Getting an IRD Number in New Zealand
🔢 What is an IRD number and who needs one?
An IRD number is your personal tax identification number in New Zealand, issued by Inland Revenue (IRD). It is unique to you, it is usually an eight or nine digit number, and you keep the same one for life. It is the key that links every part of your financial life to the tax system, so nearly everyone in New Zealand ends up needing one. You need an IRD number to earn wages or salary through PAYE, to run a business or work as a contractor, to open most bank accounts, to join KiwiSaver, to receive Working for Families or a benefit, to take out a student loan, and to buy or sell property. Applying is completely free, whether you do it yourself online or on paper, and you should never pay anyone a fee to get one. This guide walks you through every way to get an IRD number: applying as an adult already living here, getting one for a newborn when you register the birth, sorting out a number for a child or teenager, the process for new migrants, the extra steps for people applying from overseas, and how to track down a number you have lost.
Why you need an IRD number
Without an IRD number, tax is deducted from your income at penalty rates. If you start a job and do not give your employer an IRD number and tax code, they must deduct PAYE at the no-notification rate of 45 percent. Banks apply a higher rate of resident withholding tax to the interest you earn if they do not hold your IRD number. Giving the right details up front means you are taxed correctly from your very first payday.
Common situations where you need an IRD number include:
- Starting work: Your employer needs it on your IR330 tax code declaration
- Opening a bank account: Most New Zealand banks ask for it to set up an account
- Joining KiwiSaver: Your contributions are tracked against your IRD number
- Working for Families and Best Start: Both you and your child need numbers
- Student loans and allowances: StudyLink and IRD use it to manage your loan
- Benefits and NZ Super: Work and Income pays you against your IRD number
- Buying or selling property: Required for the tax statement at settlement
- Earning interest or dividends: Stops your bank or fund using the higher no-notification rate
As an individual you use one IRD number for your whole life, even if you change your name, move overseas and come back, or switch between employment and self-employment. If you later set up a company, trust or partnership, each of those is a separate legal entity and gets its own IRD number. This guide covers the process for individuals.
How you apply depends on your situation
There is no single form for everyone. The right route depends on where you live and your immigration status. The table below shows which path applies to you, and the rest of this guide explains each one in detail.
| Your situation | How you apply | Main form |
|---|---|---|
| Adult living in NZ (citizen or resident, not a new arrival) | Online in myIR or paper form | IR595 |
| Newborn baby | When you register the birth through SmartStart | Birth registration |
| Child or teenager (no number yet) | Parent or guardian applies, same route as an adult | IR595 |
| New arrival on a visa | Online only, through myIR | Online application |
| Living overseas (offshore person) | Paper form emailed to Inland Revenue | IR742 |
🧾 Applying if you already live in New Zealand
If you are a New Zealand citizen or hold a resident visa and you already live here, this is the most common route. You can apply online in myIR, which is the fastest option, or complete the paper form IR595 (the individual currently in New Zealand application) and take it to a verifier. Either way there is nothing to pay.
Documents you need
You prove your identity with two documents: one primary document and one secondary document. All documents must be the original, physical items, not photos or scans.
Primary document (choose one)
- Current New Zealand passport
- Overseas passport with a New Zealand residence visa
- Full New Zealand birth certificate
- New Zealand citizenship certificate
- New Zealand refugee travel document or emergency travel document
Secondary document (choose one)
- Current New Zealand driver licence
- Overseas driver licence
- Kiwi Access Card (the 18 plus card)
- New Zealand student photo identification
- International Driving Permit
The three steps
Inland Revenue verifies your identity from the original, physical documents. A photocopy or a photo on your phone will not be accepted at the counter. Make sure your primary and secondary documents are current and that the names on them match, otherwise the verifier cannot complete the check.
Getting an IRD number for a newborn baby
Every baby born in New Zealand must have their birth registered, usually within 2 months of being born. The easiest time to sort out your baby's IRD number is at that same moment. When you register the birth online through SmartStart at smartstart.services.govt.nz, you can tick to apply for your baby's IRD number in the same process. Registering the birth and applying for the IRD number are both free, although you pay a fee if you order a printed birth certificate.
If you apply for Best Start payments, or you already receive Working for Families and you tell Inland Revenue about the new baby, an IRD number is issued for your child as part of that process. You do not need to apply separately.
Getting an IRD number for an older child or teenager
If a child did not get an IRD number at birth, a parent or guardian applies on their behalf. The process is the same as applying for an adult and depends on where the child lives, so a child living in New Zealand uses the IR595 route above. You provide an identification document for the child, such as their birth certificate or passport.
If your documents do not clearly show your relationship to the child, you also supply supporting evidence, for example:
- Adoption papers
- An overseas birth certificate naming you as a parent
- Parenting orders or guardianship orders
- A statutory declaration on form IR595D
🌏 New migrants, non-residents and lost numbers
If you have just arrived in New Zealand, or you are applying from overseas, the process is different again. The route you use depends on your visa and whether you are physically in the country.
New arrivals to New Zealand
If you have recently arrived on a visa, you apply online through myIR. There is no paper form for this route. Inland Revenue checks your identity with Immigration New Zealand using your visa details, so the documents you enter depend on your visa type.
| Your visa | What you provide |
|---|---|
| Australian passport holder | Your passport details. Apply 4 to 6 weeks after you arrive. |
| Resident visa holder | Your passport details and your Immigration New Zealand application number. |
| Student or work visa holder | Your passport details, your Immigration New Zealand application number, and your most recent overseas tax number if you have one. |
Once your application is approved, Inland Revenue sends your IRD number by text or email within 2 days, or by post within 10 days. Visa holders should apply by the final arrival date shown on their Immigration New Zealand visa.
Applying from overseas as an offshore person
If you live outside New Zealand and do not hold a New Zealand or Australian passport or resident visa, you are an offshore person and use the paper form IR742 (the offshore individual application). This route has extra checks because it is used to prevent tax avoidance and money laundering.
You need to gather:
- Photo identification, such as your passport
- Proof of your address, for example a letter from your utility company
- Your tax identification number (TIN) from your own country or territory
- Evidence of why you need an IRD number
- Either a fully functional New Zealand bank account, or a completed customer due diligence form IR997
A fully functional New Zealand bank account is one you can actually use for deposits and withdrawals, and where the bank has already verified your identity. To prove it, you provide the evidence set out in the IR984 guide: a bank statement or printout showing your name, your account number and at least one deposit and one withdrawal of different amounts, or a letter from the bank showing your name, your account number and the account status. If you cannot get this, the IR997 customer due diligence form completed by a New Zealand reporting entity is the alternative.
Most delays for offshore applicants come from the bank account requirement. Some New Zealand banks let you open an account before you arrive, but it is often not treated as fully functional until you are here and have completed identity checks in person. If you are moving to New Zealand soon, it can be simpler to wait until you arrive and apply as a new arrival through myIR instead.
Finding an IRD number you have lost
You do not apply again if you have lost your number, because you keep the same one for life. Your IRD number appears in several places you may already have:
- On a payslip from your employer
- On any letter or statement from Inland Revenue
- On your KiwiSaver statement
- On income details your employer has given you
If you still cannot find it, you have three options:
- Log in to myIR: Your IRD number is shown in your account
- Use the online "Find my IRD number" tool: You confirm your identity and it shows your number
- Call Inland Revenue: 0800 227 774 from within New Zealand, or +64 4 832 5223 from overseas, Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm
To keep your details safe, Inland Revenue avoids sending personal information like your IRD number by email. Use myIR or the phone instead. This is also why any email claiming to send you an IRD number or a refund should be treated with suspicion.
👥 Real-world New Zealand examples
Here are four common situations that show how the different routes work in practice.
Situation: Aroha is 17, born in Auckland, and has just been offered a part-time job at a supermarket. She has never needed an IRD number before.
What she does:
Situation: Priya and Raj have just had a baby, Diya, born in Wellington. They want her IRD number sorted so they can apply for Best Start and open a savings account for her.
What they do:
Because the Patels applied for Best Start, Inland Revenue would have issued Diya an IRD number through that process anyway. Doing it at birth registration simply gets it done in a single visit to the SmartStart website.
Situation: Sofia has moved from Spain to Christchurch on a work visa to start a hospitality job. She has just arrived and needs an IRD number quickly.
What she does:
Visa holders should apply by the final arrival date shown on their visa. Sofia applies as soon as she lands so she can give the number to her employer and open a local bank account without delay.
Situation: Tom has inherited a share of a New Zealand rental property and needs an IRD number to deal with the tax on his share, but he lives in London and has no plans to move back soon.
What he does:
If Tom could not show a fully functional New Zealand bank account, he could instead submit a completed customer due diligence form IR997 done by a New Zealand reporting entity. Either the bank account proof or the IR997 satisfies the requirement.
Related tools and guides
Once you have your IRD number, these tools and guides help you get set up correctly:
- Tax Code Picker - work out the right tax code to give your employer on your IR330
- PAYE Calculator - see your take-home pay once PAYE, ACC and other deductions come out
- PAYE Tax System guide - understand every line of your payslip and how your tax is worked out
Sources: every figure and step in this guide was checked against Inland Revenue and New Zealand Government sources in July 2026:
- Inland Revenue, IRD numbers overview and IRD numbers for individuals (ird.govt.nz/managing-my-tax/ird-numbers)
- Inland Revenue, Living in New Zealand IRD number application (form IR595, identity documents, AA verification, timeframes)
- Inland Revenue, New arrival to New Zealand IRD number application (myIR, visa document requirements, 2 day and 10 day timeframes)
- Inland Revenue, Living overseas IRD number application (form IR742, fully functional bank account, IR997, offshore@ird.govt.nz, 20 day timeframe)
- Inland Revenue, Child IRD numbers and IR595D statutory declaration; SmartStart birth registration (smartstart.services.govt.nz); govt.nz get an IRD number for your child
- Inland Revenue, Find my IRD number and Lost IRD number contact page (0800 227 774; +64 4 832 5223)
- Inland Revenue, IR984 documents to confirm a fully functional New Zealand bank account
Inland Revenue updates its forms and processing times from time to time. The figures here reflect the current Inland Revenue guidance at July 2026. Always confirm the latest details at ird.govt.nz before you apply, especially processing timeframes and the exact documents required for your situation.
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