Here are the four main ways you can go about starting, setting up, forming or registering a company in Australia -

FIRST WAY. Engage an Australian solicitor or accountant to do the setting up / registration of the company for you. They will either do all the company set up / company registration work themselves or (more commonly) outsource the set-up work to an Australian para-legal 'shelf company provider' or 'company formation agent' or 'company registration agent'.

SECOND WAY. Go directly to a traditional Australian shelf company provider or company formation agent. These are listed in the Yellow Pages under the category 'Shelf Company Services'. You'll probably find that their prices generally vary from around $550 to $750 (including the ASIC company registration fee of $400).

THIRD WAY. Try setting-up a company yourself (in which case you will still be up for the ASIC company registration fee of $400). In this regard, people sometimes ask Incorporator "Why can't I just get the relevant company registration form from ASIC and lodge it myself?". Well you can, but there are various problems associated with this approach. Apart from the initial problems people often have in filling out the relevant company registration form correctly, there are at least two additional problems -

1. If you do no more than fill out and sign the relevant company registration form and lodge it at ASIC, then you will have sworn a false declaration and immediately be in breach of the Corporations Act (not a good way to start out!). Why? Because in signing the form you will be making a legal declaration that you already have in your possession the necessary signed written consents regarding the proposed company's proposed directorship(s), secretaryship(s) and membership(s), and that you already have in your possession the necessary signed written agreements to take up shares (including details as to the number and class of shares and the amounts to be paid and unpaid on the shares). Further, such consents and agreements are not available as forms (or otherwise) from ASIC.

2. Even if you do have the necessary consents and agreements referred to in 1. above, and even if you do correctly lodge at ASIC, if you leave it at that then you will again be in breach of the Corporations Act (again, not a great way to start out!). Why? Because the Corporations Act (sections 168 and 271(2)) requires that all Australian companies must have various registers (for example, a 'register of members') and that those registers must meet specific legal requirements (for example, see section 169 of the Corporations Act). Again, such registers are not available as forms (or otherwise) from ASIC.

FOURTH WAY. Use a sophisticated 'DIY' site like Incorporator (as thousands have done before you). A few facts about Incorporator -

* Cost - $549.95 (including GST) - $149.95 to Incorporator plus $400 to ASIC.

* Uses an automated online 'interview' process to guide you through the process. Then, based on the answers you supply, it immediately and automatically decides what documents are necessary, immediately and automatically draws them all up, and immediately and automatically downloads all the pre-completed documents and company registers to your PC (for a list of all the documents - forms, consents, registers, agreements and certificates - you get from Incorporator, click here). You then simply print them out, sign and date them as necessary, and lodge them as necessary at ASIC (along with the ASIC company registration fee of $400). If you lodge over the counter, ASIC will process the application for the registration of the company on the spot and hand you back the new company's certificate of incorporation/registration over the counter. If you lodge through the post it will take a number of business days for the company's certificate of incorporation/registration to come back to you.

* Available for use 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, all year round (including weekends and public holidays). This is possible because the Incorporator system is automated and online. And this in turn means that the process is private and under your control at all times.

* Incredibly simple and easy to use. And very clear. For proof of this see Incorporator's numerous testimonials (all signed, dated and, in many cases, including the customer's contact details). Or simply take a no obligation test drive now and see for yourself (there is no need to pre-register or pre-pay - simply click here and then click on 'Start Using or test-driving Incorporator Now').

* 1300 Help line available from 7am to 10pm (AEST) all year round (including weekends and public holidays) - phone 1300 65 3373 for the cost of a local call from anywhere in Australia.

* You will have the opportunity to learn a great deal about Australian companies (types, structures etc.) and the associated incorporation procedure. Why? Because of the 'intelligent' interactive nature of the site and the extensive availability of optional 'pop-up' guidance along the way.

* Triple award winning - Australia-wide winner of the CCH Legal Technology Award for 2001, Channel Nine Small Business Show Brother Best Business Software Runner-up Award 2001, Winner Asia Pacific Qld Best IT Start Up Company Award.

* It has a related and succesful site for UK company formations.