Director Identification Numbers – What you need to know!
If you haven’t already heard the news, Directors now have a new piece of administration they need to take care of as of the 1st November; the application for the Director Identification Number (DIN).
Company directors will need to apply for their DIN themselves and cannot use agents to apply on their behalf. You can apply for this through the Australian Business Registry Services (ABRS) website.
Company directors will only have one DIN which they will keep forever even if they change companies, stop being a director, change their name or move interstate or overseas. Furthermore, the DIN will confirm your identity and trace your relationships to companies and will help prevent the use of false or fraudulent director identities with the new registry services of the ABRS. This will make it easier to trace director relationships across companies and help identify and eliminate involvement in illegal activity such as illegal phoenix activity.
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 |
How do I apply?
Individual directors will initially make their own application through myGovID and through the ABRS in the link here. You will be asked to provide identification documents that are outlined on this page. Once your application is complete, your DIN will be generated instantly. Please send this to us so we can keep this on file for you!
Furthermore, 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. Information on how you can do this will be available here in November.
If you don’t meet your obligations, there may be civil or criminal penalties or you may be issued with an infringement notice.
Whilst we can’t do the application for you, our team are still here to assist where needed. We are here to help if you have any questions, so please call 07 5437 9900.
Article written by Brooke Fenwick.
