Most people who earned income in Australia, and had tax withheld from it, need to lodge an income tax return each year. The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) lets you lodge online with myTax, through a registered tax agent, or on a paper form sent by mail. If you are lodging the return yourself, the usual window is from 1 July to 31 October after the income year.

This guide follows official ATO pages reviewed in November 2026. It sits with how long a tax refund takes and the tax refund estimator.

This is general information only. It is not personal tax advice, and it is not a lodgment service.

Do you need to lodge?

Not everyone has to lodge. The ATO provides a "Do I need to lodge?" tool in ATO online services, via myGov, and a website version of the same question. If you do not need to lodge, you may still need to give the ATO a non-lodgment advice, also called a return not necessary. The myTax service can record that as well.

People who do not need to lodge a return can, in some cases, still apply separately for a refund of franking credits if they meet the ATO's criteria for that form.

If you are not sure, use the official tool rather than guessing. Late lodgment can attract penalties, and interest can accrue on a tax debt.

What to have ready

The ATO's first-return page, last updated 24 April 2026, says to have:

  • your income statement or payment summary, once your employer has marked the income statement as tax ready
  • receipts or statements for expenses you are claiming as deductions
  • a private health insurance statement, if you have one

If you lodge with myTax, the ATO can pre-fill most information from employers, banks, government agencies, health funds and other third parties, generally by late July. You still have to check that the pre-fill is complete and correct, and add anything that is missing, including many deductions.

The myDeductions tool in the ATO app can store records during the year and upload them into myTax, or you can share them with a tax agent. You remain responsible for the records, even if an agent lodges for you.

You will also need a myGov account with an active link to the ATO to use myTax or to see your notice of assessment in your myGov inbox.

Lodge online with myTax

The ATO's myTax page, last updated 28 October 2026, describes online lodgment through myGov or the ATO app as the quick and secure way to lodge your own return. To start:

  1. Sign in to your myGov account.
  2. Select ATO from your linked services.
  3. Select Manage tax returns from the Quick link.

You can also open the same online services in the ATO app. myTax works on a computer, smartphone or tablet. You do not download separate tax software.

The same page says you can lodge returns from the 2016 income year onwards, and some 2014 and 2015 returns if you are eligible, review or print a return before or after you lodge, see an estimate and breakdown of a refund or a debt, and receive a lodgment receipt by email.

The figure myTax shows before you submit is an estimate only. The final balance on your notice of assessment may differ.

If you need help and your affairs are simple, you may be eligible for the ATO's free Tax Help program.

Lodge with a registered tax agent

A registered tax agent can prepare and lodge the return for you. The ATO's agent page, last updated 24 April 2026, says they are the only people who can charge a fee for that service. Agents must be registered with the Tax Practitioners Board. You can check registration on the TPB website.

Most registered agents have a lodgment program and can lodge for their clients after the usual 31 October deadline. The due date in that program depends on your situation and on when you engage the agent. The ATO's advice is to contact the agent for your date. If you are using an agent for the first time, or you are changing agents, you should contact them before 31 October to be included in their program.

You still need to give the agent complete records, and you remain responsible for what is lodged.

Lodge a paper return

You can complete a paper tax return and mail it to the ATO. This is usually the slowest option. Official processing times for paper returns are set out in the refund timing guide, and they are longer than the times the ATO publishes for myTax.

The 31 October due date

If you are preparing and lodging your own return, the ATO says you have from 1 July to 31 October to lodge. That date does not automatically move because myTax is still pre-filling, or because you are waiting on a refund.

If you cannot lodge on time, the ATO has official pages on support to lodge and pay, and on what happens if you lodge late. Do not assume a verbal extension. If you want the later dates that can apply through a tax agent, you need to be in that agent's lodgment program, as described above.

After you lodge

The ATO will process the return and issue a notice of assessment, usually to your myGov inbox if the ATO is linked. If you have a refund, it is typically paid to the bank account the ATO has on file, once processing is finished, subject to any offset against other debts. If you have a bill, the notice or a statement of account will include the payment advice and due date.

Phoning the ATO does not, on the ATO's own advice, speed up ordinary processing. Use the self-help progress tools described in the refund-timing guide.

If you made a mistake, the ATO has a process to amend a return. If you disagree with the assessment, there is a formal objection process, generally within the two-year or four-year amendment period that applies to you.

Frequently asked questions

Can I lodge before 1 July?

The income year ends on 30 June. The usual self-lodge window described by the ATO starts on 1 July. Pre-fill of income statements also takes time after year end, and some information is not tax ready until later in July.

What if I have not lodged for an earlier year?

The ATO says it is important to get up to date as soon as possible, to reduce the risk of interest and late-lodgment penalties. A registered tax agent can lodge prior-year returns as well as the current one. myTax can also be used for many earlier years.

Do I need a tax file number to lodge online?

You generally need a TFN to engage with the tax system, including to lodge electronically and to avoid a higher rate of withholding. The ATO's contact pages explain how to find a TFN you already have, or how to apply for one.

General information warning

This article is general information only. It is not personal financial product advice or tax advice, and it is not a lodgment service or a recommendation to use or avoid an agent. It does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Confirm current due dates, eligibility and steps on the ATO and Tax Practitioners Board websites, and consider speaking with a registered tax agent if your affairs are not straightforward.

Sources

Last reviewed: November 2026.