Who needs to apply and when

Last updated

26 April 2022

If you want to become a director or you're already one, you'll need a director ID.

Who needs a director ID

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

a company, registered Australian body, or 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 either:

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

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.

You will only ever need one director ID. You don’t have to apply for another one if you become a director of other companies or corporations.

You must apply for your own director ID to verify your identity. No one can apply on your behalf.

People who need a director ID

You need a director ID if you're a director of either 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.

The Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations (ORIC) maintains a register of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander corporations. These corporations have an Indigenous Corporation Number (ICN) and may also have an ABN.

People who don't need a director ID

You don't need a director ID if you're either:

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 or ORIC 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
a director before 31 October 2021, but no longer hold any director roles on or after 1 December 2022.

If you’re unsure whether you’re a company director or who the directors of an entity may be, you can search:

ASIC Connect for a company, registered Australian body, or registered foreign company under the Corporations Act
Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations for a company registered under the CATSI Act.

As long as the entity maintains their details as required, any directors listed through these searches (and any directors appointed in future) will be required to obtain a director ID.

When you need to apply

Corporations Act directors

If you plan to become a director, you must apply for a director ID before you’re appointed.

If you're already a director and don't have a director ID you must apply now.

CATSI Act directors

Transitional arrangements are available to give you time to apply for your director ID.

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 2022	By 30 November 2023
From 1 November 2022	Before appointment

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

be an individual who is at least 18 years old
be a member of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander corporation and an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander person (unless the corporation’s constitution or rule book says otherwise)
not be disqualified from managing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander corporation, unless the appointment is made with the permission of the Registrar of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Corporations 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 require additional time to apply, you can complete an Application for an extension of time to apply for a director ID (NAT 75390, PDF 271KB). We are continually working to improve the accessibility of this website and our forms. If you need further assistance, you can contact us.

It is a criminal offence if you do not apply on time. ASIC is responsible for enforcing director ID offences set out in the Corporations Act 2001.

Help and support

Your authorised tax, BAS or ASIC agent can help you decide if you need to apply, but they can’t apply on your behalf.

You can also contact us.

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Next steps

Verify your identity

Before you start your application, it’s a good idea to gather the information you’ll need to verify your identity.

Apply for your director ID

The fastest way to get a director ID is to apply online using the myGovID app. It’s free and you only need to apply once.