Do I need to lodge a tax return?

How to access the Do I need to lodge a tax return tool to help you work out if you need to lodge a tax return.

On this page

• Before you use the tool
• Australian Government payments and allowances
• Access the tool in ATO online services – from 2018–19 to 2021–22
• Access the tool from our website – from 2013–14 to 2021–22
• Instructions for earlier income years – from 2007–08 to 2011–12

Before you use the tool

We base the results from our tools on the information you provide us or information we know about you at the time. You may need to use the tool again, if:

• your situation changes
• additional information becomes available.

Australian Government payments and allowances

If you don't need to lodge a tax return, you still need to notify both us and Services Australia if you:

• are a liable or recipient parent under a child support assessment, or
• receive family assistance payments (such as Family Tax Benefit or Child Care Subsidy).

When you notify Services Australia that you don't need to lodge a tax return, they will ask for your income for the financial year. If you don't provide the details, you may not receive your full entitlement.

Access the tool in ATO online services

To access the tool through ATO online services you need a myGov account linked to the ATO.

When you access the tool through ATO online services it uses information we know about you. This information comes from third parties, including employers and other government agencies. This means there are less questions you need to answer and the result is tailored to you.

You can use the tool in ATO online services for income years from 2018–19 to 2021–22.

If the result shows you need to lodge a tax return, you can go straight to myTax to complete your return online.

If the result shows you don't need to lodge a tax return, you need to submit a non-lodgment advice. A link to the non-lodgment advice is available from the results page.

Alternatively, you can navigate to the tool:

• sign in to your myGov account
• under Linked services select Australian Taxation Office
• select Tax, then Lodgments, then Income tax
• from the Not lodged tab, select the relevant income year
• then select Do I need to lodge for the relevant income year.

Access the tool from our website

Anyone can access the Do I need to lodge a tax return tool from our website.

Use this tool if you:

• don't have a myGov account linked to the ATO
• need to work out if you need to lodge a return for an income year from 2012–13 to 2021–22.

This tool asks you a series of questions to determine whether you need to lodge a tax return. It takes 5 to 10 minutes to complete.

Instructions for earlier income years

To help you work out if you need to lodge a tax return for income years from 2007–08 to 2011–12, use the following links for the relevant year:

• 2012 – Do you need to lodge a tax return?This link opens in a new window
• 2011 – Do you need to lodge a tax return?This link opens in a new window
• 2010 – Do you need to lodge a tax return?This link opens in a new window
• 2009 – Do you need to lodge a tax return?This link opens in a new window
• 2008 – Do you need to lodge a tax return?This link opens in a new window

For income years before 2007–08, go to our prior years individuals tax return forms and schedules and select the relevant year.