BAS BUSINESS ACTIVITY STATEMENT

BAS Completing your BAS

When completing your BAS:

enter whole dollar amounts – leave cents out and don’t round up to the next dollar
enter each invoice once only
if you account for GST on a cash basis, your expenses and sales must fall within the period you made or received payment
only complete the fields that apply to you – if you have nothing to report, enter zero
if you’re doing this manually, double check your figures and calculations
you can always correct a mistake made on an earlier BAS.

Lodging and paying your BAS

When you lodge activity statements and pay:

The due date for lodging and paying is displayed on your BAS. Lodge and pay on time to avoid penalties.
If a lodgment date falls on a weekend or public holiday, you can lodge and pay on the next working day.
Use the right payment reference number (PRN), also referred to as an EFT code, when you make payments to us.
If you think you might not be able to lodge and pay by the due date, contact us as soon as possible.

Understanding BAS

A Business Activity Statement (BAS) is a form that businesses must submit to the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) in order to report and pay their tax liabilities. A large part of BAS is related to GST. For example:

Your business charges $50 for your goods or services so your customer will be charged $55. The additional $5 is the GST that needs to be paid to the ATO.

Your business buys supplies, you will be charged 10% in GST which you can claim back from the ATO as a credit.

When you complete a BAS form you are essentially reporting the goods and services tax amount you’ve collected on your sales minus any that you’ve paid on your purchases, with the difference being your refund or what you owe to the ATO.
Your BAS can also include PAYG withholding and instalments, wine equalisation tax, fuel tax credit and fringe benefit tax if these apply to your business.

Can't find my BAS?

Online activity statements are generally available one week after the generation date. It may take up to three weeks to receive your activity statements if sent by post.

If you lodge:

online – you can find your BAS under 'Not lodged' or 'History'
by paper – you don't get the benefit of an extra two weeks to lodge your BAS and pay your GST. If you need a new form, you need to Contact us.

What is BAS?