Do You know New director ID requirement?

Do you know the director identification number (director ID) requirement that is now available on the new Australian Business registry Services (ABRS) website.

ABRS is a new service, managed by the Australian Taxation Office, that will streamline how you register, view and maintain your business information with the government.

It is part of the Modernising Business Registers (MBR) program and the first service to be delivered.

A director ID is a unique identifier a director applies for once and keeps forever. It will help prevent the use of false or fraudulent director identities.

A person will keep their director ID even if they stop being a company director, change their name or move interstate or overseas. It confirms a director’s identity and will in the future show which companies they’re linked to.

If you are planning on becoming a director or are already a director, you will need to apply for a director ID.

Who needs to apply Director ID?

If you want to become a director or are already one, you’ll need a director ID. You can apply for a director ID from November 2021.

Who needs a director ID?

You need a director ID if you’re an eligible officer of:

• a company, a registered Australian body or a registered foreign company under the Corporations Act 2001 (Corporations Act)
• an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander corporation registered under the Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006 (CATSI Act).

An eligible officer is a person who is appointed as:

• a director  
• an alternate director who is acting in that capacity.

Directors must apply for their director ID themselves because they need to verify their identity. No one can apply on their behalf.

People who need a director ID.

You need a director ID if you’re a director of a:

• company
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander corporation
• corporate trustee, for example, of a self-managed super fund
• charity or not-for-profit organisation that is a company or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander corporation
• registered Australian body, for example, an incorporated association that is registered with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) and trades outside the state or territory in which it is incorporated
• foreign company registered with ASIC and carrying on business in Australia (regardless of where you live).

If your organisation has an Australian business number (ABN), you can use ABN Lookup to find out if it is registered with ASIC as a:

• company, which will have an Australian company number (ACN)
• registered Australian body, which will have an Australian Registered Body Number (ARBN)
• registered foreign company, which will have an ARBN.

People who don’t need a director ID.

You don’t need a director ID if you’re

• a company secretary but not a director
• acting as an external administrator of a company
• running a business as a sole trader or partnership
• referred to as a ‘director’ in your job title but have not been appointed as a director under the Corporations Act or the CATSI Act
• a director of a registered charity with an organisation type that is not registered with ASIC to operate throughout Australia
• an officer of an unincorporated association, cooperative or incorporated association established under state or territory legislation, unless the organisation is also a registered Australian body.

When you need to apply

You can apply for a director ID from November 2021.

If you are planning on becoming a director, you can apply before you’re appointed.

Corporations Act directors

When you must apply for your director ID 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 appointment
From 5 April 2022	Before appointment

To be a director under the Corporations Act, you must:

• be an individual who is at least 18 years old
• not be disqualified from managing corporations, unless the appointment is made with the permission of ASIC or the Court.

Meeting your obligations

Your director ID obligations include:  

• applying for a director ID within the relevant timeframe for your situation
• applying for a director ID when directed by the Registrar to do so
• not applying for more than one director ID (unless directed by the Registrar to do so)
• not misrepresenting your director ID to a Commonwealth body, company, registered Australian body or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander corporation
• not being involved in a breach of the above director ID obligations.

If you can’t apply by the date you need to, you can apply for an extension.

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