Create or Find your Tax File Number

D. M. Wright
Feb 21
2 min read

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WHAT IS A TAX FILE NUMBER (TFN)?

A Tax File Number is your personal reference number in the tax and superannuation systems.

It is free to apply for a TFN.

Your TFN is:

a unique number (usually 9 digits)
an important part of your identity
yours for life

You keep your TFN even if you change jobs or name, move interstate or go overseas.

Without a TFN, you:

can't apply for government benefits or allowances, such as JobSeeker
can't lodge your tax return online
can't apply for an Australian business number (ABN).

FORGOT YOUR TFN OR DON'T KNOW IF IT EXISTS ALREADY?

Some people have already had the TFN created for them or with them, but have forgotten, are unsure, or never knew it happened.

If you have forgotten your TFN (or don't know if it exists yet or not), you can retrieve it in just a few minutes.

If you already have a TFN, you can find it:

in the MyGov app (linked to your ATO account)
in the ATO app or your ATO online account if you have a myGov account linked to the ATO
on your income tax notice of assessment
on some of the letters the ATO has sent to you
on a payment summary or income statement from your employer
on your superannuation account statement.

If you use a registered tax agent, you can also ask them for your TFN.

Contact the Australian Tax Office (ATO) as soon as possible if you think your TFN is lost, stolen or being misused.

CREATING YOUR TFN

You can apply for a TFN at any age. However, if you apply online using myID, you must be 15 years old or older and have a passport.

You don’t have to have a TFN, but without one, your employer or financial institution must withhold more tax from payments they make to you.

Depending on your personal circumstances (citizens or residents living in Australia, living outside of Australia, Indigenous), there are different requirements to prove your identity. Click HERE to find your required documents and how you can lodge it.

NOW YOU HAVE REGISTERED FOR A TFN...

...to be able to access it, you need to: