To find your Tax File Number, sign in to ATO online services through myGov or open the ATO app — your TFN appears under your personal details. If you don’t use those services, the number is printed on tax documents you likely already have at home, including your notice of assessment, income statements from employers, and superannuation statements. If neither route works, call the ATO on 13 28 61 and they can help you recover it after confirming your identity.
Look It Up Through myGov or the ATO App
This is the fastest option. If your myGov account is already linked to the ATO, sign in, select Australian Taxation Office, then select “Find my TFN.” Your nine-digit number appears on screen next to your name and date of birth.1myGov. Get or Find Your Tax File Number
The ATO app works the same way from your phone. After logging in, your TFN is listed under “My details.”2Australian Taxation Office. Lost or Stolen TFN
If You Still Need to Link myGov to the ATO
Sign in to myGov, go to “View and link services,” and select “Link” next to Australian Taxation Office. You’ll enter your personal details and answer two verification questions drawn from your tax history, such as figures from a recent notice of assessment or a prior return.3myGov. Link the Australian Taxation Office
Can’t answer those questions? Call the ATO on 13 28 61 and ask for a unique linking code. The ATO will run through identity questions over the phone and then give you a code to enter in myGov to complete the link.4Australian Taxation Office. Create a myGov Account and Link It to the ATO
Check Documents You Already Have
If you’d rather skip the login, your TFN is usually printed on paperwork you’ve received before. The ATO points to several common sources:2Australian Taxation Office. Lost or Stolen TFN
- Your notice of assessment, sent by the ATO after it processes your tax return. Your TFN sits near your name and address.5Australian Taxation Office. Your Notice of Assessment
- Other ATO correspondence, including a statement of account or the original letter you were sent when your TFN was first issued.
- A payment summary or income statement from an employer at the end of the financial year.
- Your annual superannuation account statement, which typically shows the TFN near the account summary.
It’s worth searching your email and cloud storage as well. PDFs of these documents are often saved in folders labelled Tax or Financial Records.
Ask an Employer or Tax Agent
Your current employer holds the TFN declaration form you completed when you started. Payroll can confirm the number on file once they’ve verified who you are.6Australian Taxation Office. Tax File Number Declaration NAT 3092
Former employers are required to keep tax and superannuation records for five years, so a previous workplace may still have your TFN on file.7business.gov.au. Employee Records
A registered tax agent or accountant who has lodged returns for you will also have your TFN on record. A phone call or email with your full name and current address is usually enough for them to locate the file.
Call the ATO
If nothing else works, call the ATO on 13 28 61. The line is open 8:00 am to 6:00 pm, Monday to Friday (local time), with limited weekend service from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm for myGov and myTax enquiries.8Australian Taxation Office. TFN Application or Enquiry for Individuals – Instructions
Before you dial, pull together what you’ll need to prove your identity: date of birth, current address, a recent notice of assessment if you have one, and details from an earlier tax return. Once your identity is confirmed, the ATO will help you retrieve the number. You may be directed to ATO online services, or the ATO may arrange to send it to you by post.
Keep Your TFN Safe Once You Find It
Your TFN is yours for life. It doesn’t change when you change your name, switch jobs, or move overseas.9Australian Taxation Office. What Is a Tax File Number Because it’s permanent, store it somewhere secure. Don’t share it on social media, don’t put it in emails unless you have to, and don’t give it to anyone outside your employer, super fund, bank, or the ATO.
If you think your TFN has been stolen or misused, call the ATO’s Client Identity Support Centre on 1800 467 033 between 8:00 am and 6:00 pm AEST, Monday to Friday. The centre can check your account for unusual activity, correct fraudulent details, and place monitoring on your records. Free support is also available from IDCARE on 1800 595 160.10Australian Taxation Office. Help for Identity Theft
If You’ve Never Actually Had a TFN
Retrieval only works if a TFN has already been issued to you. If you’ve never had one, you’ll need to apply rather than search. Australian citizens and residents for tax purposes can apply online or lodge an application through Australia Post, and the ATO says you should receive your TFN within 28 days of it receiving your completed application and Australia Post sighting your identity documents. If 28 days pass with no notification letter, contact the ATO on 13 28 61.11Australian Taxation Office. Australian Residents – TFN Application Until a TFN is on file, employers and financial institutions must withhold tax from your payments at a higher rate.9Australian Taxation Office. What Is a Tax File Number