BAS and reporting
BAS lodgment
BAS lodgment is the act of submitting your completed Business Activity Statement to the ATO for a reporting period, through online services, a registered agent or another approved channel.
BAS lodgment is the step where you formally submit your Business Activity Statement to the ATO. Preparing the figures is not enough; the statement must be lodged for the ATO to treat your obligation as met. Lodgment also triggers the amount you owe or are owed, although payment is a separate action that must be completed by the due date.
There are several ways to lodge. Many businesses lodge directly from their accounting software, which connects to the ATO through business online services. Others log in through ATO online services accessed with myGov or a business login, or use a registered BAS agent or tax agent who lodges on their behalf. Paper lodgment exists in limited circumstances but is slower and less common.
Before lodging, review the figures. Check that total sales match your records, that GST credits are supported by valid tax invoices, that PAYG withholding agrees with your payroll, and that you have attributed amounts to the correct period. Once lodged, a BAS can be revised if you discover an error, but correcting mistakes takes extra work and, in some cases, can lead to interest or penalties on shortfalls.
Lodgment has timing rules. Quarterly statements are generally due 28 days after the end of the quarter, monthly statements are generally due on the 21st day of the following month, and other cycles have their own dates. If a due date falls on a weekend or public holiday, it generally moves to the next business day. Agent-lodged statements may have extended dates under the agent's lodgment program, so check with your agent.
Common problems include lodging with the wrong tax codes, forgetting to include PAYG amounts, and assuming that lodging means the payment is complete. After lodgment, make sure the payment reaches the ATO on time, using the correct reference. If you cannot pay in full, lodging on time and then asking for a payment plan generally leaves you in a better position than not lodging at all.
Keep a copy of every lodged BAS along with the working papers behind it, and retain them for five years. The ATO's online services show your lodgment history and any outstanding statements, which is a handy way to check you are up to date. This is general information only, so confirm anything specific with the ATO or a registered tax professional.
Worked example
Jess is a sole trader with quarterly BAS. She finishes her bookkeeping, runs the GST report which shows GST collected of $3,200 and credits of $1,100, and checks that net GST is $2,100. She lodges through her accounting software before the 28th, then pays the $2,100 using the ATO reference. The online services account later shows the statement as lodged and paid.
Practical tips
- Lodge before the due date and check your ATO online services account afterwards to confirm the statement shows as received.
- Remember that lodging does not pay the bill, so arrange the payment separately and use the correct reference.
- If you spot a mistake after lodging, correct it promptly rather than waiting for the ATO to find it.