Reminder

It’s time to apply for your Director Identification Number (DIN) – the deadline of 30 November 2022 is fast approaching. If you have not actioned this – please do not delay.

Background

As part of the 2020 Budget Digital Business Plan, the Federal Government announced the implementation of the Modernising Business Registers (MBR) programme by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO). The MBR programme seeks to streamline the registration, review and maintenance of business information by bringing more than 30 Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) registers and Australian Business Register (ABR) together into one place.

Among other projects, the MBR programme has introduced a Director Identification Number (DIN) which is expected to streamline company administration and facilitate stronger oversight by ASIC over company directors registered in Australia. The introduction of DINs is the responsibility of a new business information registry operated by the ATO, Australian Business Registry Services (ABRS).

Director Identification Number (DIN)

Directors of all companies registered in Australia need to apply with ABRS for their own personal DIN (this commenced from 1 November 2021). This applies to all directors, whether their organisation is a company, special company, registered foreign company, registered Australian body or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander corporation. Each director will have only one DIN that will apply to all companies they act as a director for. Applying for more than one DIN may result in penalties or an infringement notice to the relevant person.

The due date for DIN registrations for directors, based on their date of appointment, is detailed below:

Date you become a director	Date you must apply
On or before 31 October 2021	By 30 November 2022
From 5 April 2022 & ongoing	Before appointment

In essence:

• Current directors, who will not be appointed to further directorships before 30 November 2022, have until that date to get their DIN;
• From 5 April 2022 all new director appointments require a DIN before any appointment is made.

Where DINs are not obtained by the due date, penalties or infringement notices may be imposed.

Applying for a DIN

As a personal identification exercise, applications for DINs must be made by the director themself. The simplest way to register is to have/obtain a MyGovID and apply for a DIN with ABRS online. As part of the application, you will need to provide your tax file number (TFN) and your residential address as registered with the ATO. Two of the following documents will also be required to verify your identity:

• bank account details registered with the ATO
• an ATO notice of assessment (including date of issue and reference number)
• super account details
• a dividend statement
• a Centrelink payment summary
• PAYG payment summary

The DIN will be issued instantly once the above requirements are fulfilled.

For directors who do not, or cannot, have access to MyGovID, including directors not resident in Australia, there are alternative options to obtain a DIN:

• For those who hold a TFN, an application may be made over the phone (13 62 50 AU or +61 2 6216 3440 International), ensuring two of the above verifying documents are at hand to refer to on the call.
• For those without a TFN, a manual form must be completed and sent to ABRS with a certified^ copy of one primary document and one secondary document from the below list:

Primary

• Foreign birth certificate
• Foreign passport
• Australian full birth certificate (extracts and commemorative certificates are not acceptable)
• Australian passport (including passports that have expired in the past two years)

Secondary documents

• National photo identification card
• Foreign government identification
• Driver’s licence, as long as the licence address matches the address details on your application
• Marriage certificate, but if you use this document to verify your change of name, you can’t use it as a secondary document

If you have changed your name, you must provide another document showing the change, such as a:

• marriage certificate
• deed poll
• change of name certificate.

^ Note – copies need to be certified by a notary, or an Australian embassy, high commission, or consulate staff member.

Applications by manual form will take up to 28 days to process from the date of receipt by ABRS.

When you have your DIN…

Once you have your DIN, please provide it to your ESV engagement partner so they can update our records.

If you have any questions or have issues applying for a DIN or need some assistance please reach out.