Communication in Online services for business
Use the Communication menu in Online services for business to communicate with us by Secure mail.
On this page
Secure mail
To access Secure mail, you need to select (tick) the View and action own mail permission in Access Manager.
At the Communication menu, select Secure mail to securely communicate with us.
To send secure mail messages you will need:
- a separate secure mail message for each subject
- to ensure you attach all supporting documentation and that the attached documentation
- is a maximum of 6 files
- is less than 6MB in size (per file)
- is in a suitable format (doc, .pdf, .rtf, .xls, .xml, .tif, .jpg, .zip, .bmp, .png, .gif, .mpp, .ppt, .docx, .dotx, .xlsx, .xltx, .pptx, .potx, .ppsx.)
- is not encrypted (for example, password protected)
- doesn’t contain macros
- doesn’t contain formulas (copying and pasting information from one spreadsheet to another may introduce unseen elements in your spreadsheet)
- is not an executable file (common executable file extensions include .exe, .app, .vb, .scr).
After sending your message, you will receive a receipt number.
You can also:
- view sent messages
- reply to messages
- allocate messages to other users (based on permissions)
- delete messages
- receive replies from us
- print messages
- set up email notifications to your preferred email address to advise you when you receive messages to your Online services for business mailbox
- select Email notification at the bottom of the inbox, type or update your email address
- email notifications will always be from our trusted email address – Taxofficeportalmessagenotify@ato.gov.au.
- access another users' mailbox to view and allocate mail (you cannot create, send or reply to an email in the business mailbox)
- access the Business mailbox to view delete, allocate or set up notifications (you cannot create, send or reply to an email in the Business mailbox).
To view the Business inbox or another user's mailbox, you need to select (tick) the Access other users' mail permission in Access Manager.
Mailbox management
Warnings will appear when a mailbox is approaching or has exceeded the 500 message limit. The limit includes both emails in your mailbox and sent emails.
You will be asked to delete mail items to reduce your mailbox size. Exceeding the limit will impact a user's ability to create new emails or reply to received emails.
You can save a list of messages in your own inbox or sent items by using the Printer Friendly button (located at the bottom left of your screen). This gives you the option to print a hard copy or save the list as a PDF.
Alternatively, you can view a list of sent emails in Your Dealings. This includes the status of the request.
To save copies of individual emails:
- open the email by clicking on the email hyperlink
- select the Printer Friendly button to print or save as a pdf.
Secure mail topics
Secure mail allows you to communicate with us on a range of topics and subjects. Topics and subjects are listed below.
Activity statements
Topic
|
Subject
|
Activity statements
|
Additional time to lodge – deferral request
|
Activity statements
|
Debit or nil balance query
|
Activity statements
|
How do I complete my activity statement?
|
Activity statements
|
Penalty or interest calculation
|
Activity statements
|
Remission of failure to lodge on time penalty
More information:
Requesting remission
|
Activity statements
|
Remission of general interest charge
More information:
How to request a remission of interest
|
Activity statements
|
Remission of non-electronic notification or non-electronic payment penalty
|
Income tax
Topic
|
Subject
|
Income tax
|
Additional time to lodge – deferral request
|
Income tax
|
Debit or nil balance query
|
Income tax
|
Div 7a Relief
|
Income tax
|
Income tax return amendment – companies
More information:
Lodge amendment
|
Income tax
|
Income tax return amendment – partnerships
More information:
Lodge amendment
|
Income tax
|
Income tax return amendment – superannuation funds
More information:
Lodge amendment
|
Income tax
|
Income tax return amendment – trusts
More information:
Lodge amendment
|
Income tax
|
Lodge Loss carry back form
|
Income tax
|
Lodge temporary full expensing schedule
|
Income tax
|
Submit 14ZYA notice
|
Income tax
|
Penalty or interest calculation
|
Income tax
|
Remission of failure to lodge on time penalty
|
Income tax
|
Remission of general interest charge
More information:
How to request a remission of interest
|
Income tax
|
Remission of shortfall interest charge
More information:
How to request a remission of interest
|
Income tax
|
Financial hardship refunds
|
Income tax
|
Certificate of Residency
More information:
Requesting a certificate of residency or status
|
Income tax
|
Request for Copies of tax documents
More information:
Copies of tax documents request
|
Income tax
|
ESIC Report NAT75119 unable to submit online
|
Income tax
|
Prior year IT amendment for earnout purposes
|
Income tax
|
Stapled Group – Choice Form
|
Income tax
|
Substituted Account Period
|
Pay as you go
Topic
|
Subject
|
Pay as you go
|
Instalments – Additional time to lodge – deferral request
|
Pay as you go
|
Instalments – Change instalment rate
|
Pay as you go
|
Instalments – Change PAYG cycle
|
Pay as you go
|
Instalments – Explanation of instalment rate
|
Pay as you go
|
Instalments – Other instalment queries
|
Pay as you go
|
Withholding – ATO cycle change letter received – Request to remain on current cycle
|
Pay as you go
|
Withholding – cycle change request – withholding amount less than $1 Million
|
Pay as you go
|
Withholding – cycle change request – withholding amount more than $1 Million
|
Refunds and remissions
Topic
|
Subject
|
Refunds/remissions
|
ATO pay interest on an early payment – request
|
Refunds/remissions
|
Client overpayment/double payment
|
Refunds/remissions
|
Excess imputation credit refunds
|
Refunds/remissions
|
Financial hardship refunds
|
Refunds/remissions
|
Interest paid on an overpayment of an income tax return
|
Refunds/remissions
|
Penalty or interest calculation
|
Refunds/remissions
|
Refund tax withheld
|
Refunds/remissions
|
Remission of failure to lodge on time penalty
More information:
Requesting remission
|
Refunds/remissions
|
Remission of general interest charge
More information:
How to request a remission of interest
|
Refunds/remissions
|
Remission of non-electronic notification or non-electronic payment penalty
|
Refunds/remissions
|
Returned refunds
|
Refunds/remissions
|
NRWT – Custodians
|
Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT)
Topic
|
Subject
|
Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT)
|
Additional time to lodge – deferral request
|
Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT)
|
Cancel FBT
|
Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT)
|
Change details for FBT
|
Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT)
|
Debit or nil balance query
|
Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT)
|
General FBT questions
|
Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT)
|
FBT Amendment request
|
Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT)
|
Other
|
Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT)
|
Penalty or interest calculation
|
Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT)
|
Register for FBT
|
Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT)
|
Remission of failure to lodge on time penalty
More information:
Requesting remission
|
Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT)
|
Remission of general interest charge
More information:
How to request a remission of interest
|
Other topics
Topic
|
Subject
|
Additional subject
|
View more topics
|
GST
|
Additional time to lodge – deferral request
|
View more topics
|
GST
|
ACNC – Elect to exclude grants
|
View more topics
|
GST
|
Charities, religious institutions, non-profit entities
|
View more topics
|
GST
|
Consolidation registration enquiry
|
View more topics
|
GST
|
Deferral of GST on importations (DGST)
|
View more topics
|
GST
|
Education courses
|
View more topics
|
GST
|
Export, import or online trading of goods and services
|
View more topics
|
GST
|
Financial supplies or insurance
|
View more topics
|
GST
|
Food, entertainment and SAM (simplified accounting method)
|
View more topics
|
GST
|
Government grant or funding, taxes, fees, charges
|
View more topics
|
GST
|
Grouping or Branching registration enquiry
|
View more topics
|
GST
|
GST Joint Venture Notification
GST – joint venture – notification of forming, changing or cancelling (PDF, 345KB)This link will download a file
|
View more topics
|
GST
|
Land or property transaction (including retirement villages)
|
View more topics
|
GST
|
Motor vehicles or luxury car tax
|
View more topics
|
GST
|
Other sales, purchases or and tax invoice enquiry
|
View more topics
|
GST
|
Time limits on refunds or activity statement amendment
|
View more topics
|
GST
|
Assistance to register/update GST details electronically
|
View more topics
|
GST
|
GST at settlement
|
View more topics
|
GST
|
Registrations update
|
View more topics
|
Exploration incentives
|
EDI Advice
|
View more topics
|
Exploration incentives
|
EDI Lodgment
|
View more topics
|
Exploration incentives
|
JMEI Advice
|
View more topics
|
Exploration incentives
|
JMEI Lodgment
|
View more topics
|
Lodge report
|
Annual investment income report extension of time
|
View more topics
|
Lodge report
|
Annual investment income report lodgment – PC spreadsheet
|
View more topics
|
Lodge report
|
Common Reporting Standard (CRS) extension of time
|
View more topics
|
Lodge report
|
Employee share scheme annual report extension of time
|
View more topics
|
Lodge report
|
Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) extension of time
|
View more topics
|
Lodge report
|
Non-resident interest, dividend and royalty annual report lodgment – PC spreadsheet
|
View more topics
|
Lodge report
|
Quarterly tax file number report extension of time
|
View more topics
|
Lodge report
|
Quarterly tax file number report lodgment – PC spreadsheet
|
View more topics
|
General questions/problems/help
|
Notify ATO of appointment of new public officer
|
View more topics
|
General questions/problems/help
|
Notification of legal representative
|
View more topics
|
Statement requests/account details
|
Debit or nil balance query
|
View more topics
|
Statement requests/account details
|
Penalty or interest calculation
|
View more topics
|
Statement requests/account details
|
Remission of failure to lodge on time penalty
More information:
Requesting remission
|
View more topics
|
Statement requests/account details
|
Remission of general interest charge
|
View more topics
|
Excise
|
Alcohol, fuel and petroleum products, tobacco, duty free store
|
View more topics
|
Excise
|
Audit
|
View more topics
|
Excise
|
Excise Returns
More information:
Excise return and instructions
|
View more topics
|
Excise
|
Fuel schemes enquiry
|
View more topics
|
Excise
|
Fuel tax credit enquiry (not to be used for registration requests)
|
View more topics
|
Excise
|
Other advice or lodgment enquiry
|
View more topics
|
Excise
|
Permission – movement and period settlement
|
View more topics
|
Excise
|
Remission, refund and drawback enquiry
|
View more topics
|
Excise
|
Wine equalisation tax enquiry (not to be used for registration requests)
|
View more topics
|
Excise
|
Product Stewardship for Oil (PSO) claim
More information:
Product stewardship for oil program claim form
|
View more topics
|
Excise
|
Product Stewardship for Oil (PSO) Category 1 Lab test results
|
View more topics
|
Excise
|
WET, FTC, LCT Registration.
|
View more topics
|
Insolvency
|
Bankruptcy
|
View more topics
|
Insolvency
|
Deed of Company Arrangement
|
View more topics
|
Insolvency
|
Liquidation
|
View more topics
|
Insolvency
|
Finalisations
|
View more topics
|
Insolvency
|
Indemnities
|
View more topics
|
Insolvency
|
New Insolvency Advice
|
View more topics
|
Insolvency
|
New Insolvency Advice – Voluntary Administration
|
View more topics
|
Insolvency
|
Notification of Creditors Meeting
|
View more topics
|
Insolvency
|
Part IX
|
View more topics
|
Insolvency
|
Part X
|
View more topics
|
Insolvency
|
Preferences
|
View more topics
|
Insolvency
|
Receiver/Manager appointed
More information:
Appointment or cessation of a representative of an incapacitated entity
|
View more topics
|
Insolvency
|
SB – Restructuring
|
View more topics
|
Insolvency
|
Simplified Liquidation
|
View more topics
|
Insolvency
|
Section 129 Demand
|
View more topics
|
Insolvency
|
Tax Clearance
|
View more topics
|
Insolvency
|
Request for Documents – The insolvency option is only available for insolvency practitioners. Other requests will not be answered.
More information:
Copies of tax documents request
|
View more topics
|
Insolvency
|
Voluntary Administration
|
View more topics
|
Petroleum Resource Rent Tax
|
General enquiries
|
View more topics
|
Petroleum Resource Rent Tax
|
PRRT Return/Instalment lodgment
More information:
PRTT return
|
View more topics
|
Trustee Services
|
Day 1 Notification
More information:
Public trustees and private trustee companies – Day 1 Notification
|
Communication history
Communication history gives you access to view available correspondence we send to you or your agent via the following channels:
- email
- SMS
- paper
- agent digital – used to send digital communications to your agent when they have set up Communication preferences to receive mail on your behalf
- ATO Online – used to send a digital copy of a statement of tax record and digital activity statement notice.
Some communications cannot be sent digitally. These will continue to be sent by post and will not be viewable in Communication history. We will continue to add more communication types to enhance this function further.
If you are a sole trader, you will need to use ATO Online services for individuals and sole traders to view your communication history.
To view your communication history:
- select Communication
- select Communication history.
To search using specific parameters:
- select Search
- select Type
- select Time period using the drop-down menu
- select Channel
- email
- SMS
- paper
- agent digital
- ATO online services
- then Search – results will be displayed
- select Download – a new window will open with the search results as an Excel spreadsheet
- select Print friendly version to print or save a copy.
You can view and download a digital activity statement notice for quarterly GST and PAYG instalments (forms R, S and T) if you lodge activity statements electronically.
To view and download your digital activity statement notice from the client home page:
- select Communication
- select Communication history
- select Search
- then select Activity statements tick box, and deselect Communications tick box
- select the Time period and then Search – this will display the Digital Activity Statement Notice.
If your registered delivery preference is paper, we will continue to send paper instalment notices. We don't change your delivery preferences from paper to electronic unless you have lodged electronically.
Communication preferences
If you use a tax agent, Communication preferences allows you and your agent to choose where we send your digital ATO communications.
You can choose to have communications:
- sent to you
- sent to your registered agent.
You can also choose to have some communications sent to you and others to your registered agent.
Your agent can set your communication preferences on your behalf.
Your dealings
You can track the progress of the messages you've sent us, by using Your dealings in the Communications menu.
Lodge amendments
If you need to correct a mistake on your return, you can lodge this in Online services for business.
You will need to complete the amended return and then at the 'Communication' menu:
- select Secure mail then New
- select Topic: Income tax and Subject: Income tax amendment (and the relevant client type)
- attach amendment
- tick the declaration then Send.
You cannot lodge an original income tax return using Online services for business.
For business or super amendments, see Request an amendment to a business or super tax return.
Use the Communication menu in Online services for business to communicate with us by Secure mail.