A BAS is an essential way of tax reporting for businesses in Australia. It is a record of the funds that you owe and can claim back. Gaining detailed knowledge of what is BAS can keep your business compliant to the ATO regulations. Given below is a guide that will help you navigate through the process and how to lodge BAS in Australia easily in 2025:
A BAS is a form that businesses are required to submit to the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) in order to report and pay their tax liabilities. Your BAS can also include PAYG withholding and instalments, fuel tax credit, wine equalisation tax and fringe benefit tax. A BAS tax agent can help you understand these obligations more clearly.
The ATO uses the filled BAS statement to track how much GST and tax your company owes. A BAS report involves the following components:
It is one of the necessary parts of your BAS statement. GST is the 10% tax that is levied on most goods and services in Australia. It is the business owner’s responsibility to report how much GST you have collected from the sales and the amount you have paid on purchases. A tax accountant for BAS can help you make accurate GST calculations and report them on time.
PAYG withholding refers to the tax businesses actually withhold from the wages and salaries of employees. The amount is then submitted to the ATO on behalf of the employees.
Additional perks are offered to employees in addition to their salaries to keep them motivated at work. Advantages offered by these businesses are known as fringe benefits. Companies need to pay taxes for these benefits offered to the employees.
PAYG instalments are settled by businesses that have reached a limit to pay the income tax in instalments and alleviate the stress of payments. For example, if your income tax estimate is around $12000 annually, you might pay $3000 quarterly.
This tax is imposed on the sale of luxury cars imported by companies with an added GST value. The LCT rate is 33% and is paid by the people who registered for it.
These are refunds that Australian businesses can claim for the fuel tax, such as excise duty or customs. The fuel tax rates change frequently and need to be thoroughly checked before filling out the BAS form.
You need to fill out the WET section in the BAS in case your business sells or imports wine.
The frequency with which you are required to lodge a BAS is completely dependent on your GST turnover and reporting. Here is some additional information on how often you should lodge a BAS:
You can consider partnering with a BAS accountant, which allows you to select the appropriate frequency suited to your business.
Let us have a look at the steps through which you understand how to lodge a BAS accurately:
Sole traders can use their myGov account and log in to their myGovID. Partnerships, companies and trusts need to set up myGovID and link it with Relationship Authorisation Manager.
Once you have logged in, navigate to the ‘Activity Statements’ section and find the list of outstanding BAS forms. Click on the one you want to lodge.
Fill up all the necessary sections with accuracy.
Before lodging, you will have to declare that the info is true and accurate to the best of your knowledge.
Save the lodgement receipt and keep it safely for your records.
There are multiple ways of BAS lodgement online, including:
Listed below are the most common BAS mistakes businesses are still making in 2025:
Businesses often tend to consider input tax credits on personal purchases or GST free products, such as bank charges and paychecks. This can potentially inflate GST claims and trigger an ATO review. Consulting with a business advisor Perth can help you prevent these errors through proper record keeping.
Businesses also make the mistake of submitting their BAS lodgements without ensuring that their bank and accounting records are reconciled.
Reporting discrepancies might arise when BAS reports are mixed on either a cash or accrual basis. While selecting the reporting method, you must also know how to save on capital gains tax, specifically if your business is planning to sell assets in the future.
Errors associated with PAYG withholding are some of the most common ones. Wages are sometimes forgotten to be recorded in the BAS period or recorded in the wrong category. This creates compliance issues in the payroll.
Claiming GST on ineligible mistakes, such as staff gifts and entertainment, is also a common mistake. Always remember to code your expenses accurately before you submit.
Mistakes made in one quarter can be transferred to the other. One instance can be missing a few items, while recording a refund or credit note might result in quarter-to-quarter discrepancies in reporting. A business tax accountant can be useful in helping you avoid accumulated errors from hampering your business.
When you team up with a BAS agent, reporting becomes much easier and more accurate. They handle the complicated tasks so that you can stay focused on running your business. A well qualified agent has great expertise in understanding your numbers. They guide you through the regulations and ensure your reports match the standards highlighted by ATO.
Here are the key benefits also offered by a tax accountant Perth:
Professionals verify your business finance figures and decrease the likelihood of errors, helping you avoid penalties. By partnering with an expat tax accountant, your cross-border reporting needs are solved as well.
You can completely skip the paperwork and make time for having a look at your business’s daily operations.
A business tax accountant can track deadlines specified by the ATO much better and help you lodge the BAS perfectly on time.
You constantly stay updated with tax changes, ensuring that your BAS successfully meets the requirements of the ATO.
Your agent can communicate with the ATO on your behalf, just in case issues ever arise. Learning how to manage ATO communications can also cut down the chances of misunderstandings significantly.
You can plan a better future for your business when you receive clear guidance on BAS numbers and how they might affect your cash flow.
Here are detailed insights into how due dates are decided for 2025-2026:
The monthly BAS due date is on the 21st day of the following month after the reporting period ends.
Here is a table containing the official quarterly BAS due dates:
| Quarterly (2025–2026) | Standard BAS Due Dates |
| Q1 | 28 October 2025 |
| Q2 | 28 February 2026 |
| Q3 | 28 April 2026 |
| Q4 | 28 July 2026 |
31st October 2026 is the standard annual BAS due date. New fund managers can also refer to the ATO guidance for new SMSFs while they are handling complicated reporting.
Lodging a BAS is an important part of keeping your business compliant and business finances properly on track. When you understand the reporting cycle and follow clear steps, the procedure becomes simpler and highly organised. If you want to stay confident throughout each phase of the process, hire an Expat tax specialist to handle BAS lodgement throughout the year.