What is GST in Australia?

GST (Goods and Services Tax) is Australia's value-added tax of 10% on most goods, services and other items sold or consumed in Australia. Businesses registered for GST charge GST on taxable sales, claim GST credits on business purchases, and report the net amount to the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) on their Business Activity Statement (BAS).

When do I have to register for GST?

You must register for GST if your business or enterprise has a GST turnover of $75,000 or more (or $150,000 or more for not-for-profit organisations). You must also register, regardless of turnover, if you provide ride-sourcing or taxi travel services for a fare. You can register voluntarily if you are below the threshold and want to claim GST credits on business purchases.

What is the GST rate in Australia?

The standard GST rate in Australia is 10%. The rate has not changed since GST was introduced on 1 July 2000. Some sales are GST-free (e.g. basic food, most health and education services), some are input-taxed (e.g. residential rent, financial supplies) and some are out of scope of GST entirely.

What is the difference between Simpler BAS and full BAS GST reporting?

Simpler BAS is the default GST reporting method for businesses with GST turnover under $10 million. You only report G1 (total sales), 1A (GST on sales) and 1B (GST on purchases). Full BAS additionally reports G2 (export sales), G3 (other GST-free sales), G10 (capital purchases) and G11 (non-capital purchases). HelloBooks supports both — the right one is selected by your registration setting.

How does HelloBooks code GST on transactions?

HelloBooks ships with the standard Australian Simpler BAS GST tax codes — GST 10%, GST-Free, Input Taxed, Out of Scope, Capital and Export. Each tax code maps to the correct BAS labels (G1, G2, G3, G4, G10, G11, 1A, 1B) so the GST report and BAS draft always reconcile to the ledger. You can default tax codes per customer, supplier, item and account so the right code is applied automatically as transactions are recorded.

Can I claim GST credits on business purchases?

Yes, if you are registered for GST and the purchase relates to your business activity, you can generally claim a GST credit (input tax credit) for the GST included in the price. The supplier must provide a valid tax invoice for purchases of $82.50 (incl. GST) or more. HelloBooks tracks GST on purchases through 1B on the BAS and shows the supporting tax invoices for each claim.

Do I need to issue a tax invoice for every sale?

You must issue a tax invoice for taxable sales of $82.50 (incl. GST) or more if requested by the customer (within 28 days of the request). HelloBooks issues compliant Australian tax invoices that include your ABN, the words "Tax invoice", the supply date, a description of items, the GST-inclusive price and the GST amount, and either an extension of the GST or a statement that the total includes GST.

How does HelloBooks handle GST on imports and exports?

Most exports of goods and services to overseas customers are GST-free, and HelloBooks applies the Export (EXP) tax code to push these sales into G2. Imports of goods are generally subject to GST collected at the border by the Department of Home Affairs (Border ABF), and the GST paid can be claimed in 1B when supported by an import declaration. HelloBooks records the GST on imports as a separate bill line so the deferral or upfront treatment is clear.

Can I cancel my GST registration if my turnover drops?

Yes. If your GST turnover falls below the registration threshold and you have been registered for at least 12 months, you can cancel your GST registration with the ATO. HelloBooks lets you change the entity's GST registration setting on a forward-going date so historical periods retain their original GST treatment and the BAS for the final period reconciles correctly.

Where can I see every GST transaction that flows into the BAS?

The HelloBooks GST detail report lists every taxable transaction in the period grouped by tax code, with the BAS label each amount flows into. You can drill from any total down to the source invoice, bill or journal — the same audit trail you would expect a registered BAS agent to ask for.

Australia · GST

Australian GST — basics, thresholds and HelloBooks coverage

Goods and Services Tax (GST) is Australia’s 10% value-added tax on most goods and services. You must register for GST when your GST turnover reaches $75,000 ($150,000 for not-for-profits), and immediately if you provide ride-sourcing or taxi travel services. HelloBooks classifies every transaction with the right Simpler BAS GST code, tracks the threshold so you know when to register, and rolls totals into a BAS that reconciles back to your ledger.

Last updated: 2026-05-09Last reviewed against ATO docs: 2026-05-09

Start free See the BAS guide

GST rate

10%

Applied to taxable sales of most goods and services in Australia. Unchanged since 1 July 2000.

Registration threshold

$75,000

GST turnover for businesses ($150,000 for not-for-profits). Ride-sourcing must register at any turnover.

Tax invoice required at

$82.50

Inclusive of GST. Customers can request a tax invoice for purchases above this; you must issue within 28 days.

Source: ATO — Registering for GST · ATO — Tax invoices

Simpler BAS tax codes

GST tax codes HelloBooks uses

Each transaction line in HelloBooks carries a single Simpler BAS GST code. The code drives the BAS label the value flows into, so the GST report and the BAS draft always reconcile to the ledger.

HelloBooks invoice with GST tax code per line

Invoice with GST applied per line (illustrative; AU-specific capture pending).

GST

Standard 10% taxable sales and purchases (GST flows to 1A on sales, 1B on purchases).

GST-Free (FRE)

Sales of GST-free goods/services such as basic food, certain health, education, child care; reported in G3.

Input Taxed (ITS)

Sales that do not attract GST and where input tax credits are not claimable (e.g. residential rent, financial supplies); reported in G4.

Out of Scope

Transactions outside the GST system (e.g. wages, dividends, internal transfers); excluded from G1 entirely.

Capital (CAP)

Capital purchases reported in G10 with GST in 1B.

Export (EXP)

GST-free export sales reported in G2.

HelloBooks GST detail report with running totals per BAS label

GST detail report grouped by tax code (illustrative; AU-specific capture pending).

How HelloBooks does this

From transaction to BAS-ready GST totals

1
Set the entity GST registration
Mark your business as GST-registered, choose Simpler BAS or full BAS reporting, and set your reporting cycle (monthly, quarterly or annual). HelloBooks uses these settings to drive tax-code defaults and BAS labels.
2
Pick the right tax code on every transaction
Each invoice line, bill line, expense and journal carries a Simpler BAS GST tax code. HelloBooks defaults the code from the contact, item or chart-of-accounts mapping, and you override per line where needed.
3
Watch the live GST report
The GST detail report shows every transaction grouped by tax code with running totals for G1, G2, G3, G4, G10, G11, 1A and 1B. You drill from any total back to the source transaction.
4
Move straight to the BAS
When the period closes, the BAS draft pulls these totals straight in. Adjustments (e.g. correcting a tax code on a prior invoice) flow through automatically with a clear audit trail.

Defaults per customer, supplier, item and account so the right code is applied automatically.
Multi-currency aware — GST always recorded in AUD using the FX rate on the supply date.
Audit-ready: drill from any BAS label down to the source invoice, bill or journal.

Related HelloBooks AU guides

ATO source documents

Reviewed against ato.gov.au on 2026-05-09.

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Australian GST — basics, thresholds and HelloBooks coverage

GST tax codes HelloBooks uses

From transaction to BAS-ready GST totals

Set the entity GST registration

Pick the right tax code on every transaction

Watch the live GST report

Move straight to the BAS

Related HelloBooks AU guides

ATO source documents

GST questions answered

Ready to automate your books?

Australian GST — basics, thresholds and HelloBooks coverage

GST tax codes HelloBooks uses

From transaction to BAS-ready GST totals

Set the entity GST registration

Pick the right tax code on every transaction

Watch the live GST report

Move straight to the BAS

Related HelloBooks AU guides

ATO source documents

GST questions answered

What is GST in Australia?

When do I have to register for GST?

What is the GST rate in Australia?

What is the difference between Simpler BAS and full BAS GST reporting?

How does HelloBooks code GST on transactions?

Can I claim GST credits on business purchases?

Do I need to issue a tax invoice for every sale?

How does HelloBooks handle GST on imports and exports?

Can I cancel my GST registration if my turnover drops?

Where can I see every GST transaction that flows into the BAS?

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