I work multiple jobs and was wondering if I need to get a different ABN for each job.
I work as a sole trader providing private music tuition under my own ABN - I get paid by the student and put money aside for tax purposes, I will do my tax return as a sole trader under my own individual ABN.
I have recently started working this year as a locum pharmacist - I work at different pharmacies each week and will invoice the pharmacy owner for the shift - I have been using the same ABN as my music tuition service. Is this correct?
Also, I plan to start an online e-commerce small business, I believe this will need its own separate ABN as it's under a different business structure.
Will this mean I need to have 3 ABNs, or will having the one suffice?
Thanks in advance.
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3 replies
Author: GabbyATO(Community Support)Community Support 3 Apr 2023
Hi @getawaycar23,
You can operate with multiple different business activities under the same ABN, provided that they all fall under the same business structure. So if you operate as a sole trader doing a few completely different business activities, thats fine. All of that would fall under your sole trader ABN.
However, if you were going to operate under a different business structure for one of them (for example a company or partnership) you'd need to apply for a seperate ABN for that.
In your case, if you're operating as a sole trader while providing both music tuition and while working as a locum pharmacist, you would use the same ABN for both. If you then decide to start your e-commerce business under a different business structure, you'd need to apply for a seperate ABN for this. So it sounds more likely that you'd end up with two ABNs, not three.
Hope that all makes sense :)
Hi Gabby, thanks for the informative response.
If I were to start my e-commerce business as a sole-trader as it's still starting up and is considered only a small business, can I operate under the same ABN?
Are there any benefits to registering a new ABN for the new small business?
