Concepts

BAS agent

A BAS agent is a registered professional who provides BAS services, such as preparing and lodging business activity statements and advising on GST and PAYG, for a fee.

A BAS agent is a person or business registered with the Tax Practitioners Board to provide BAS services to the public for a fee or reward. These services broadly include preparing and lodging business activity statements, advising on GST, PAYG withholding and related obligations, and dealing with the ATO on behalf of a client in those areas. BAS agents are often bookkeepers who have met the qualification and experience requirements and decided to register.

Registration comes with obligations. A registered BAS agent must meet requirements about education, experience and being a fit and proper person. They must also follow a code of professional conduct that covers honesty, integrity, confidentiality, competence and acting in the client's best interests. Many are also required to hold professional indemnity insurance. If they fall short, the Board can investigate and impose sanctions.

For a small business owner, using a BAS agent has several practical benefits. They know how to code transactions correctly, how to apply GST rules, how to reconcile the figures to your records and how to lodge through the ATO's systems. They can also advise on your reporting cycle, accounting method, and PAYG withholding and instalments. Many also offer ongoing bookkeeping, which means the BAS is drawn from records that they know well.

BAS agents differ from registered tax agents. A tax agent can provide a broader range of services, including preparing income tax returns. A BAS agent focuses on BAS services. Some practices employ both. If you need help with income tax, advice about business structure or capital gains, you may need a tax agent or accountant rather than only a BAS agent. Check what each practitioner is registered to do.

Before engaging someone, you can check the public register on the Tax Practitioners Board website to confirm that the person is registered as a BAS agent and that the registration is current. You can then authorise them in the ATO systems to act for your business. A registered agent may also be able to lodge by agent due dates that differ from the usual due dates, depending on the ATO's current arrangements.

A common misunderstanding is that hiring a BAS agent transfers all responsibility to them. You remain responsible for the accuracy of what is reported, so provide complete and honest records and review the work. Another is paying someone who is not registered to prepare and lodge your BAS for a fee, which can breach the law and leave you without the protections that registered practitioners provide. This is general information only, so confirm your position with the ATO or a registered tax professional.

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