Legislation has been enacted, introducing the requirement for all Australian Directors to obtain a director identification number, known as the Director ID. This measure is to further the fight to crackdown on fraudulent activity such as phoenixing.
If you’re the director of a company, registered Australian body, registered foreign company or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander corporation, you will be required to apply for a Director ID, which is a number issued by Australian Business Registry Services that you will keep forever.
When you need to apply, depends on when you are a director. If you were a director before October 31 2021 you have up until 30 November 2022 to apply. If you become a director from November 1 2021 but before 4 April 2022, you must apply within 28 days of appointment. From 5 April 2022, you will need to apply prior to appointment.
Before you apply for your Director ID, make sure you are able to verify your identity. You will need
- A myGovID with at least Standard identity strength
- A Tax File Number
- A residential address
- You will need to answer 2 questions. These generally relate to your tax return, or superannuation or bank details
You can apply through your myGovID app by clicking Where Can I Login? and scrolling down to Australian Business Registry Services (ABRS) online.
Alternatively, you can apply through the following link, which also has all the relevant information.
