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Communication in Online services for business

Use the Communication menu in Online services for business to communicate with us by Secure mail.

Last updated 10 March 2024

Secure mail

You can use secure mail to engage with us on a number of topics.

Access secure mail

To access Secure mail, you need to first grant permissions in Access Manager.

Log in to Access Manager, select:

  • Manage permissions
  • View and action own mail.

Use Secure mail

You can use Secure mail to:

  • 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 mailbox and type or update your email address
    • email notifications will always be from our trusted email address – Taxofficeportalmessagenotify@ato.gov.au
  • access the business mailbox or another user's mailbox to view and allocate mail (you can't create, send or reply to an email in these mailboxes).

To view the Business mailbox or another user's mailbox, you need to select the Access other user's mail permission in Access Manager.

Lodge income tax return 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 can't lodge an original income tax return using Online services for business.

Secure mail topics

Secure mail allows you to communicate with us on a range of topics and subjects. Topics and subjects are listed below.

Table 1: 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

Activity statements

Remission of general interest charge

Activity statements

Remission of non-electronic notification or non-electronic payment penalty

Table 2: Debt and lodgment

Topic

Subject

Debt and lodgment

ATO Businesses/Sole trader payment plan request form (XLSX, 70KB)This link will download a file.
Use this form if you are requesting a payment arrangement. You can also request a payment plan in Online services for business. For payment plans above $200,000, you will need to contact us.

Debt and lodgment

Additional time to lodge – deferral request

Debt and lodgment

Debit or nil balance query

Debt and lodgment

Penalty or interest calculation

Debt and lodgment

Remission of failure to lodge on time penalty

Debt and lodgment

Remission of general interest charge

Debt and lodgment

Remission of shortfall interest charge

Debt and lodgment

Taxable Payments Annual Report

Table 3: Registrations

Topic

Subject

Registrations

Consolidation registration enquiry

Registrations

Grouping or Branching registration enquiry

Registrations

Non-residents registration enquiry

Registrations

GST Joint Venture Notification

GST – joint venture – notification of forming, changing or cancelling (PDF, 345KB)This link will download a file

Table 4: 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

Income tax return amendment – partnerships

Income tax return amendment – superannuation funds

To lodge an original income tax return you must use SBR enabled software, speak with your registered tax professional, or lodge via a paper return. You can't lodge an original tax return in Online services for business.

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

Income tax

Remission of shortfall interest charge

Income tax

Financial hardship refunds

Income tax

Certificate of Residency

Income tax

Request for Copies of tax documents

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

Table 5: 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

Table 6: Superannuation

Topic

Subject

Superannuation

Account details – this option is only available to legal practitioners. Other requests will not be answered.

Superannuation

Approved SMSF Auditors – ACA bulk lodgments

Audit complete advice (XLSX, 248KB)This link will download a file

Superannuation

Approved SMSF Auditors – Intelligence referrals

Superannuation

Approved SMSF Auditors – Number enquiries

Superannuation

Approved SMSF Auditors – P2P requests – application of the SIS Act & Regulations

Superannuation

Approved SMSF Auditors – IAR/ACR/ACA Enquiries

Superannuation

Approved SMSF Auditors – Auditing Standards/Audit related issues, online services and general enquiries

Superannuation

Direct claim payout from the superannuation holding account special account (SHA)

Superannuation

Fund Validation Service

Superannuation

Is a particular fund registered as a complying superannuation fund?

Superannuation

Lodge inactive low balance account – declaration

Superannuation

Lodge SGC Statement

SGC Statement spreadsheet version (XLS, 526KB)This link will download a file

Superannuation

Lodge Super Guarantee Opt-Out form

Super Guarantee opt-out for high income earners with multiple employers (PDF, 315KB)This link will download a file

Superannuation

Lodge USM adjustment Templates/non-Lodgment Advice

Superannuation

Lodgment – Transfer Balance Account Report

Superannuation

Manual payment request

Superannuation

Other

Superannuation

Payment and transfer of superannuation holdings reserve

Superannuation

Payment arrangement request

ATO Businesses/Sole trader payment plan request form (XLSX, 70KB)This link will download a file

Superannuation

Penalty or interest calculation

Superannuation

Refund request

Superannuation

Remission of general interest charge

Superannuation

Small Business Superannuation Clearing House enquiry

Superannuation

SMSF Early Engagement and voluntary disclosure

More information:

SMSF regulatory contravention disclosure form

Superannuation

SMSF product ruling

Superannuation

SMSF specific advice

Superannuation

Statement of account or account query

Superannuation

Superannuation Provider Assessment Data

Table 7: 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

Refunds/remissions

Remission of general interest charge

Refunds/remissions

Remission of non-electronic notification or non-electronic payment penalty

Refunds/remissions

Returned refunds

Refunds/remissions

NRWT – Custodians

Table 8: 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

Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT)

Remission of general interest charge

Table 9: Other topics - General, excise, GST, exploration incentives, JMEI, Insolvency, and more.

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

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

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

View more topics

Excise

Product Stewardship for Oil (PSO) Category 1 Lab test results

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.

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

View more topics

Trustee Services

Day 1 Notification

View and print excise delivery authorities

Online services for business allows you to view and print your delivery authority. To access your delivery authority in online services when you prepay:

  • select Communication
  • select Secure mail
  • navigate to the relevant mailbox
  • click on the Delivery Authority/Excise return attachment and download the PDF document.  Once downloaded, you can print the delivery authority.

To receive an email notification that your delivery authority has been issued, add an email address in the Notifications field at the bottom of the secure mail mailbox.

Email notifications will always be sent from our trusted email address, Taxofficeportalmessagenotify@ato.gov.au

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 can't be sent digitally. These will continue to be sent by post and can't be viewed 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.

If you or your agent elect to have communications sent to them, you can request a copy from them.

Your dealings

You can track the progress of the messages you've sent us by using Your dealings in the Communications menu.

Troubleshooting Secure mail

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).    

Mailbox size limit

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.

Prior to deleting any messages, you should 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.

You can also 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.

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