Find your IRD number in New Zealand and prepare the proof someone asks for
Find your existing IRD number in myIR, on Inland Revenue correspondence or through the official Find my IRD number tool. If someone asks for proof, confirm which document they accept before sending a letter, statement or screenshot that contains other personal information.
A new employer or an application asks for your IRD number. Finding the number and providing documentary proof are separate jobs: one may need you to enter digits in a form, while the other may ask for a particular letter or statement. Ask which one is required before sharing your tax records.
Choose the quickest appropriate source
| What you have | What to do |
|---|---|
| Access to myIR | Sign in through Inland Revenue and locate your existing number |
| An Inland Revenue letter or statement | Check the holder's name and number on that record |
| A payslip or KiwiSaver statement | Use it to find the number; confirm acceptance before sending the whole file |
| No accessible record | Use Inland Revenue's number-finding service or contact route |
| You have never had an IRD number | Follow the first-time application guidance instead |
Inland Revenue's lost-number guidance lists these ways to find an existing number. Its official tool checks information already registered with Inland Revenue. Use the link from that page rather than entering identity details on an unfamiliar search result.
Recover the number without making a new application
Start with records you can already access: myIR, correspondence from Inland Revenue, a payslip, a KiwiSaver statement or employer income details. Check that the record belongs to you. Do not confuse family members' records.
If those sources do not help, open the official Find my IRD number service. If verification fails, use Inland Revenue's official contact options.
The myIR number guidance distinguishes recovery from applying for a first number. It also explains that IRD numbers use nine digits: if your existing record has eight digits, add a leading zero when entering it. Check each digit against the source instead of relying on a remembered number.
Prepare a suitable proof document
- Ask the organisation what it needs: the number entered in a field, Inland Revenue correspondence, or another accepted document.
- Select an existing record that shows the requested information clearly. A payslip may reveal income, deductions and employer details that the recipient does not need.
- If you can obtain the document as a PDF from its issuing service, retain that unchanged file. Do not recreate an official-looking letter yourself.
- Check that the document shows the correct holder and that any date requirement is satisfied.
- Use the recipient's designated upload or secure submission channel, then keep a note of what you sent.
Confirm the required proof with the recipient before preparing it. Do not assume that a myIR screenshot or a statement will be accepted just because it shows the number. Ask Inland Revenue if you need a confirmation you cannot locate.
Share a copy without losing your source
Keep your complete source document separate from any copy prepared for one application. If the recipient permits hiding unrelated information, create a derivative and check it before sharing. Do not obscure the name or number that the recipient needs to verify, or apply a watermark across required text.
For a permitted copy that needs unrelated amounts or account details removed, the redaction tool can help prepare a separate file. Its output is a derivative image-based copy, so check whether that format meets the recipient's rules. Retain any digitally signed PDF or verification-code document unchanged; an edited version may no longer support the same checks.
Name the stored record clearly without putting the IRD number into the filename. After submission, open the attachment once more to confirm you selected the intended document.
Before sending proof
- The number was checked against an existing official or employer record.
- The receiving organisation's accepted proof is confirmed.
- The file belongs to the correct holder.
- Unrelated information is shared only where needed.
- The unchanged source and any derivative remain distinguishable.
The New Zealand document tools prepare licence copies and supporting documents for a rental application. Keep an issued certificate or signed file unchanged. For an INZ passport upload, use a clean original or unmarked scan instead.
Questions about IRD numbers and document proof
Should I apply for another number if I lose mine?
Use Inland Revenue's recovery options for an existing number. Its first-time application guidance is for people who do not have an IRD number, with different routes depending on their circumstances.
Why does my older record show only eight digits?
Inland Revenue says IRD numbers contain nine digits and instructs people with an eight-digit number to add a leading zero when entering it. Verify the remaining digits against your record.
Will every organisation accept a myIR screenshot?
Ask the receiving organisation which evidence it needs and whether a screenshot, statement or Inland Revenue letter meets that requirement. A screenshot is not automatically accepted just because it shows your number.