How-to5 min read

How to Get a tax compliance certificate from ATO for Tenders

Step-by-step: get your ATO Tax Compliance Status (TCS) number on eFiling, share it with government, fix a non-compliant status, and keep it valid for every bid.

Watch the walkthrough · 1:21Check you qualify before you bidSee it done in the real dashboard, with a sample company.

Every Australian government bid checks your tax status. A valid ATO Tax Compliance Status (TCS) number lets the buyer verify you in real time. No valid PIN is an automatic disqualification, so this is one document you fix before you bid, not during.

What you need first

An active ATO eFiling profile for the business
Your tax reference numbers registered (Income Tax, and VAT / PAYE if applicable)
No outstanding returns or debt, or an arranged payment plan

Get your tax compliance certificate, step by step

Log in to ATO eFiling and open the Tax Compliance Status menu
Activate Tax Compliance Status if you have not already (a once-off step)
Under Tax Compliance Status Request, select the type Good Standing
Submit the request; if you are compliant, ATO issues a TCS number immediately
Share the TCS number (and your tax reference number) on the bid, or print the TCS letter

If your status shows non-compliant

eFiling shows exactly why: outstanding returns, outstanding debt, or unregistered for a required tax type. File the missing returns, settle or arrange the debt, and the status flips to compliant, usually within a day or two. Then request the TCS number again.

On TenderWinA TCS number can be verified by the buyer at any time, so it must stay compliant through the whole bid. TenderWin keeps your PIN and its status in your vault and flags it before a deadline, so a bid is never lost on tax.

Frequently asked questions

Is the ATO tax compliance certificate free?+

Yes. Requesting your tax compliance certificate on ATO eFiling is free. You only need to be registered and compliant.

How long is a tax compliance certificate valid?+

The PIN itself does not expire on a fixed date, but it reflects your live status, so the buyer sees non-compliant the moment you fall behind. Keep returns and payments current throughout the bid.

What is the difference between the old Tax Clearance Certificate and the TCS number?+

ATO replaced the printed Tax Clearance Certificate with the Tax Compliance Status (TCS) number, which lets government verify your status online in real time instead of accepting a paper certificate.

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