What is it and how do I apply for it?
Background
The Federal Government is in the process of rolling out the Modernising Business Registers (‘MBR’) program. The MBR will put together various ASIC registers and the Australian Business Register, and establish the new Australian Business Registry Services (ABRS)
As a part of the MBR program, the Directors Identification Number (‘DIN’) is introduced.
From November 2021, directors of a company, registered foreign company, registered Australian body or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander corporation are required to apply for their DINs.
When you need to apply
You can apply for a DIN from November 2021. If you are planning on becoming a director, you can apply before you are appointed.
When you must apply for your DIN depends on the date you become a director.
|
Date you become a director |
Date you must apply |
|
On or before 31 October 2021 |
By 30 November 2022 |
|
Between 1 November 2021 and 4 April 2022 |
Within 28 days of the appointment |
|
From 5 April 2022 |
Before appointment |
Please note that there may be civil or criminal penalties and/or you may be issued with an infringement notice if you do not meet your obligation to apply within the above timeframe.
How do I apply for the DIN?
Directors must apply for their DIN themselves because they need to verify their identity. No one can apply on their behalf.
To apply for DIN, the most convenient way would be by using myGovID. The myGovID app is available from the Apple App Store or Google Play. Have your ID documents/information ready and follow through with the instructions within the app – you should be able to set up your myGovID without difficulties.
If for some reason you cannot set up a myGovID, you may apply by phone or with a paper form.
Once you have set up your myGovID, you can complete your application for a DIN online at ABRS website
What ID documents/information would I need to provide?
To set up myGovID, you will need at least two of the following Australian identity documents:
-
- driver’s licence or learner’s permit
- passport (not more than three years expired)
- birth certificate
- visa (using your foreign passport)
- citizenship certificate
- ImmiCard
- Medicare card.
You will also need to have the following ID information that matches the information kept at the ATO:
-
- your tax file number (TFN)
- your residential address as held by the ATO
- information from two documents, such as:
- Bank account details
- Notice of assessment
- Super account details
- Dividend statement
- Centrelink payment summary
- PAYG payment summary
I do not have sufficient ID documents/information. What do I do?
If you are not an Australian citizen, non-resident director, the chances are that you do not have most of the abovementioned ID documents/information. If you do not have sufficient ID documents/information, you would have to apply with a paper form attaching certified copies of one primary and one secondary identity document.
Primary documents
-
- Foreign birth certificate
- Foreign passport
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.
Please note that if your identity documents are not written in English, you must arrange for them to be translated into English by an approved translation service (such as NAATI - National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters) and certified as a true and correct copy.
How do I certify my documents outside Australia?
The following people are authorised to certify your identity documents outside Australia:
-
- notary publics
- staff at your nearest Australian embassy, high commission or consulate, including consulates headed by Austrade honorary consuls.
An authorised certifier must, in the presence of the applicant, certify that each copy is a true and correct copy of the original document. This involves:
-
- sighting the original document
- stamping, signing and annotating the copy of the identity document to state, ‘I have sighted the original document and certify this to be a true and correct copy of the original document sighted'
- initialling each page
- listing their name, date of certification, phone number and position.
Disclaimer: The contents of this publication are general in nature and do not constitute legal advice. The information may have been obtained from external sources and we do not guarantee the accuracy or currency of the information at the date of publication or in the future. Please obtain legal advice specific to your circumstances before taking any action on matters discussed in this publication.
