To publish a book in Australia yourself, you prepare the edited manuscript and cover, decide whether you need your own ISBNs from Thorpe-Bowker (Australia’s ISBN agency), upload to platforms such as Amazon KDP and IngramSpark, complete the KDP tax interview, and lodge a copy with the National Library of Australia and your state library under legal deposit. If your writing becomes a business, you may also need an ABN and, once turnover reaches A$75,000, GST registration.

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This guide is a country guide for Australian residents. It walks through each step in order, with current ISBN prices, legal deposit rules, tax basics, payment and printing options, and the lending right schemes that can pay Australian authors when libraries hold their books. Authors elsewhere will find the platform steps the same, but the identifiers, tax and library rules differ by country.

At a glance

• Ebooks on KDP do not need an ISBN; print books need one, and your own Thorpe-Bowker ISBN makes you the publisher of record.
• At the time of writing (October 2026), Thorpe-Bowker lists one ISBN at A$44 and ten at A$88, plus a one-off A$55 new publisher fee; prices change.
• Legal deposit is required: one copy to the National Library within one month of publication, and most state obligations can be met at the same time through National edeposit.
• US tax is withheld from KDP royalties unless you complete the tax interview correctly; Australian tax applies to your royalty income here.
• The Public and Educational Lending Right schemes can pay eligible Australian creators and self-publishers; claims close on 31 March each year.

Step 1: Get the book ready

Publishing is the last stage, not the first. Before you upload anything you need a fully edited manuscript, a print-ready interior and an ebook file, a professional cover sized for your trim and page count, a book description, and your keywords and categories. Our guide to self-publishing costs shows what to budget for each of these, and the first-book self-publishing guide covers the full sequence.

Australian authors often ask whether to use Australian or US spelling. Write for your main readership: if you are mainly selling to Australian, UK and Commonwealth readers, Australian spelling is natural; if your genre’s biggest market is the US, some authors choose US spelling. Whichever you pick, apply it consistently.

Step 2: Decide on ISBNs

An ISBN identifies one edition of one book. In Australia, ISBNs are issued by Thorpe-Bowker through its MyIdentifiers site. You need a separate ISBN for each format, so a paperback, a hardcover and an audiobook each need their own.

Option	Cost at the time of writing (October 2026)	Publisher of record	Best for
No ISBN (KDP ebook)	Free; Amazon assigns its own ASIN	Not applicable	Amazon-only ebooks
Free KDP ISBN (paperback)	Free	Listed as an independent publication by KDP	Paperbacks sold only through KDP
1 Thorpe-Bowker ISBN	A$44 plus the one-off A$55 new publisher fee	You or your imprint	A single print edition
10 Thorpe-Bowker ISBNs	A$88 (A$8.80 each) plus the new publisher fee	You or your imprint	Most self-publishers with several formats or books
100 Thorpe-Bowker ISBNs	A$480 plus the new publisher fee	You or your imprint	Series authors and small presses

Prices are as listed on Thorpe-Bowker’s MyIdentifiers Australia site at the time of writing (October 2026); prices change, so check before buying. The A$55 setup fee applies only if you have not bought ISBNs from Thorpe-Bowker before.

For most Australians planning more than one book or format, a block of ten is the practical choice. Your own ISBNs let you use the same number across KDP, IngramSpark and other retailers, and they are required for the lending right schemes covered below. Our detailed guide to getting an ISBN explains how to assign them and register the details.

Step 3: Choose where to publish and print

Most Australian self-publishers use one or both of these print-on-demand services, so no stock has to be held or posted:

• Amazon KDP publishes your ebook and paperback (and hardcover) on Amazon worldwide, including Amazon.com.au.
• IngramSpark distributes print and ebooks to bookshops, libraries and online retailers through Ingram’s wholesale network, which is how many Australian bookshops and libraries order.

Our comparison of KDP and IngramSpark covers the trade-offs, and the guide to book distribution channels covers other retailers and aggregators.

Route	Upfront cost	Stock risk	Good for
KDP print on demand	No setup fee	None	Online sales on Amazon
IngramSpark print on demand	Check current fees on the IngramSpark site	None	Bookshop and library availability
Local offset or digital short-run printer	Quote per print run	You hold and post the stock	Launches, markets, school visits, hand-selling

Local short-run printing makes sense when you will sell copies in person. Get quotes from two or three printers, and remember that storage and postage within Australia add to the real cost per copy.

Step 4: Set up your KDP account, tax and payments

When you create a KDP account, you complete a tax interview. Because Amazon is a US company, US tax may be withheld from royalties paid to non-US authors. Australians can usually reduce that withholding by completing the interview correctly and claiming the benefits of the tax treaty between Australia and the United States. Our guide to KDP tax and the W-8BEN explains each question and how to avoid unnecessary withholding.

You then add your bank details for royalty payments. KDP’s help pages state that standard royalties are paid about 60 days after the end of the month in which sales occurred, and Expanded Distribution royalties about 90 days after. Royalties earned in other currencies are converted before payment, so the Australian dollar amount you receive moves with exchange rates.

Pricing on Amazon.com.au

Set prices for Amazon.com.au in Australian dollars rather than letting them convert automatically from US dollars, so your price ends in a sensible figure. KDP’s paperback royalty is 60% of list price minus printing cost above a threshold price in each marketplace and 50% below it; check the current Amazon.com.au threshold on KDP’s paperback royalty page before you set your price, because these figures change. For ebooks, the 70% royalty option on Amazon.com applies to prices from US$2.99 to US$12.99 since 7 July 2026, with equivalent bands set for each marketplace.

Step 5: Tax, ABN and GST basics

This section is general information, not tax advice. Talk to a registered tax agent about your own circumstances.

• Royalty income is income. Australian residents are generally taxed on their worldwide income, so royalties from Amazon and other overseas platforms belong in your tax return, along with any US tax already withheld.
• Hobby or business. The ATO looks at factors such as whether you intend to make a profit and whether you run the activity in a regular, organised, businesslike way. Many authors start as a hobby and become a business over time. The distinction affects what you can claim and whether you need an ABN.
• ABN. If you are carrying on a business, you can apply for an Australian Business Number through the Australian Business Register. You need an ABN before you can register for GST.
• GST. According to the ATO, you must register for GST once your GST turnover reaches A$75,000 (measured over the current and previous 11 months, or projected over the next 11), and you have 21 days to do so. Below that, registration is optional.
• Business names. If you trade under a name other than your own, such as an imprint, you generally need to register it as a business name with ASIC.
• Keep records. Keep royalty statements, receipts for editing, covers, ISBNs and advertising, and a note of any withholding.

Our guide to legal basics for self-publishers covers copyright and contracts, which apply alongside tax.

Step 6: Lodge legal deposit

Legal deposit is a requirement under the Copyright Act 1968, and the National Library of Australia is clear that it applies to self-publishers: if you self-published the book, you are the publisher and you are responsible for depositing it.

• What: one copy of each publication made available to the public in print or electronic form.
• When: within one month of publication. Late deposits are still accepted.
• How: if the book exists in both print and electronic form, the National Library prefers the electronic version through National edeposit (NED). If it is print only, deposit a print copy.
• State libraries: each state and territory has its own requirements. Depositing through NED satisfies most of them at the same time, but some states have additional rules. In Queensland, for example, legal deposit is set out in Part 8 of the Libraries Act 1988 (Qld), and the State Library of Queensland asks for one copy within one month of publication.

The National Library also runs an optional Prepublication Data Service, which creates a catalogue record before publication. It does not replace legal deposit, so you still need to deposit the finished book.

Step 7: Claim lending rights

The Australian Government’s Public Lending Right (PLR) and Educational Lending Right (ELR) schemes compensate Australian creators and publishers for income lost through free multiple use of their books in public and educational libraries. Payments are based on the estimated number of copies held in libraries.

• Who can claim: Australian citizens wherever they live, and non-citizens who normally reside in Australia. Creators include authors, editors, illustrators, translators and compilers, and “self-publishing creators” are listed as eligible publishers.
• Which books: books with an ISBN, offered for sale, with a catalogue record in a national bibliographic database such as the Australian National Bibliographic Database. Ebook and audiobook title claims can now be submitted. Some items, such as single-use activity books and serials, are excluded.
• When: claims must be made within five years of the year of publication, and the closing date for title claims is 31 March each year. Claimants are notified in May and payments are made by 30 June.
• Minimum: the calculated amount must reach at least A$100 to be paid, so many new books will not receive a payment straight away.

Lending rights are not guaranteed income; they depend on how many libraries hold your book. They are worth claiming because the cost is only the time to register.

Your Australian self-publishing checklist

1. Finish editing, cover and formatting for every format you plan.
2. Decide on ISBNs; buy a block from Thorpe-Bowker if you want your own imprint or wider distribution.
3. Assign an ISBN to each print or audio format and record the details.
4. Create your KDP account and complete the tax interview and bank details.
5. Set up IngramSpark if you want bookshop and library availability.
6. Set Australian dollar prices deliberately, then check every marketplace.
7. Publish and order a printed proof before you promote the book.
8. Lodge legal deposit through National edeposit within one month, and check your state library’s rules.
9. Register for the lending right schemes and submit title claims before 31 March.
10. Keep records for tax time and get advice on ABN and GST as income grows.

Common mistakes

• Using a free KDP ISBN everywhere. It can only be used for KDP distribution; IngramSpark and other channels need a different ISBN.
• Using one ISBN for several formats. Each format needs its own number.
• Skipping the tax interview or answering it wrongly, which can mean more US tax withheld than necessary.
• Forgetting legal deposit. It is a legal requirement, and the national catalogue record it creates helps your book qualify for lending rights.
• Missing the 31 March lending rights deadline. Late claims roll into the following year.
• Treating royalties as untaxed because they come from overseas. They still belong in your Australian tax return.
• Printing a large offset run before testing demand. Start with print on demand and order a short run only for in-person sales.

Sources this guide draws on: Thorpe-Bowker MyIdentifiers Australia ISBN price list; National Library of Australia legal deposit questions and answers; State Library of Queensland legal deposit guidance for publishers and authors; Australian Taxation Office guidance on registering for GST; Australian Government Office for the Arts information on the Public and Educational Lending Right schemes; Amazon KDP help pages on royalties and payments.

Frequently asked questions

How much does an ISBN cost in Australia?

At the time of writing (October 2026), Thorpe-Bowker lists one ISBN at A$44, ten at A$88 and 100 at A$480, plus a one-off A$55 fee for new publishers. Prices change, so check the MyIdentifiers Australia site before you buy.

Can I use KDP from Australia?

Yes. Australians can publish ebooks, paperbacks and hardcovers through Kindle Direct Publishing and sell them on Amazon.com.au and other Amazon marketplaces. You complete a US tax interview when setting up the account and add an Australian bank account for payments.

Do I need an ABN to self-publish a book?

Not necessarily. An ABN is for people carrying on a business, and you need one before registering for GST. Many authors begin without one; a registered tax agent can tell you when your writing has become a business.

Is legal deposit compulsory for self-published books?

Yes. The National Library of Australia states that self-publishers are publishers for legal deposit purposes and must deposit one copy within one month of publication. National edeposit covers most state requirements at the same time.

Can self-published authors get Public Lending Right payments?

Yes, if they meet the eligibility rules. Self-publishing creators are listed as eligible publishers, books need an ISBN and a national catalogue record, and claims close on 31 March each year. Payments depend on library holdings and must reach at least A$100.

Do I have to charge GST on my book sales?

Only if you are registered for GST, which becomes compulsory once your GST turnover reaches A$75,000. How GST applies to sales made through overseas platforms can be complex, so ask a registered tax agent.

Publishing in Australia adds a few local steps to the global process: ISBNs from Thorpe-Bowker, legal deposit, tax registration as you grow and lending right claims. Put them on a checklist once, and every future book becomes a routine you can repeat.