Signing in to government services for a business now runs through a Digital ID. For most Australian business owners that means the myID app. It replaced the older myGovID name, and it links to a second service called the Relationship Authorisation Manager. Together they control who can act online for your business.
This guide explains how myID and Digital ID work for a business. It covers identity strength, linking a business and giving staff access. It also looks at the law behind the system and how your information is protected.
What myID is
myID is the Australian Government’s Digital ID app. You use it to prove who you are when you sign in to government online services. The Australian Taxation Office says it can be used for more than 150 of them. When you set it up, your details are checked against existing government records.
Your myID belongs to you as a person, not to the business. The ATO says a myID can’t be shared. It also suggests setting it up with a personal email address rather than a shared or work address. That way your sign in stays with you if you change jobs or close a business.
Identity strength and what it needs
Each myID has an identity strength of Basic, Standard or Strong. The strength depends on which identity documents you verify in the app. Higher strengths open up more services. To use ATO online services, you need a Standard or Strong identity strength.
A Standard identity strength needs any two documents from a set list. That list covers a driver’s licence or learner’s permit, a birth certificate and a Medicare card. It also includes a passport, a citizenship certificate, an ImmiCard or a visa used with a foreign passport.
A Strong identity strength needs a current Australian passport, or one that expired no more than three years ago. You also complete a face verification check in the app. Then you add one more document, such as a driver’s licence, Medicare card or citizenship certificate.
The face check uses the front camera on your phone. It confirms you are a real person who matches the passport photo and is present at the time. A Western Australian licence can also be used for this photo check. myID says the photo is deleted after the check is done.
Linking your business in RAM
The Relationship Authorisation Manager, usually called RAM, is an authorisation service. It lets you act online on behalf of a business once that business is linked to your Digital ID. At present myID is the only identity provider RAM accepts.
The first person to link is the principal authority. That is the person responsible for the business. It may be a sole trader or an associate listed on the ABN in the Australian Business Register, such as a director, partner or trustee. Other people can’t use online services for the business until this link is made.
RAM says a principal authority needs a Strong identity strength to link a business online. If you can’t link online, an alternative method is available with at least a Standard strength. Sole traders follow the same process and link their own myID to their ABN.
Giving staff and advisers access
Once the business is linked, the principal authority can authorise other people in RAM. An authorisation administrator can do this too. Each person sent a request has seven days to accept or decline before the code expires. Their own identity strength then sets which services they can reach. This suits a business with a bookkeeper or a staff member who runs its shop, like those in our post on WordPress for online store owners.
RAM sets minimum strengths for different roles. These are worth checking before you send any requests. Your own role also decides what you can set up for other people.
- An authorisation administrator needs at least a Standard identity strength.
- An authorised user needs a Standard or Strong identity strength.
- A machine credential administrator needs at least a Standard identity strength.
- A basic user can act for a business with a Basic strength, but can’t reach services that need Standard or Strong.
Access tends to change when a business moves premises or its team changes. Our guide on choosing the right office removals company deals with the physical move. A move or a staff change is also a good moment to review who holds RAM authorisations. Removing people who no longer need access keeps your records tidy.
Why myID is harder to misuse
The ATO points out that myID asks you to verify your ID in the app. It compares this with multifactor authentication and says it makes impersonation harder for fraudsters. Your myID is also not tied to one phone number or device. With a new phone, you can set it up again with an internet connection.
There is one more rule to keep in mind. Once you sign in to the ATO with myID, your online access strength is set. From then on you need to keep using myID at that strength or higher. This applies through myGov or the ATO app.
Good sign in habits matter here too. Keep your myID to yourself, as the ATO says a myID can’t be shared. The ATO also advises against saving your Digital ID provider choice on shared or public devices.
The law behind Digital ID
The Digital ID Act 2024 commenced on 30 November 2024. It says the creation and use of a Digital ID by an individual is voluntary. An entity also cannot require a person to create a Digital ID to receive or access a service. The Digital ID System website sets out these rules.
Accredited providers must follow privacy safeguards on top of the Privacy Act. These include a ban on single identifiers and a ban on disclosing information for marketing. There are also limits on collecting, using and disclosing biometrics. The ACCC is the Digital ID Regulator, and the Information Commissioner oversees the privacy side.
The Australian Government Digital ID System is currently built around myID, RAM and an identity exchange run by Services Australia. Only public sector bodies can take part at present. The system is due to open to private sector entities by December 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Is myID the same as myGovID?
myID is the current name for the government Digital ID app. Earlier government material used the older myGovID name. You use the myID app to sign in through Digital ID.
Can my bookkeeper use my myID to log in for me?
No. A myID belongs to one person and can’t be shared. Instead, you authorise your bookkeeper or staff member in RAM so they use their own myID.
What strength do I need to link my business?
RAM says you need a Strong identity strength to link a business online as the principal authority. If you can’t link online, an alternative method needs at least a Standard strength. Check RAM help for the steps that apply to your business.
Do I have to use a Digital ID?
Under the Digital ID Act 2024, creating and using a Digital ID is voluntary for individuals. An entity cannot make it a condition of accessing a service. Some online services, such as ATO Online services for business, are accessed with a Digital ID.
This article is general information only and is not legal or tax advice. Rules and services can change, so check the official myID, RAM and ATO pages or speak with a qualified adviser about your situation.