Create a myGov account and link the ATO, Medicare and Centrelink

Services AustraliaVerified 22 Oct 2026Official pages checked daily

myGov is the Australian Government's online gateway to its services. With one account you can link the Australian Taxation Office (ATO), Medicare, Centrelink and other agencies, receive government letters, lodge your tax return and check Medicare claims. All you need to create an account is a personal email address. When you link each agency, you prove your identity by answering questions about information that agency holds about you. myID is a different thing: it is the government's Digital ID app, which you can use to sign in to myGov more securely.

Key facts

What you need to create an account: A personal email address that only you can access, or a Digital ID (such as myID). One email address can be used for only one myGov account.¹
Multi-factor authentication (MFA) options: Choose one of three: a passkey, an authenticator app or SMS codes. You must set one up when you create the account.¹
Secret questions: When you create the account you set 3 secret questions and answers, used to recover your account.¹
Services you can link: Including the Australian Taxation Office (ATO), Centrelink, Medicare, Child Support, My Health Record, NDIS, Workforce Australia and the Unique Student Identifier (USI).²
Sign-in requirement for linking the ATO: An account that signs in with secret questions cannot be linked to the ATO. Change your sign-in option to Digital ID, a passkey, an authenticator app or SMS codes first.³
What you can do once the ATO is linked: Update your personal and employment details, view your tax records, lodge and pay tax, view and manage your super, and check your study loan balance.³
3 ways to link Medicare: A Digital ID; your Medicare card number plus your individual reference number (IRN); or a linking code from Services Australia. You must already be enrolled in Medicare.⁴
Identity check when linking Medicare: You receive a one-time code on the mobile number or email address registered with Medicare. If you do not have one, you need to provide identity documents such as your passport, visa details, ImmiCard or Australian driver licence.⁴
myID identity strength required: At least Standard to sign in to or create myGov with myID, or to link Centrelink, Medicare or Child Support. Strong to use myID to recover an account you cannot sign in to.⁵
myID versus myGov: myID is the Australian Government's Digital ID app, used to prove online that you are who you say you are. myGov is your account for using government services. You can connect myID to myGov as a sign-in option, but you do not have to.⁵
Help if you have been scammed: Services Australia's Scams and Identity Theft Helpdesk: 1800 941 126, Monday to Friday 8 am–5 pm AEST (AEDT during daylight saving).⁶
Report a scam pretending to be myGov or Services Australia: Forward a screenshot of the SMS, or the email itself, to reportascam@servicesaustralia.gov.au.⁶

Who is this for, and what are the requirements?

Anyone can create a myGov account as long as they have an email address that only they use. You can create one with or without an Australian mobile number: without one, notifications go to your email, and you can choose a passkey or an authenticator app for multi-factor authentication.
Linking the ATO: you need to already have a TFN and be able to answer the questions the ATO uses to confirm your identity. The ATO page Information you need to link myGov to the ATO lists what you can use.
Linking Medicare: you must already be enrolled in Medicare and have a Medicare card number and IRN. Most temporary visa holders do not have Medicare, so they do not need to link it.
Linking Centrelink: you need a Centrelink customer reference number (CRN), or a linking code that you get by phone or at a Services Australia service centre. If you do not have a CRN, you can prove your identity and apply for one while linking.
Using myID: you set it up with Australian identity documents (such as a driver licence or passport). Whether a foreign passport can reach the required identity strength depends on the rules on the myID website.

How do I do it? Steps and process

Get a personal email address ready
Use an email address that only you can sign in to. Do not use a work email or one shared with family. One email address can be used for only one myGov account. An Australian mobile number is handy (for SMS codes) but not required.
Create your account at my.gov.au
Go to my.gov.au and select Create account. Choose Continue with email → Get started, accept the terms, enter your email address and the code sent to it. Then enter your mobile number and the SMS code (you can skip this if you do not have one), choose how you want notifications, set a password, choose one multi-factor option (passkey, authenticator app or SMS codes), and finally set 3 secret questions. You can also choose Continue with Digital ID to create the account with myID.
Link the ATO
Sign in to myGov → View and link services → select Link next to Australian Taxation Office → enter or confirm your personal details → answer some questions to confirm your identity. Your sign-in option cannot be secret questions only. Once linked, you can use ATO online services to lodge your tax return and check your super and your TFN.
Link Medicare, Centrelink and other services
In View and link services, select Link next to the service you want. For Medicare you can use a Digital ID, your Medicare card number plus IRN, or a linking code. For Centrelink you need a CRN or a linking code. You will be asked about information that agency holds about you. If linking fails, contact that agency directly.
(Recommended) Set up myID
Download the myID app from the App Store or Google Play, follow the prompts and choose an identity strength. You need at least Standard to sign in to myGov with it, and Strong to use it to recover your account. Use the same email address for myID as for myGov. Then connect it in myGov under Account settings → Sign in settings.
Install the myGov app and watch your Inbox
The myGov app is free to download. It makes signing in easier and lets you read your Inbox. Letters from government agencies (such as your ATO notice of assessment or Centrelink notices) go to your myGov Inbox, and you get an SMS, email or app notification when one arrives. Download and save important letters promptly.

What documents do I need?

A personal email address that only you use
An Australian mobile number (optional, for SMS codes and notifications)
To link Medicare: your Medicare card number and individual reference number (IRN), and the mobile number or email address registered with Medicare
To link Centrelink: your customer reference number (CRN), or a linking code from Services Australia
Identity documents you may need when linking: passport, visa details, ImmiCard, Australian driver licence and so on

What should I watch out for?

myGov is not myID. myGov is the account and portal; myID (formerly myGovID) is the Digital ID app. You can use myGov without myID, but signing in with myID is more secure and the ATO recommends it.
Do not leave secret questions as your only sign-in option. You cannot link the ATO that way, and the ATO page says that if you change your sign-in option to secret questions only, your existing ATO link will be removed.
If you are overseas, have no Australian mobile number or have poor reception, sign in with myID, a passkey or an authenticator app. Do not rely on SMS codes.
A linking code is one-time only. You can get it only by phone or at a Services Australia service centre, and it is used to link Centrelink, Medicare or Child Support.
Your name and date of birth in each agency's records must match your myGov details. If they do not, linking fails and you need to update your details with that agency first.
Some Inbox letters have an expiry date and are deleted automatically. If you unlink a service, its letters disappear from your Inbox too. Download anything you need to keep (such as your notice of assessment) early.
Scammers often send SMS or emails pretending to be myGov, saying you have a refund or a new message and asking you to click a link to a fake sign-in page. Do not click. Type my.gov.au into your browser yourself and sign in there. Never share your myGov sign-in details with anyone, including a tax agent.
If you have already clicked a link or entered your password: change your myGov password straight away, contact your bank if you gave bank details, and call 1800 941 126 for help.
This page is a plain-English summary of public information. Always check the myGov and Services Australia websites for the official rules. This is not immigration, legal or tax advice.

Common questions

What is myGov, and do I need to create an account when I arrive in Australia?

myGov is the Australian Government's online gateway: one account lets you link the Australian Taxation Office (ATO), Medicare, Centrelink and other agencies, receive government letters and lodge your tax return. It is not compulsory, but once you link the ATO you can lodge your tax return and check your super, and ATO and Centrelink letters go to your myGov Inbox, so it is worth creating one early. Anyone with a personal email address can create one.

How do I create a myGov account and what do I need?

You need a personal email address that only you can access. Go to my.gov.au, select Create account, then Continue with email. Enter your email and the code sent to it, then your mobile number and SMS code (you can skip this), choose notifications, set a password, choose a multi-factor option (passkey, authenticator app or SMS codes) and set 3 secret questions. You can also create the account with myID (Digital ID). One email address can be used for only one account.

How do I link the ATO to myGov?

Sign in to myGov, go to View and link services, select Link next to Australian Taxation Office, enter or confirm your personal details and answer some questions the ATO uses to confirm your identity. You need to already have a TFN, and your sign-in option cannot be secret questions only; change it to Digital ID, a passkey, an authenticator app or SMS codes first.

What do I need to link Medicare to myGov?

You must already be enrolled in Medicare. There are 3 ways to link: a Digital ID; your Medicare card number plus individual reference number (IRN); or a linking code from Services Australia. You also receive a one-time code on the mobile number or email registered with Medicare, or must provide identity documents such as your passport, visa details, ImmiCard or Australian driver licence. Most temporary visa holders do not have Medicare, so they do not need this step.

Can I create a myGov account without an Australian mobile number?

Yes. You can skip the mobile number step when you create the account. Notifications go to your email, and you can choose a passkey or an authenticator app for multi-factor authentication. If you are overseas or have poor reception, sign in with myID, a passkey or an authenticator app rather than relying on SMS codes.

What is the difference between myID and myGov? Do I have to install myID?

No, myID is optional. myGov is your account and portal for government services. myID (formerly myGovID) is the Australian Government's Digital ID app, used to prove online that you are who you say you are. You can use myGov without it, but signing in with myID is more secure and the ATO recommends it. You need at least Standard identity strength to sign in to myGov with myID, and Strong to recover your account with it.

What is a linking code and where do I get one?

A linking code is a one-time code from Services Australia that you use to link Centrelink, Medicare or Child Support to your myGov account. You can get one only by phone or in person at a Services Australia service centre.

I got an SMS from myGov asking me to click a link to read a new message. Is it real?

Almost certainly a scam. Scammers often pretend to be myGov, saying you have a refund or a new message and asking you to click a link to a fake sign-in page. Do not click. Type my.gov.au into your browser yourself and check your Inbox there. If you already clicked or entered your password, change your myGov password immediately, contact your bank if you gave bank details, and call 1800 941 126.

Answers are based on the verified content of this page — the official source always prevails.

Where can I check the official information?

Create a myGov accountmyGov (Services Australia) · my.gov.au
Link services to your accountmyGov (Services Australia) · my.gov.au
Link the Australian Taxation OfficemyGov (Services Australia) · my.gov.au
Link MedicaremyGov (Services Australia) · my.gov.au
Digital IDmyGov (Services Australia) · my.gov.au
Scams and identity theftServices Australia · servicesaustralia.gov.au

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The AI answers using this guide and official Australian government websites.

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