Set Up myGov and Link Medicare, ATO and Centrelink
Create or recover your own account, then link each service using its official identity process. A linked service is access to your records, not approval for a payment or Medicare enrolment.
In this guide
myGov, myID and a service record are different
myGov is the account used to access linked government services. myID, formerly myGovID, is the Australian Government’s Digital ID app. “Digital ID” is the wider identity concept; it is not the new name of myGov. An ATO, Medicare or Centrelink record remains a separate service record.
Keep a note of which account or service an error belongs to, but do not write passwords or verification codes in a shared checklist. A name change, different email address or old service record can require different troubleshooting from a forgotten myGov password.
Create or recover the account before linking
Start from the official myGov site and follow its current account-creation or recovery flow. If you already have an account, use recovery rather than assuming you should create another. Choose and maintain the sign-in methods supported by the service you need. Available methods can include Digital ID, passkeys, authenticators or SMS; requirements differ.
Do not assume an overseas mobile number will work in every SMS flow. Read the displayed requirements and set up an appropriate supported method while you still have access to the old one. For ATO access, secret questions and answers alone are not supported. The current myGov ATO-linking guide explains sign-in requirements.
A page can change after this guide is reviewed. Treat the official prompts as the source for the current controls, and never give another person your password or approval code so they can “fix” linking.
Link Medicare, or enrol if you do not have a record
If you already have Medicare, use the official linking process and your existing details. If you need to enrol, first check eligibility and the correct application route. Holding OVHC or OSHC alone does not make you eligible for Medicare.
Permanent residents and certain applicants can enrol online or by form as applicable. The official permanent-resident and applicant page sets out residence, work/family conditions and evidence. Other temporary-visa and RHCA routes have different requirements.
Keep application submission, assessment and linking as separate checklist items. Do not expect a same-day number or treat “Medicare linked” as proof that a new eligibility question has been resolved. Check the status and any document request in the actual account.
Link the ATO using your existing tax records
The official flow is to sign in, open View and link services, choose the ATO, confirm details and answer identity questions. Read the myGov instructions and the linked ATO evidence requirements before beginning.
If the usual questions cannot establish the link, contact the ATO through its official route. A linking code is not your TFN and is not printed on every tax letter. ATO linking codes are time-limited; ATO guidance specifies 24 hours, not 30 days. Use the issued instructions promptly and request a new code through the ATO if it has expired. ATO linking help.
Using myID for ATO access can establish an online access strength. If a later sign-in method does not meet it, follow the ATO’s official help rather than unlinking services repeatedly or weakening security settings based on an internet workaround.
Find or obtain your CRN, then link Centrelink
A Customer Reference Number identifies your Centrelink record. If you already have one, recover or use it rather than creating duplicates. You may be able to obtain a CRN through online identity verification; an office visit is not mandatory for every new customer. See the official CRN guidance.
Follow the linking option that fits your existing record and identity evidence. If online verification cannot be completed, use the official support route for the next step. Do not assume the same documents or processing time apply to everyone.
A CRN and linked account do not establish eligibility or start every migrant waiting period. If claiming, open the payment’s own rules and complete the actual submission. Save the receipt and monitor requests.
Resolve one mismatch at a time
- Record the exact service, error wording and time, excluding passwords or codes.
- Check that you are on the official domain and that the name, birth date and relevant record details match.
- Read that service’s current help page, including any sign-in-strength or waiting instructions.
- Contact the service that owns the failed link; myGov support may not be able to correct an ATO or Medicare record.
- After it works, open the service and verify you can see the expected record. A link appearing in a menu is only one part of the check.
If a message asks you to follow an unsolicited link to reveal credentials or urgently “reconfirm” myID, stop and use the official site independently. No account system is promised breach-proof here. Keep recovery options current and read security notices from the service.
Frequently asked questions
Is myGovID now called Digital ID?
The app formerly called myGovID is now myID. Digital ID is the wider identity framework; myGov is a separate government-services account.
Must I visit a Centrelink office to get a CRN?
Not always. Online identity verification may be available. Follow the official CRN process and use its support route if online verification cannot be completed.
Does every ATO letter contain a linking code?
No. Use the official identity/linking route. An issued linking code is time-limited and is different from your TFN.
Does linking Medicare or Centrelink approve eligibility?
No. Linking provides account access. Enrolment, claim assessment, waiting periods and other eligibility decisions remain separate.
Source review: 1 October 2026. General planning information. Confirm current rules and your individual circumstances with the linked official service before acting.