How do you get a Director Identification Number?
Director Identification Numbers (DIN) are now a requirement. All you need to do is follow the steps below to get one.
What is a DIN?
It is a unique 15-digit number that a director needs to get and it follows you forever, just like your tax file number. It is needed so that ASIC can identify you and make sure that your details are not stolen and that you are in fact a real person acting as a director of company.
You can only have one Director Identification Number and you use that number for all the companies that you are director of even for trustee companies such as those for your family trust and self-managed superannuation funds.
Depending on the date that you became a director, there are different deadlines for when you need a DIN by. Here is a table that summarises the different dates:
| Date Appointed as Director | Date you must apply for a DIN |
| 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 you apply for a DIN?
Simple! It’s only a two step process
Step 1:
Make some time to get this done as you need to do it yourself in order to be able to prove your identification. Unfortunately your accountant cannot do it for you.
Step 2:
Pick any of the following methods:
a) Use MyGov ID
- If you already have MyGovID set up, then this would be the preferred method and probably the quickest.
- Go to this website and click ‘Apply Now’:
- Work your way through all the steps.
NOTE: MyGovID is NOT the same as MyGov website. The MyGovID is an app that verifies your identity and allows you to log into a number of government websites including the main one being MyGov.
TIP: Make sure you use an email address that you will always have access to. So, don’t use a work email address. This ID set up is for you as an individual and you will need to always have access to this email, for example if you lose your password and need to reset it.
b) Call over the phone
Call 13 62 50 and make sure to have the following information handy so that you can talk through the ID verification process:
- Your tax file number
- Your residential address as held by the ATO
- Bank account details
- An ATO Notice of Assessment
- Superannuation account details.
c) Fill in a form and send it off to in the post.
- Complete this form.
- Make sure to attach certified copies of the requested documents.