Our verification methodology

“Verified” is a strong word, so this page states precisely what it means on VerifiedBiz — and what it doesn't.

What we check

• ABN and legal name — checked against the Australian Business Register bulk extract (refreshed weekly by the ABR) and, at claim time, the live ABN Lookup web service. We display the ABN status exactly as the register records it.
• Business names — checked against the ASIC Business Names Register. Where a name appears on a listing, its register status (registered/cancelled) is shown as recorded.
• Trade licences — matched from state licensing registers, currently the QBCC Licensed Contractors Register (Queensland). We publish a licence on a listing only when the match to the business is high-confidence (for example, the register itself records the ABN). Lower-confidence matches are held for human review and never auto-published.

When we check it

Every verified fact on a listing carries a “verified against [source] on [date]” line. ABN data is re-checked against each ABR bulk extract release (roughly weekly, at minimum every 30 days). Licence data is re-checked on the cadence each register permits. When a register status changes — for example a licence lapses — we update the listing to state the register's current wording and remove any verified-licence badge. We add no commentary of our own.

What “verified” does not mean

• It is not an endorsement, a quality rating, or a recommendation of any business.
• It does not mean we have inspected work, checked insurance, or vetted the people involved.
• It reflects the source registers as at the date shown; registers themselves can contain errors or lag reality.

Verification tiers

• Register verified— the listing's facts match authoritative government registers as at the dates shown.
• Owner verified — additionally, the business owner has claimed the listing and confirmed their identity via a publicly-registered contact channel.

Corrections

If anything on a listing is wrong, use the corrections and removals form. We aim to resolve every request within 5 business days, and suppression requests from sole traders are actioned within 24 hours of approval.

Data sources

Australian Business Register bulk extract and ASIC Business Names Register via data.gov.au (Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Australia); QBCC Licensed Contractors Register via data.qld.gov.au © State of Queensland (Creative Commons Attribution 4.0). We never source listing data from other directories or map services.