All Directors of a Company in Australia are now Required to Obtain a Director ID

All directors of a company in Australia are now required to obtain a director ID.

A director ID is a unique identifier that a director will apply for once and keep forever, and is aimed at preventing the use of false or fraudulent director identities.

If your small business is set up under a proprietary limited (“Pty Ltd”) structure then you are most likely a company director. Anyone else closely involved in your business – typically a spouse, sibling, or parent – could also be a director.

Directors of a company will appear on the company’s ASIC extract.

The deadline for applying for a director ID depends on when you become a director:

• Existing directors have until 30 November 2022 to apply,
• Directors appointed between 1 November 2021 and 4 April 2022 must apply within 28 days of their appointment, and
• From 5 April 2022, intending directors must apply before they are appointed. 

Directors will need to apply for their director ID themselves, so their identity can be verified. Their authorised tax, BAS or ASIC agent can’t apply for a director ID on their behalf.

Australian Business Registry Services (ABRS) is responsible for administering director ID and will provide support and guidance to directors to assist them to understand and meet their director ID obligation. 

Please visit their website for more information about director ID.