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Get a CRN online

You can prove your identity online to get a Customer Reference Number (CRN) using myGov.

If you want to claim a payment, you need a CRN. To get a CRN, you need to prove who you are with us. You can do this online using myGov. You don’t need to visit a service centre.

To start you need a myGov account. If you don’t have one, you can create one. Once you’ve created your myGov account you can follow these steps.

How to get a CRN with myGov during coronavirus (COVID-19)

Follow these steps to get a CRN.

  1. Sign in to myGov.
  2. Select Continue in the Government support for Coronavirus banner. Then select I need a CRN.

  3. Follow the prompts to enter your identity details to prove your identity.

    You’ll need 1 of these documents:

    • Australian birth certificate
    • Australian citizenship certificate
    • current Australian passport
    • Australian visa.

    You’ll also need 1 of these documents:

  4. Enter information from your Medicare card.

  5. Enter some personal details.

    myGov will share this information with us to check if you have a CRN. If we find your CRN record, you need to answer some questions to make sure the record is yours. If we don’t find a CRN, we’ll give you one.

  6. Your new Centrelink online account will link to your myGov account.

  7. We’ll need more identity documents from you at a later date to complete our identity requirements. We’ll contact you in the future to let you know what we need.

  8. You’re now ready to claim a Centrelink payment.

If you can’t get a CRN online, you can call us to prove your identity over the phone. We can then give you a CRN and the information you need to claim a payment.

Page last updated: 13 October 2020