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How many companies are going insolvent in Australia?

1,222 Australian companies entered external administration for the first time in September 2026, up 11% on 1,104 a year earlier.

ASIC data, Australia · updated September 2026

September 2026 was 3.7 times the October 2021 figure. The last 12 months totalled 14,840, up 1% on the 12 months before.

Companies entering external administration per month, Australia, October 2021 to September 2026
05001,0001,5002,00020222023202420252026Peak 1,808, Aug 20261,222
Monthly figures as a table
MonthCompanies
September 20261,222
August 20261,808
July 20261,213
June 20261,334
May 20261,104
April 20261,102
March 20261,306
February 20261,260
January 2026634
December 20251,306
November 20251,071
October 20251,480
1,222in September 2026
+11%on the same month last year
14,840in the last 12 months
1,808highest month, August 2026

ASIC publishes monthly totals only, so there is no split by procedure. The industry counts below are ASIC's 12-month figures by ANZSIC division.

Are company insolvencies rising in Australia?

Australian companies entering external administration rose 19% to 4,243 over July to September 2026, against 3,556 over July to September 2025.

Which industries have the most insolvencies?

Construction had the most companies entering external administration over October 2025 to September 2026, with 4,044, 28% of the total.

Construction 4,044 30 days to pay small business Accommodation and Food Services 2,038 21.7 days to pay small business Other Services 1,382 24.6 days to pay small business Professional, Scientific and Technical Services 1,036 25.4 days to pay small business Retail Trade 1,024 25.9 days to pay small business Transport, Postal and Warehousing 836 27 days to pay small business Administrative and Support Services 747 19.6 days to pay small business Manufacturing 675 31.8 days to pay small business Health Care and Social Assistance 530 24.6 days to pay small business Rental, Hiring and Real Estate Services 520 22.7 days to pay small business Financial and Insurance Services 436 14.6 days to pay small business Arts and Recreation Services 279 19.3 days to pay small business Information Media and Telecommunications 257 24 days to pay small business Wholesale Trade 230 27 days to pay small business Mining 198 28 days to pay small business Electricity, Gas, Water and Waste Services 185 21.3 days to pay small business Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing 165 23 days to pay small business Public Administration and Safety 63 22.1 days to pay small business

Counts, not rates: industries with more companies have more cases. Days to pay are the median for large businesses paying small business suppliers. This page reports how long large companies take to pay, from government payment filings. How long small businesses wait to be paid is a different measure on a different group of businesses, and it is on the accounts receivable statistics pages.

What does this mean for money owed to you?

14,840 Australian companies entered external administration in the last 12 months, and each one can leave its suppliers with unpaid invoices.

When an Australian company enters external administration, unsecured suppliers rank behind secured creditors, liquidator costs and employee entitlements and often recover little, so the time to act is while an invoice is still only late. Debtor management software in Australia runs the reminders and statements that keep overdue invoices moving, and late fees in Australia give customers a reason to pay you first.

For how long Australian businesses wait to be paid, see the Australian accounts receivable statistics.

Questions about this data

What counts as a company insolvency?

ASIC counts a company when it enters external administration for the first time, which includes liquidation, voluntary administration, receivership and small business restructuring, and 1,222 companies did so in September 2026.

How often does the data update?

ASIC publishes its insolvency statistics every month, and this page carries 60 months of them, from October 2021 to September 2026.

Where do the numbers come from?

The monthly counts are ASIC insolvency statistics series 1, companies entering external administration for the first time, and the industry counts are ASIC’s October 2025 to September 2026 figures by ANZSIC division, covering 14,645 companies.

Why does an insolvent customer matter to a supplier?

14,840 Australian companies entered external administration in the last 12 months. When an Australian company enters external administration, unsecured suppliers rank behind secured creditors, liquidator costs and employee entitlements and often recover little, so the time to act is while an invoice is still only late.

Cite: Paidnice (2026). Australian company insolvency tracker. https://www.paidnice.com/payment-times/au/insolvencies. Source: ASIC insolvency statistics series 1, companies entering external administration for the first time, October 2021 to September 2026. Industry counts: October 2025 to September 2026. Source: ASIC insolvency statistics, © Australian Securities & Investments Commission.

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The payment-days figures come from Payment Times Reporting Scheme reports, which cover payments to small business suppliers.

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