Notice of assessment

Overview

The notice of assessment (NOA) we send you is an itemised account of the amount of tax you owe on your taxable income. It also contains other details that are not part of the assessment, such as the amount of credit for tax you have already paid throughout the income year.

When you receive your notice of assessment, you should make sure that everything is correct.

Your notice of assessment is an important document so keep it safe. You may also need to refer to it when you contact us, or if you use e-tax to lodge your tax return in the future.

View a sample notice of assessment.

What if I can't find my notices of assessment from the previous five years?

If you cannot find your notices of assessment from the previous five years, you can still lodge your tax return using e-tax by providing us with some specific information to verify your identity. To find out more about the specific information to verify your identity, go to the previous page and read the information under 'Eligibility requirements'.

If you cannot use the specific information to verify your identity, you can phone us on 13 28 61 between 8.00am and 6.00pm (local time) and we can provide you with the details of your notice of assessment.

When you phone us, you will be asked to verify your identity by providing your tax file number (TFN) or your full name as well as some other personal details.

When we have confirmed your identity, you may request the following information from your most recent notice of assessment (issued before 26 May 2012):

your TFN (if you cannot locate it)
your full name (exactly as it appears on your notice of assessment)
the date of issue, and
the sequence/reference number.

Alternatively, you can:

ask us to post you a copy of the notice of assessment, or
visit one of our shopfronts and obtain a copy in person.

Can I use a notice of assessment issued after 26 May 2012 to lodge my e-tax return?

No. To lodge your tax return using e-tax, you must use a notice of assessment with a date of issue after 1 May 2007 and before 26 May 2012. If you do not have a notice of assessment issued within this period, find out what other options you have.

Sample notice of assessment

The ATO introduced a new income tax processing system in February 2010. As a result, there have been changes to the notice of assessment.

To verify your identity in e-tax and lodge your tax return online you will need to know what details are required from your notice of assessment. To see a sample of these details, click on one of the links below, depending on when your notice of assessment was issued.

Notice of assessment with a date of issue before February 2010

This is a sample of the notice of assessment issued before February 2010.

A sample of the notice of assessment issued before February 2010

Notice of assessment with a date of issue after February 2010

This is a sample of the notice of assessment issued after February 2010.

A sample of the notice of assessment issued after February 2010

What to read next

Last Modified: Thursday, 28 June 2012

Our commitment to you

We are committed to providing you with accurate, consistent and clear information to help you understand your rights and entitlements and meet your obligations.

If you follow our information and it turns out to be incorrect, or it is misleading and you make a mistake as a result, we will take that into account when determining what action, if any, we should take.

Some of the information on this website applies to a specific financial year. This is clearly marked. Make sure you have the information for the right year before making decisions based on that information.

If you feel that our information does not fully cover your circumstances, or you are unsure how it applies to you, contact us or seek professional advice.

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