Director Identification Numbers – Australian update

Directors of companies registered under the Australian Corporations Act 2001 are now required to obtain a unique director identification number (DIN).

Since the recent passage of the Australian Treasury Laws Amendment (Registries Modernisation and Other Measures) Act 2020 directors/alternate directors of:

• a company, a registered Australian body or a registered foreign company under the Corporations Act 2001(Corporations Act); or
• an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander corporation registered under the Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006(CATSI Act)

are required to obtain a unique Director Identification Number (DIN). Applications must be made personally by the director (can apply online). Once issued with a DIN, it will apply to all directorships held by that person.

For Corporations Act directors, the application date deadline is dependent on the date of appointment as a director

• on or before 31 October 2021 – apply by 30 November 2022
• Between 30 November 2021 and 4 April 2022  –  apply within 28 days of appointment
• From 5 April 2022 on  –  you must apply before appointment.

The Australian Business Registry Services (ABRS) has been recently established – further details of the services provided can be found here - ABRS website. The director identification number (director ID) is the first service to be delivered by ABRS. The website contains full details of who needs to apply, and by when, as well as proving useful information for applications by non-Australian resident directors. See Who needs to apply and when - ABRS.

For more see:

• our article Non-publication of director’s residential address – developments in 2021
• our submission on introducing director identification numbers
• our submission on publishing directors’ residential addresses.