corporate tax rate in Australia?
Two-tier: a 'base rate entity' pays 25% if aggregated turnover is under A$50M AND no more than 80% of income is passive; otherwise the standard rate is 30%. Many new small companies qualify for 25%; a passive/holding company can be pushed to 30%. No state corporate income tax.
Compare another country
The founder’s starting-a-US-company checklist
Get the free step-by-step checklist plus the occasional plain-English guide on formation, taxes, banking, and staying compliant. No spam, no hype. Unsubscribe anytime.