When do you need to apply for your Director ID?

What is a Director ID?

A Director ID is a unique identifier that a director will apply for once and keep forever.

The intended purpose of Director ID's is to help prevent the use of false or fraudulent director identities.

All Directors + Alternate Directors (acting in that capacity regardless of the title used for example: Power of Attorney) of a company, registered Australian body, registered foreign company or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander corporation will need a Director ID.

ASIC is responsible for enforcing Director ID offences set out in the Corporations Act (Cth) 2001.

It is a criminal offence if Directors or Alternate Directors do not apply on time and penalties may apply.

When do you need to apply to avoid committing a criminal offence?

When you MUST APPLY for your Director ID depends on when you first become a Director or Alternate Director/Power of Attorney to act in the capacity of a Director.

For Directors + Alternate Directors/Power of Attorney of companies regulated by ASIC and registered under the Corporations Act 2001:

✅ Intending new Directors or Alternate Directors/Powers of Attorney must apply before being appointed.

✅ Directors or Alternate Directors/Powers of Attorney appointed on or before 31 October 2021 have until 30 November 2022 to apply.

✅ New Directors or Alternate Directors/Powers of Attorney appointed for the first time between 1 November 2021 and 4 April 2022 had 28 days from their appointment to apply.

Directors (and possibly Alternate Directors/Powers of Attorney) of companies regulated by the Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations and registered under the Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006 have a different time frame in which to apply. If this applies to you, please visit the ABRS website for more information on when you need to apply.

Important Notice:

This FAQ is intended for general interest + information only.

It is not legal advice, nor should it be relied upon or used as such.

We recommend you always consult a lawyer for legal advice specifically tailored to your needs & circumstances.