Nominate Your Tax Agent: Why the ATO Asks You to Link Your Company to Your Accountant

If you've recently brought your company to BTMH, you may have noticed one extra request in our onboarding email: nominate us as your tax agent in the ATO's online services. It's part of an ATO process called client-to-agent linking, and it's an ATO requirement.

If your business is already set up in the ATO's online services, it only takes a few minutes. If not, you'll need to verify your identity first, which takes longer. Either way, it's one of the simplest ways to keep your business's tax information out of the wrong hands. Here's what it is, why it exists and how to do it.

What does nominating your tax agent mean?

Nominating your tax agent means your business tells the ATO, online, which registered agent is allowed to act for it. It's the first half of client-to-agent linking: once you've nominated us, we complete the link on our side.

Until you nominate us, we can't access your business's ATO information or act on its behalf, even if you've already signed our engagement letter.

It applies to businesses with an ABN, such as companies, trusts and partnerships. Sole traders are excluded when acting as individuals. For your personal tax, we only need your TFN and date of birth.

Why it matters

The ATO brought in client-to-agent linking to stop identity fraud. Scammers have been posing as accountants, or as their clients, to get hold of taxpayers' details and lodge fake tax returns.

Once you nominate us, only BTMH (and any other agent you nominate) can access your business's ATO account and act on it. Nobody can lodge in your business's name without your approval.

To stay protected:

• nominate every agent you work with – tax, BAS and payroll
• never share your myID login or RAM authorisation code with anyone.

When you need to do it

You need to nominate an agent when your business:

• starts working with a new tax agent, BAS agent or payroll service provider
• changes what an existing agent does for it – for example, when your agent takes on income tax as well as BAS, or starts looking after a new entity in your group.

How to nominate BTMH as your agent

If you can already log in to Online services for business for your company, nominate us in a few steps:

1. Log in to Online services for business.
2. Select Profile, then Agent details.
3. Under Agent nominations, select Add.
4. Under Search for agent, enter our registered agent number 15496009 and select Search.
5. Select our practice from the results and check the details are correct.
6. Complete the Declaration, then select Submit.

Then let us know and send us your company's TFN (see below). For more detail, see the ATO's nomination guide.

If you can't log in yet, you'll first need to connect yourself to the company. You only do this once. You'll need a myID (the government's Digital ID app) and Relationship Authorisation Manager (RAM), where you connect your myID to the business. There are two ways to do it.

Option 1: online, by yourself

1. Download the myID app from the App Store or Google Play, enter your details and verify your identity documents.
2. Log in to RAM with your myID and select Link my business. Give your consent, enter your address exactly as the ATO has it, then select your company.
3. Log in to Online services for business at ato.gov.au and nominate BTMH as your agent (see the steps above).

This option needs a myID with Strong identity strength. To get it, you'll need to verify an Australian passport. If you don't have one, use Option 2 – it takes longer because you verify your identity over the phone, but you don't need an Australian passport.

Option 2: over the phone with the Australian Business Register (ABR)

Use this if you can't connect online, or you're not listed as the primary contact on the ABR. You'll need a myID with at least Standard identity strength, in the same name as recorded with the ABR or ASIC.

1. Call 1300 287 539 and select option 3, then option 1 (during business hours) to complete a proof of identity check.
2. The ABR will confirm your connection to the business.
3. You'll receive an email with an authorisation code. Accept it within 7 days.
4. Log in to RAM with your myID and select Accept an authorisation for a business.
5. Enter your authorisation code, review the summary, tick the boxes to give your consent, then select Accept.
6. Log in to Online services for business and nominate BTMH as your agent (see the steps above).

Once you've nominated us

Let us know as soon as you've nominated us, and send us your company's TFN. We use it to complete the link on our side in the ATO's online services for agents. The ATO doesn't tell us automatically, and we have 28 days to finish the link before your nomination expires – so please don't wait.

Need a hand?

If you get stuck at any step, visit or call our Bondi Junction office on 02 9386 0500 and we'll walk you through it.

More from the ATO: Agent nomination · Scams, cyber safety and identity protection