How to Apply for a TRN in Jamaica From Overseas

To apply for a TRN in Jamaica from overseas, complete the Application for Taxpayer Registration Number (Individuals), known as Form 1, attach a notarized copy of your valid passport or driver’s licence, and mail the package to the Taxpayer Registration Centre in Kingston. There is no fee, and non-Jamaican nationals are eligible to apply.¹ The number is nine digits, assigned to you permanently, and required for almost any financial or legal transaction involving Jamaica.²

What to Gather Before You Start

You need two things: a completed Form 1 and a notarized copy of photo ID. Get either wrong and your application will come back unprocessed.

The Form

Download Form 1 directly from the Tax Administration Jamaica (TAJ) website.³ TAJ also lets you create a login on their site, fill the form online, then print the generated version and sign it before mailing.¹ Either route works. The online option can catch errors as you type, but you still print, sign, and mail a paper copy.

Expect fields for your full legal name, date of birth, gender, mother’s maiden name, and both residential and mailing addresses. Enter every field exactly as it appears on your government-issued ID, and make sure your signature on the form matches the signature on that ID.¹ Include a valid email address if you want the fastest confirmation of your number.

The Identification

Submit a notarized copy of your valid passport or valid driver’s licence. The document must show your full last and first name, date of birth, photograph, and signature.⁴ A passport is the safer choice for overseas applicants because it reliably contains all four elements. Some driver’s licences omit a signature, which will get your application rejected.

If the ID or any supporting document is not in English, include an official translation.¹

Getting the Copy Notarized

Because you are not walking into a TAJ office, your ID copy needs a certification that it is a true copy of the original. Two options are accepted: a Notary Public in your country of residence, or a Jamaican Consular Officer at the nearest Jamaican High Commission, Embassy, or Consulate General.⁵ A local notary is usually faster and cheaper.

Confirm that the notary signs, stamps, and dates the copy before you seal the envelope. Improperly certified documents are the most common reason applications are returned.

Where to Send It

Mail the signed form and the notarized ID copy to:

Taxpayer Registration Centre
Tax Administration Jamaica (TAJ)
116 East Street
Kingston, Jamaica¹

Use an international courier or registered mail so you have tracking. TAJ does not confirm receipt by default, and standard international post is unreliable for documents you cannot easily replace. DHL, FedEx, or a similar service with delivery confirmation takes the guesswork out.

Sending It Through Someone in Jamaica

If you have a trusted contact on the island, they can hand-deliver your documents to the Taxpayer Registration Centre. Include a signed authorization letter naming that person.⁶ In-person delivery has one real benefit: staff can flag missing items on the spot instead of you learning about them by rejected mail weeks later.

Sending It Through a Jamaican Consulate

Some Jamaican consulates and embassies accept TRN applications and forward them to TAJ. The Consulate General of Jamaica in Toronto, for instance, lists the TRN application among its consular services.⁵ Not every location offers this, so contact the office nearest you first. Going through a consulate adds time, since your papers still have to reach Kingston.

After You Submit

Once TAJ receives a complete application, it assigns your TRN and emails you the nine-digit number, provided you gave a valid email address. A confirmation letter is prepared in roughly two weeks and mailed to the address on your form.¹ Check your spam folder if you are waiting on the email for a time-sensitive transaction.

The physical TRN card is mailed separately to the same address.¹ If you would rather have someone in Jamaica collect the card for you, include an authorization letter naming that person in your original application. For most transactions, the confirmation letter with your number is enough while you wait for the card.

If You Are Registering a Child or an Estate

There is no minimum age. A parent or guardian signs on behalf of a child, and you’ll need the child’s birth certificate showing the signing parent’s name, a passport-size photograph of the child certified within the past six months by a Justice of the Peace, attorney, minister of religion, or similar authorized official, and the parent’s own ID and TRN.⁶ A guardian who is not the parent has to add either a court order or a voluntary declaration of guardianship with a supporting declaration from a third party.

Estates need their own TRN before tax or property matters can be settled. The executor or administrator applies using their own ID plus proof of death, a copy of the will, and either the grant of probate or administration. An oath of executor or administrator can stand in if the grant has not been issued.

Lost Letters and Updates

If your confirmation letter never arrived, replacement is free. Contact the Taxpayer Registration Centre to request a new copy, or send an authorized representative in Jamaica with a signed letter from you. Your TRN itself is permanent and does not change, so you are not re-applying.²

Contact TAJ to update your address, name after marriage, or other personal details. There is no automatic forwarding on TAJ correspondence, so an outdated address means your card and letters go somewhere you cannot reach them.

1
Tax Administration Jamaica. Taxpayer Registration Number (TRN)
2
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Information on Tax Identification Numbers – Section: TIN Description
3
Tax Administration Jamaica. Application Form – Tax Administration Jamaica
4
Jamaica Information Service. TAJ Enforces TRN for Overseas Transactions
5
Consulate General of Jamaica. Application for a Taxpayer Registration Number (TRN)
6
Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport. Applying for a TRN