How to check a builder's company on ASIC
By BuilderVet team. Last reviewed 2 November 2026.
Search the company name or ACN from your quote on ASIC’s companies register, which is free for basic details such as the company type, ACN, registration date and the documents lodged. If you want the directors’ names, you can buy a current company extract for $10, and ASIC says the warning signs are a company that is deregistered, under external administration, or seems different from the business you are dealing with.
This guide walks through the free search, the paid extract, the free banned and disqualified search, and ASIC’s free company alert service. It is a deeper look at one step in how to check a NSW builder. If you want the ASIC record beside the licence record in one place, run a free BuilderVet check.
When should you check ASIC?
ASIC holds records for companies, not for sole traders or partnerships. ASIC’s own guidance for checking another business says to start with ABN Lookup, and if that shows the business is a company, to check that it is registered and solvent and who its directors are.
So you need an ASIC search when the quote, contract or invoice names a company, usually ending in “Pty Ltd”, or shows a 9-digit ACN. If the builder is a sole trader, see what an ABN lookup tells you about a builder and how to check if a sole trader builder is bankrupt.
How do you search the companies register?
- Go to ASIC’s “Search ASIC registers” page and open the company and organisation register.
- Choose to search within “Organisation & Business names”.
- Enter the company name, a business name it holds, or its ACN. The ACN is the most precise.
- Open the matching result and read the free details.
ASIC also runs a public beta of a refreshed companies register search, which currently shows free information only.
What can you see for free?
ASIC says these basic details are free:
- company or organisation name
- type of company or organisation
- ABN, ACN, ARBN or ARSN
- registration date
- next review date
- suburb, state and postcode of the registered office
- a list of documents lodged with ASIC.
ASIC says you can also use the companies register to check whether a company is deregistered or under external administration, which is where the warning signs below appear.
What are the warning signs on an ASIC record?
ASIC lists these as possible warning signs when you search the companies register.
| What you see | What it may mean | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| No results for the ACN | The number may be wrong or not a company | Ask the builder to confirm the ACN in writing |
| Deregistered | The company is no longer on the register as a current company | Do not sign with that entity; ask who you are really contracting with |
| Under external administration (“EXAD”) | ASIC says this usually means the company is insolvent | Stop and get advice before paying anything |
| ACN linked to a different company name | The details on your paperwork don’t match | Ask why, and check the licence is in the same name |
| Directors change often (from an extract) | ASIC lists this as a warning sign | Ask about it |
| Your contact runs the company but isn’t a director (from an extract) | ASIC lists this as a warning sign | Ask what their role is |
ASIC also notes that being listed on a government register does not guarantee a business is trustworthy. A clean record is a starting point, not a verdict.
If you are already mid-build and the company has gone into administration or liquidation, read what happens if your NSW builder becomes insolvent.
Is it worth buying a company extract?
If you are about to sign a large contract, a $10 extract is a small cost against the deposit. ASIC sells these extracts for Australian companies:
| Extract | ASIC fee | What it adds |
|---|---|---|
| Current company extract | $10 | Current officeholders, such as directors and secretary |
| Current and historical company extract | $20 | Past details as well as current ones |
| Roles and relationship extract | $23 | See ASIC’s example extract for the contents |
ASIC’s guidance says a company extract tells you the current directors and how long they have been with the company. ASIC no longer shows officeholder addresses in extracts.
How do you check a director is not banned?
ASIC’s Banned and Disqualified search is free. It covers people who are not allowed to be involved in managing a corporation, among other bans, and searches 6 ASIC registers at once.
- On ASIC Connect, choose “Banned & Disqualified” from the drop-down.
- Enter the director’s family and given names.
- If they are banned or disqualified, you will see the name, the type of ban or disqualification, when it started, whether it is permanent or temporary, and when it ends if temporary.
Some disqualified people will not appear in this search. ASIC notes, for example, that some disqualifications are held on other registers or recorded as court enforceable undertakings.
If you have doubts about a person, ASIC also suggests you can apply to find out whether they are associated with other companies using Form 963, and search AFSA’s bankruptcy register.
Worked example: a quote from a Pty Ltd
You get a $90,000 extension quote from “Example Homes Pty Ltd, ACN 000 000 000”.
- ASIC free search on the ACN. The name matches and the status is registered, with no sign of external administration.
- Current company extract for $10. Two directors are listed. The person who quoted you is one of them.
- Banned and Disqualified search on both directors. No results.
- NSW licence register. Search the exact company name and ACN. A company contractor licence is needed in the company’s own name. See NSW builder licence types.
- HBC certificate. Because the job is over $20,000, the company must give you a certificate in its name before taking a deposit. See verifying HBC insurance in NSW.
If any step doesn’t line up, ask the builder before you sign. If you notice the same directors behind earlier companies that closed, read how to spot a phoenix builder.
How do you keep watching the company during your build?
ASIC’s company alert service is free. You set up a profile with your email, the company’s ACN and the document types you care about. ASIC emails you when a matching document is lodged.
For a build, the useful categories are:
- Internal administration: officeholder changes, name changes, registered office changes
- Debt: notices that the company has been placed in external administration, and appointments of external administrators
- Deregistration: applications to deregister, and changes of status to “Strike off” or “Deregistered”.
Each profile can track up to 25 companies, and an alert cannot run more than one year ahead, so you may need to renew it on a long build.
How BuilderVet helps
Our free check shows the ASIC company record beside the NSW licence and ABN records for the business on your quote, so name mismatches are easy to spot. For NSW builds, Build Watch (A$79 once) watches the licence, ASIC and ABN records for 24 months and tells you when something changes. See pricing.
Frequently asked questions
Is an ASIC company search free?
Basic details are free, including the name, type, ACN and ABN, registration date, registered office suburb and a list of lodged documents. Extracts with officeholder details are paid.
How much is an ASIC company extract?
ASIC lists a current company extract at $10 and a current and historical extract at $20.
What does EXAD mean on ASIC?
It means the company is under external administration. ASIC says this usually means the company is insolvent.
What does deregistered mean for my builder’s company?
ASIC lists a deregistered company as a warning sign. You should not sign a contract with it, and you should ask who you would actually be contracting with.
Can I see who the directors are without paying?
ASIC’s guidance says director details are in a company extract, which you buy. The Banned and Disqualified search is free once you know the names.
Does ASIC show whether a builder is licensed?
No. ASIC records company details. Builder licences in NSW are on the NSW licence register, which you check separately.
Can I get alerts if my builder’s company changes?
Yes. ASIC’s company alert service is free and emails you when documents you choose are lodged for the company.
Sources
- ASIC, Company and organisation registers, https://www.asic.gov.au/online-services/search-asic-registers/company-and-organisation-registers (checked 2026-11-02)
- ASIC, Check another business is trustworthy, https://www.asic.gov.au/for-business-and-companies/business-basics/check-another-business-is-trustworthy (checked 2026-11-02)
- ASIC, Banned and disqualified registers, https://www.asic.gov.au/online-services/search-asic-registers/banned-and-disqualified-registers (checked 2026-11-02)
- ASIC, Company alert service, https://www.asic.gov.au/online-services/online-services-information-and-support/company-alert-service (checked 2026-11-02)
- ASIC, Search ASIC registers, https://www.asic.gov.au/online-services/search-asic-registers (checked 2026-11-02)
- NSW Government, Contracts for residential building work, https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/building-or-renovating-a-home/preparing/contracts (checked 2026-11-02)
Related guides
Put the records beside your quote
Search the exact business on your quote. Read the source dates and gaps before you decide.
Last reviewed 2 Nov 2026