Do I need to lodge a tax return?
To help you work out if you need to lodge a tax return, use the Do I need to lodge tool in ATO online services through your myGov account or access the tool through our website.
On this page
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 to check if you need to lodge, if:
- your situation changes
- additional information becomes available.
Australian Government payments and allowances
If you are a liable or recipient parent under a child support assessment or you received Family Tax Benefit or Child Care Subsidy you will need to notify both us and Services Australia if you do not need to lodge a tax return.
For more information about payments for people with a disability see Government pensions and payments.
When you notify Services Australia that you don't need to lodge a tax return, they will also ask for your income for the financial year. If you don't provide the details you may not receive your full entitlement.
If you have received income from dividends and franking credits you may be eligible to receive an automatic refund of franking credits.
Access the tool in ATO online services through myGov
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 party reports, such as employers and government agencies. This means there are less questions you will 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 tell us by submitting a non-lodgment advice. A link to the non-lodgment advice is available from the results page.
If you already have a myGov account, you can access the tool by clicking the link below. This will open a new window.
You can navigate to the tool, by:
- logging in to your myGov accountThis link opens in a new window
- from the ATO online services menu, select Tax, then Lodgments, then Income tax
- from the Not lodged tab, select the relevant income year
- then select Do I need to lodge.
When you can't log in to myGov
If you can't log in to myGov because you:
Access the Do I need to lodge tool from our website
Anyone can access the 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:
For income years before 2007–08, go to our Prior years individuals tax return forms and schedules and select the relevant year.
Use these tools and instructions to help you work out if you need to lodge a tax return.Last modified: 01 Jul 2022QC 21505