Director ID Enforcement and Statistics: 2026 Update

Statutory basis

The Director Identification Number (director ID) regime is in Part 9.1A of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth), with corresponding provisions for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander corporations under the Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006 (CATSI Act). Director ID complete guide

Section 1272C requires every eligible officer to have a director ID. An eligible officer is a person appointed as a director, or an alternate director who is acting in that capacity, of a company, registered Australian body or registered foreign company under the Corporations Act, or of an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander corporation under the CATSI Act.

Applications are made through Australian Business Registry Services (ABRS). Each director must apply personally, as no one can apply on another person's behalf, and the fastest way is online using the myID app. A director keeps the same director ID permanently.

Registration deadlines

Corporations Act directors must apply for a director ID before they are appointed. ABRS states that anyone who is already a director and does not have a director ID must apply now.

For CATSI Act directors, ABRS sets out transitional arrangements: a person who became a director on or before 31 October 2022 had to apply by 30 November 2023, and a person who becomes a director from 1 November 2022 must apply before appointment.

The Registrar may extend an application period on application by an eligible officer (section 1272E), and an extension can be sought after the period has ended. The Registrar can also direct an eligible officer to apply, generally within 28 days of the direction (section 1272D).

Adoption and registrations

ABRS publishes guidance on who does and does not need a director ID. For example, a person who was a director before 31 October 2021 but no longer holds any director role on or after 1 December 2022 does not need one, and officers of state or territory incorporated associations or cooperatives generally do not need one unless the organisation is also a registered Australian body.

Directors of corporate trustees (for example, of a self-managed super fund) and of charities or not-for-profit organisations that are companies do need a director ID.

Penalties and enforcement

Not having a director ID when required (section 1272C(1)) and failing to apply when directed by the Registrar (section 1272D(1)) are strict liability offences, each with a maximum criminal penalty of 60 penalty units ($21,840 at $364 per Commonwealth penalty unit from 1 July 2026). Both are also civil penalty provisions. Director ID five minute apply

For an individual, the maximum civil penalty under section 1317G is generally the greater of 5,000 penalty units ($1.82 million at $364 per penalty unit) and 3 times the benefit derived and detriment avoided.

Intentionally misrepresenting a director ID (section 1272H(1)) and applying for additional director IDs (section 1272G(1)) are offences with a maximum penalty of 1 year's imprisonment, and are also civil penalty provisions. ASIC may also disqualify a person from managing corporations for up to 3 years if it reasonably believes they have contravened section 1272D(1).