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New director ID reporting requirements

New director ID reporting requirements commence on 1 July 2027

Australian companies will soon be required to provide the director identification number of each director to the Australian Securities and Investments Commission.

The new requirements commence on 1 July 2027 and are intended to improve the accuracy of Australia’s company registers, make directors easier to identify and reduce fraud and identity misuse.

Although companies do not need to lodge their directors’ identification numbers with ASIC immediately, directors and company secretaries should use the transition period to check that their records are complete and accurate.

What is changing on 1 July 2027?

At present, directors must obtain a director identification number, commonly called a director ID, but companies do not generally provide those numbers to ASIC as part of their company reporting.

From 1 July 2027, companies will be required to provide director IDs to ASIC through company registration and reporting processes. This will include:

  • applications to register new companies;
  • notifications concerning the appointment of directors or alternate directors;
  • notifications of changes to directors’ details; and
  • the annual review process for existing companies.

The requirements were introduced by the Treasury Laws Amendment (Business Registries Stabilisation and Uplift) Act 2026 (Cth), which amends the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth).

ASIC has indicated that, over time, the companies register will display whether a company has provided director IDs for its directors. This does not necessarily mean that the director ID number itself will be publicly displayed.

When must existing companies provide their directors’ IDs?

The commencement date does not necessarily mean that every existing company must lodge all director IDs on 1 July 2027.

For a person who is already a director when the new requirements commence, the company will generally need to provide the director’s ID by the earlier of:

  • the end of the period for responding to the company’s next annual review following commencement; and
  • the end of the period for notifying ASIC of the next change to that director’s personal details.

ASIC is expected to issue further procedural guidance before 1 July 2027.

Companies should therefore ensure they hold the director ID of every current director and alternate director well before their first relevant reporting event.

Who will be affected?

The changes will affect Australian companies and their directors. They will also extend to directors of certain other registered entities, including:

  • registered Australian bodies; and
  • registered foreign companies.

Separate director ID requirements also apply to directors of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander corporations.

Where a company has multiple directors, it will need to collect and provide the director ID of each current director.

What is a director ID?

A director ID is a unique 15-digit identifier issued to a person who is, or intends to become, a company director.

A director keeps the same director ID for life, even if that person:

  • changes their name;
  • changes their address;
  • becomes a director of another company;
  • ceases to be a director; or
  • moves interstate or overseas.

A person requires only one director ID, regardless of how many companies they direct.

Director IDs are administered by Australian Business Registry Services, which forms part of the Australian Taxation Office. ASIC remains responsible for maintaining the companies register and enforcing director ID obligations under the Corporations Act.

What should companies and directors do now?

Companies should not wait until their first reporting deadline after 1 July 2027 to examine their records.

Directors, company secretaries and authorised agents should now:

  1. Confirm that every current director and alternate director is correctly recorded with ASIC.
  2. Check that directors’ names, addresses and other personal details are accurate.
  3. Confirm that every director has obtained a director ID.
  4. Securely record the director ID of each director.
  5. Check that each director’s details are consistent across the company’s ASIC’s details are consistent across records and the ABRS director ID system.
  6. Establish a procedure for obtaining director IDs when new directors are appointed.
  7. Review who is responsible for completing the company’s annual review and notifying ASIC of changes.

A director whose personal details have changed should update those details through ABRS. The director must also notify the company of relevant changes. The company is then responsible for notifying ASIC within the applicable period.

What if a director does not yet have a director ID?

A person intending to become a director should generally apply for a director ID before being appointed.

An existing director who does not have a director ID should apply as soon as possible. Failing to obtain a director ID when required, applying for multiple director IDs or misrepresenting a director ID can result in substantial penalties.

The 2026 reforms also strengthen ASIC’s enforcement powers. In certain circumstances, ASIC may disqualify a person from managing corporations for up to three years where the person fails to comply with director ID requirements.

Should director IDs be kept confidential?

Companies should treat director IDs as sensitive personal information and store them securely.

A director ID is not currently searchable by the public. ASIC has stated that the companies register will progressively show whether the required director IDs have been provided, rather than necessarily displaying the identification numbers themselves.

Companies should limit access to director IDs to people who genuinely require them for corporate administration, governance or regulatory reporting.

Frequently asked questions

Do companies need to give ASIC their directors’ IDs now?

Not yet. The new company reporting requirements commence on 1 July 2027. Existing obligations requiring directors to obtain a director ID continue to apply in the meantime.

Must every company lodge its director IDs on 1 July 2027?

Not necessarily. Transitional provisions generally link the deadline for existing directors to the company’s next annual review response or the next notification of a change to the director’s personal details, whichever occurs first.

Does a director need a separate director ID for each company?

No. A director receives one director ID and keeps that number for life.

Who issues director IDs?

Australian Business Registry Services verifies directors’ identities and issues director IDs. ASIC maintains the companies register and enforces the relevant obligations.

Will director ID numbers become publicly searchable?

ASIC has stated that the companies register will progressively display whether a company has provided its directors’ IDs. That does not mean the identification numbers themselves will be publicly displayed. Further guidance is expected before commencement.

Can an accountant, solicitor or registered agent deal with the changes?

Professional advisers can help companies check their records, identify inconsistencies and prepare for the new reporting process. ASIC has not yet released complete procedural guidance about how agents and intermediaries will lodge director IDs after commencement.

How SMR Lawyers can assist

SMR Lawyers assists companies, directors and business owners with corporate governance, company restructures and ASIC compliance.

We can assist you to:

  • review your company and officeholder records;
  • identify discrepancies requiring correction;
  • document director appointments and resignations;
  • establish corporate governance and record-keeping procedures; and
  • prepare your company for the director ID reporting requirements commencing on 1 July 2027.

If you are unsure whether your company records are accurate or whether all directors have complied with their director ID obligations, contact SMR Lawyers before the new reporting requirements commence.

This article provides general information only and does not constitute legal advice. The reporting procedures may be supplemented by further ASIC guidance before 1 July 2027. Specific advice should be obtained for your circumstances.

Sources: ASIC, Director identification numbers, Australian Business Registry Services, Manage your director ID and the Treasury Laws Amendment (Business Registries Stabilisation and Uplift) Act 2026.