What is BPAY? How it works and when to use it for business bills

What is BPAY

BPAY is an Australian electronic bill payment service that lets you pay participating bills through your online or mobile banking. It is designed specifically for bill payments, rather than sending money directly to someone’s bank account.

BPAY is available through more than 140 financial institutions, with more than 95,000 businesses offering BPAY to their customers. It is part of Australian Payments Plus, with the BPAY Scheme managed by BPAY Pty Ltd.

How does BPAY work

BPAY connects a biller’s payment details with your existing online or mobile banking. When a biller accepts BPAY, it provides a biller code and customer reference number that you use to identify the bill and direct your payment.

The biller code identifies the business or organisation you’re paying, while the customer reference number links the payment to your account or bill. You enter these details through your bank’s BPAY payment option, along with the amount and payment date, then authorise the payment.

What are the advantages of using BPAY

For routine business payments, BPAY can make the process simpler and easier to keep track of.

• Convenient bill payments: Pay eligible bills directly through your online banking instead of handling cash or cheques
• One place to manage payments: Keep BPAY payments within the banking service you already use
• No standard bank details required: Use the biller code and customer reference number provided on the bill instead of entering an account and BSB number
• Useful for routine business bills: Use BPAY for eligible expenses such as utilities, insurance, and other regular bills
• Easy to keep a payment record: Your banking transaction history gives you a record that can support bookkeeping and reconciliation

According to the Reserve Bank of Australia, BPAY accounted for 2% of consumer payments by number and 8% by value in Australia in 2025. Both figures were unchanged from 2022.

How to make a BPAY payment

The exact labels vary between banking apps, but the basic process is much the same. Before you authorise the payment, check the biller code, customer reference number, and amount carefully.

1. Find the BPAY details on your bill
2. Open your online or mobile banking platform
3. Select BPAY or bill payments
4. Enter the biller code and customer reference number. Your bank may display or validate the biller information after you enter the biller code
5. Enter the payment amount
6. Choose the payment date
7. Review the details carefully
8. Authorise the payment
9. Save the confirmation or transaction record

Where to find your BPAY biller code and customer reference number

You’ll usually find the BPAY biller code and customer reference number on a BPAY-enabled bill, next to the BPAY logo. Simply use the biller code and customer reference number shown on the bill when making your payment.

What is BPAY View

BPAY View lets eligible customers receive and view bills from participating billers through their online banking environment, rather than relying solely on paper bills or separately delivered bills.

The key difference is:

• BPAY = the payment service
• BPAY View = the bill-viewing service

The two can work together, but BPAY View isn’t required to make a standard BPAY payment. Availability depends on participating billers and financial institutions.

With BPAY View, eligible users can:

• Have bills delivered directly to their online or mobile banking
• Receive payment reminders
• View past bills
• Use available payment or scheduling features

How long does BPAY take

It depends on when you make the payment, your financial institution’s processing arrangements, and any applicable cut-off times. Your account may be debited immediately, but this doesn’t necessarily mean the biller has received or processed the payment.

For example, ATO suggests that BPAY payments from the customer’s account can take up to 4 days to process.

When BPAY payments are processed

Keep these three stages in mind:

• When your account is debited: Your account may be debited immediately, but this doesn’t necessarily mean the biller has received or processed the payment
• When the biller receives the payment: This can depend on your financial institution’s processing arrangements and cut-off times
• When the biller’s bank credits the payment: This may happen separately from when your account is debited or when the payment is treated as received by the biller

For example, ANZ says BPAY payments requested before 6 pm on a bank business day are processed that day, while payments made after 6 pm, on weekends, or on public holidays are processed on the next bank business day. Other financial institutions may use different processing arrangements.

If timing matters, check your bank’s instructions as well as the biller’s payment terms. This is particularly important when you’re paying a bill close to its due date.

What happens if you pay on a weekend or public holiday

A payment made outside the relevant business-day processing window may be processed or received on the next business day, depending on the financial institution’s arrangements.

If a bill has a firm due date, don’t assume a BPAY payment made late on a weekend or public holiday will reach the biller immediately.

BPAY vs bank transfer: What's the difference

BPAY is designed around paying participating bills, while a bank transfer generally involves sending money directly to a bank account or another supported payment identifier.

BPAY for paying bills

BPAY is suited to bills where the biller provides a dedicated biller code and customer reference number. For example, if your business receives a utility bill with BPAY details.

Can businesses accept BPAY payments

Businesses can register as BPAY billers through their financial institution and accept payments from customers using a biller code and customer reference number. The customer reference number (CRN) helps the business identify which customer or account a payment relates to, making it easier to reconcile incoming payments.

Businesses can also use variable CRNs to track payments against different customers, invoices, or accounts, depending on how their BPAY setup is configured. BPAY provides tools and reporting options that can help billers track and reconcile incoming payments.

Bank transfers for sending money to an account

Bank transfers are generally used when the recipient provides bank account details, such as a BSB and account number. Depending on the payment service, you may also be able to use a PayID.

This makes bank transfers suitable for supplier payments, invoices, transfers between business accounts, and other account-to-account payments.

For founders, managing both bill payments and account-to-account transfers can mean juggling different payment methods. A financial setup that supports multiple payment rails can help keep those workflows in one place.

For example, Aspire, a financial platform, offers a business account that supports free local transfers through NPP and BECS, alongside virtual cards and accounting integrations.

Things to keep in mind when using BPAY

BPAY is straightforward to use, but a few quick checks can help prevent payment errors, delays, and reconciliation issues.

• Check the biller code: Make sure it matches the bill you’re paying
• Check the customer reference number: An incorrect reference can make it harder for the biller to identify your payment
• Check the amount: Confirm the amount before authorising the transaction
• Check payment limits: Billers may set minimum or maximum payment amounts, while your financial institution may also impose account, business, or daily payment limits
• Allow enough processing time: Don’t leave payments until the last minute when a due date is approaching
• Keep your confirmation: Save the transaction receipt for your records and reconciliation
• Check your bank’s processing rules: Cut-off times and payment processing can vary
• Contact your bank quickly if you make an error: Don’t wait until the bill becomes overdue

Managing business payments beyond BPAY

BPAY solves one specific payment need: paying participating bills. Bank transfers are used for account-to-account payments, while cards are used for business spending, and expense management helps you control and track employee and business expenses.

Aspire supports these broader workflows in one financial setup, with a business account for local transfers through NPP and BECS, virtual corporate cards for business spending, and expense management and budget controls for managing business expenses.

It also integrates with Xero and QuickBooks to connect these workflows with your accounting setup.