08 9321 2111 info@shakes.com.au

30 November – Director ID Deadline

Nov 29, 2022

Director ID Deadline

The deadline for existing directors of Australian companies to obtain a Director Identification Number (ID) is 30 November 2022.

All directors of a company, registered Australian body, registered foreign company or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander corporation (ATSI) will need a director ID. This includes directors of a corporate trustee of a self-managed super fund (SMSF).

A director ID is a 15-digit identification number that, once issued, will remain with that director for life regardless of whether they stop being a director, change companies, change their name, or move overseas.

For those who have been a director since 31 October 2021, the deadline for obtaining a director ID is 30 November 2022 unless you are a director of an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander corporation, then the deadline is 30 November 2023.

For overseas directors, the process to obtain a director ID can be onerous as applications cannot be made online. In addition to the paper application form, you will need copies of one primary and one secondary identity document (or primary identity documents) certified by notaries public or at an Australian embassy.

For those who have been invited to become a director but are not a director as yet, if you do not have a director ID, you will need to obtain one prior to being appointed.

You do not need a director ID if you are running a business as a sole trader or partnership, or you are a director in your job title but have not been appointed as a director under the Corporations Act or Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act (CATSI).

How to apply for Director IDs

The Australian Business Registry Services (ABRS) is responsible for the implementation and administration of the director ID. The ABRS will have the power to issue Director IDs (once satisfied of a director’s identity) and the responsibility of recording, cancelling, or re-issuing IDs. ASIC will then be responsible for the enforcement of associated offences.

Directors must apply for their Director ID themselves because they will need to verify their identity. No one can apply on your behalf, including Shakespeare Financial Group.

Although applications may be made over the phone or through paper form, the fastest way to receive your director ID is to apply online.

Apply online

To complete your online application, you will need:

  1. a standard or strong identity strength myGovID. If you don’t have one, visit How to set up myGovID
  2. an individual Australian tax file number (TFN). Providing your TFN is optional but it speeds up the process
  3. your residential address, as recorded by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO)
  4. information from two documents to verify your identity. Examples of the documents you can use to verify your identity include:
  • bank account details
    1. an ATO notice of assessment
    2. super account details
    3. a dividend statement
    4. a Centrelink payment summary
    5. PAYG payment summary.

Once you have a myGovID with a Standard or Strong identity strength, and information to verify your identity, you can log in and apply for your director ID. The application process should take less than 5 minutes.

OR

Apply by phone

You can apply by phone if you have:

  1. an Australian tax file number (TFN)
  2. your residential address as held by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO)
  3. answers to two questions based on details we know about you
  4. two Australian identity documents to verify your identity – one primary and one secondary.

Primary documents

  1. Australian full birth certificate (extracts and commemorative certificates are not acceptable)
    1. Australian passport (including passports that have expired in the past two years)
    2. Australian citizenship certificate or extract from a Register of Citizenship by Descent
    3. ImmiCard
    4. Visa (if you are using a foreign passport but you are still in Australia)

Secondary documents

  1. Medicare card
    1. Australian driver’s licence or learner’s permit. This must show your photo and signature, and the address on the card must match your details on the form.

When you have the information you need to apply, contact ABRS.

OR

Apply with a paper form

If you can’t apply online or over the phone, you can apply using a downloadable form – Application for a director identification number (NAT75329, PDF, 306KB). This is a slower process and you will also need to provide certified copies of your documents to verify your identity.

For further information on the Director ID, visit Australian Business Registry Services or alternatively contact our office on (08) 9321 2111.

Need an extension?

If you need an extension, as soon as possible contact the Australian Business Registry service on 13 62 50 (+61 2 6216 3440 outside of Australia). Your identity will need to be established so have your documentation ready. You can also apply for an extension using the paper form (https://www.abrs.gov.au/sites/default/files/2021-10/Application_for_an_extension_of_time_to_apply_for_a_director_ID.pdf)

What happens if I don’t obtain an ID?

If you are required to obtain a director ID but don’t, a criminal penalty of up to $13,200 might apply or a civil penalty of up to $1,100,000. Where an individual has deliberately applied for multiple IDs or misrepresented the director ID, the criminal penalty escalates to $26,640 and up to one year in prison.

Please contact Shakespeare Financial Group if you would like further information on the Director ID Deadline.