Director ID in Australia: A founder's guide

What is a director ID in Australia

A director ID is a unique 15-digit identifier issued to a company director after you verify your details with the Australian Business Registry Services. It belongs to you as an individual, not the company, so once you get one, it is linked to you.

Every company director in Australia is legally required to have a director ID. It prevents false or fraudulent director identities and makes it easier for regulators and external administrators to trace a director's relationships with companies over time. This can also help identify unlawful activity involving company directors.

Do I need a director ID

As a rule of thumb, if you're a founder setting up a company and intend to be its director, you'll need a director ID. This applies to directors of both proprietary and public companies, as well as directors of other organisations covered by the ABRS rules.

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander corporations
• Companies acting as corporate trustees, including those used for self-managed super funds
• Charities and not-for-profits that are structured as companies or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander corporations
• Registered Australian bodies, such as certain incorporated associations that are registered with Australian Securities & Investments Commission, or ASIC and operate outside their home state or territory
• Foreign companies registered with ASIC and carrying on business in Australia, regardless of where the director lives

Not everyone involved in running a business needs a director ID. Company secretaries who are not directors and sole traders are exempt unless they separately become directors of an eligible entity.

Some special cases that work a little differently:

• Appointed unexpectedly: In case you are appointed as a director without prior knowledge, you still need to apply for a director ID as soon as possible. If you need more time, submit an application for an extension before applying for your ID.
• Living overseas: You will still need a director ID if you're a director of a foreign company registered with ASIC and carrying on business in Australia. If you don't have Australian identity documents, the director identification number requirements include completing the overseas application form and providing certified copies of your identity documents. These need to be certified by a staff at an Australian embassy, high commission or consulate, or at specified Austrade honorary-consul locations or a notary public.
• Appointed without consent: If you're listed as a company director without giving written and signed consent, you can ask ASIC to review the appointment. If ASIC finds there is no evidence that you consented, it can remove your details from the companies register.

Who issues director IDs

If you're a founder applying for a director ID, you'll deal with the ABRS. ABRS is responsible for issuing and administering director IDs, so you can apply online, by phone, or use a paper form and post your application to ABRS. If you apply on paper, you'll need to attach certified copies of your identity documents. In case of certain CATSI Act directors, if you can’t provide all the required documents, a referee can help confirm your identity using a proof-of-identity reference form.

ASIC, on the other hand, registers companies and maintains the companies register, while also enforcing director ID offences under the Corporations Act 2001. So when it comes to your director ID, think ABRS for your ID, ASIC for your company. The director ID ABRS process is separate from registering your company with ASIC.

When do you need to apply for a director ID

Corporations Act directors

If you're planning on becoming a director, you must apply before your appointment, and you can apply up to 12 months beforehand. If you're already a director of a company, registered Australian body or registered foreign company under the Corporations Act 2001 and don't have a director ID, you need to apply now.

CATSI Act directors

The CATSI Act, or Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006, governs Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander corporations. If you're a director of one of these corporations and cannot provide all the required proof-of-identity documents, ABRS has a specific reference process. You can use the ORIC proof-of-identity reference form to have your identity confirmed.

If you're appointed as director unexpectedly

An unexpected appointment means you should apply for a director ID as soon as possible, or request an extension before applying if you need more time. If you were listed as a director without giving written and signed consent, you can ask ASIC to review the appointment instead.

Is your director ID tied to your company

Your director ID belongs to you as an individual, not to the company. You only need one, even if you become a director of other companies, you can use the same director ID across all companies.

Your company has its own identifiers too. An ACN identifies the registered company, while an ABN identifies the business or entity for dealings with government and the community. These are separate from your director ID and serve different purposes.

The director identification number requirements are also separate from the ACN or ABN requirements and none of them are interchangeable.

What happens when you become a director of another company

Scenario 1: Sarah is starting her first business, Company A. She decides to set it up as a company and becomes its director.

In this case, Sarah needs to:

• Register the company with ASIC and receive its ACN
• Apply for her director ID before becoming a director
• Apply for an ABN for the company if it is eligible
• Complete any other registrations the business requires

Scenario 2: Years later, Sarah decides to start Company B as a separate business where she is appointed director.

This time, Sarah needs to:

• Register Company B with ASIC and receive a new ACN
• Use her existing director ID rather than applying for another one
• Apply for a separate ABN for Company B if it is eligible
• Complete any other registrations Company B requires

Sarah's director ID stays the same across both companies, while each company has its own ACN and ABN.

Starting more than one company means keeping each business’s finances separate too. With Aspire, you can manage business spending through dedicated accounts and corporate cards while keeping your financial data connected to accounting software.

What are the director identification number requirements

If you're a founder applying for a director ID, you need to be able to prove your identity. So your main director identification number requirements are:

• Verify your identity before ABRS can issue your director ID
• Set up myID with at least a Standard identity strength for an online application
• Have your residential address and the required identity documents ready
• Provide your individual TFN if you have one, although this is optional

How to apply for a director ID

There are 3 ways to apply for a director ID, online through myID, by phone, or by completing a paper application.

Online application through myID for director ID

If you're a founder trying to work out how to apply for director ID, the online application is the fastest option. You apply yourself through ABRS using the myID app, and you only need to apply once.

Here's what the process looks like:

1. Set up myID: Download the myID app and create an account with at least a Standard identity strength.
2. Have your details ready: You'll need your residential address as recorded by the ATO and an individual Australian TFN if you have one. Your TFN is optional.
3. Prepare an identity document: If you're applying with Standard identity strength, have information ready from two eligible records or documents that ABRS can use to verify your identity. These documents can be a recent bank account, ATO notice of assessment, eligible super account, dividend statement, Centrelink payment summary or PAYG payment summary.
4. Start your application: Access the ABRS online service and use myID to verify your identity.
5. Enter your details: Provide the requested personal information and answer the identity questions.
6. Submit the application: Once ABRS verifies your identity, your director ID is issued.

Your application must be made personally because ABRS needs to verify your identity. If you cannot use myID, there are phone and paper application options, with different identity document requirements.

Phone application for director ID

If you can't apply for your director ID online, you can apply by phone by calling ABRS. You'll need:

• Your individual TFN, if you have one, and your residential address as held by the ATO
• Answers to 2 identity questions based on information ABRS has about you
• 2 Australian identity documents, with 1 primary and 1 secondary document:
  • Primary documents: Australian birth certificate, passport, citizenship certificate, ImmiCard or eligible visa
  • Secondary documents: Medicare card or Australian driver's licence or learner's permit

Paper application for director ID

Your last option for how to apply for director ID is through the offline paper application. The director identification number requirements depend on whether you live in Australia or overseas.

• Living in Australia: For Australian resident founders, this is the last option. In case you are unable to get myID, you need to call ABRS. If they cannot issue your director ID over the phone, they will send over the paper application. In that case, you need to provide certified copies of either 1 primary and 2 secondary identity documents, or 2 primary and 1 secondary documents.
• Living overseas: Provide certified copies of either 1 primary and 1 secondary document, or 2 primary documents. They can be certified by a notary public or through other verified Australian sources.

If your documents aren't in English, include a certified copy of the original document along with an English translation from an approved translation service.

How long does it take to get a director ID

For a founder setting up a company, applying online through myID is usually the quickest way to get your director ID. Once ABRS verifies your identity, your ID is issued and shown on screen.

The phone application can also be processed quickly once your identity is verified. Paper applications generally take longer because your identity documents need to be certified and submitted to ABRS.

If you're deciding how to apply for director ID, the online and phone options are faster than applying by paper.

Where can I find my director ID

If you've already received your director ID, you can retrieve it through ABRS online if you have a myID with at least a Standard identity strength. Your director ID appears in the top-right corner of the director ID ABRS home screen.

If you applied by phone or paper and have a myGov account linked to the ATO, your director ID notification will be in your myGov Inbox. Otherwise, ABRS sends it by post to the address on your application.

What happens after you become a director

If you don't apply for a director ID on time

The first thing you should do if you miss the deadline for your director ID, you should apply as soon as possible rather than wait for ASIC to contact you. Failing to apply when required is a criminal offence under the Corporations Act 2001, and ASIC is responsible for enforcing director ID offences. The maximum penalty for failing to have a director ID when required is currently 60 penalty units. For offences committed on or after 1 July 2026, 60 penalty units equates to a maximum of AUD $21,840.

If you know you won't be able to meet your deadline, you can apply for an extension of time before the deadline. If you've already missed it, apply as soon as possible and keep a record of your application. ABRS says it takes a reasonable approach to directors who are trying to do the right thing.

If your details change after getting your director ID

If personal details like your name or address change, you must update them with ABRS. For CATSI Act directors, you must also notify the corporation within 14 days, and the corporation then has 28 days to notify ORIC. You can make these updates online through the director ID ABRS portal if you have a myID with at least a Standard identity strength.

If you applied by phone or paper, you can find your ID in your myGov Inbox if linked to the ATO, or in the notification sent by post. The director identification number requirements don't mean you need a new ID when your details change.

If you stop being a director after getting your director ID

If you step down from a company as a director, your director ID remains unchanged. It is not cancelled or transferred to someone else.

So, in case you later decide to take on another directorship, you may wonder, "Do I need a director ID again?" Not necessarily. You can simply use the same ID you already have from your previous venture.

Get your director ID sorted early

For a founder, getting your director ID sorted early means one less thing to deal with while you're setting up your company. And since the ID is linked to you, you won't need a new one every time you start another business or take on a new directorship.

As you take on more directorship roles, an all-in-one finance stack like Aspire can help you manage expenses, budget, and international transfers as you scale.

Get your director ID sorted early, keep your details up to date and you'll have one less administrative task to worry about as your business grows.