Linking Centrelink to myGov is the step that turns your myGov account into your Centrelink online account. Once it is linked, you can claim payments, report income, upload documents and update your details online, instead of calling or visiting a service centre for every little thing.
Quick answer: Sign in at my.gov.au, choose Link a service (or View and link services), select Centrelink, then follow the prompts. You will link with a linking code, your Digital ID, or an identity check using your documents. The exact path depends on whether you already have a Centrelink Customer Reference Number (CRN). Services Australia’s official guide walks through the linking-code path step by step: Link Centrelink to myGov using a linking code.
Before you start: what you need
A few things will save you from getting stuck halfway through:
- A myGov account. If you do not have one yet, create one at my.gov.au first, then come back to link Centrelink.
- Matching names. The name recorded with myGov must match the name on your Centrelink record. If it does not match or is out of date, you will need to update it by contacting Centrelink on your regular payment line before linking will work.
- Your CRN, if you have one. Your Customer Reference Number appears on letters Centrelink has sent you, or on your concession card if you have one.
- One linking method ready. You need either a linking code, a Digital ID, or your identity documents (see below). Have them on hand before you begin.
Step 1: Sign in to myGov and choose Centrelink
- Go to my.gov.au and sign in to your myGov account.
- Select Link a service or View and link services.
- From the list of services, find Centrelink and select Link.
- If you have not linked Medicare or a Digital ID to myGov before, you may be asked to agree to myGov storing your personal details. If you agree to myGov storing your given names, family name and date of birth in your myGov profile, select I agree.
- If you have already linked Medicare or your Digital ID, myGov will show your profile details. These must match the details on your Centrelink record. Select Continue.
If signing in itself is the problem, our guide to fixing myGov sign-in problems covers the common causes first — there is no point fighting the linking steps until you can reliably get into your account.
Step 2: Answer the CRN and linking-code questions
myGov will ask whether you know your Centrelink CRN, and whether you have a linking code. Your answers decide which path you are shown, so answer honestly — picking the wrong one just sends you down a path you cannot finish.
- Yes to a CRN, yes to a linking code — you get the linking-code path (Method 1 below).
- Yes to a CRN, no to a linking code — you are usually offered the Digital ID path (Method 2).
- No CRN at all — you go to the identity verification path (Method 3), which also creates your CRN.
Method 1: Link with a linking code (recommended if you have one)
A linking code is a single-use code Centrelink gives you to link your account. You can get one over the phone or at a service centre.
- Select Yes to Do you have or know your CRN?
- Select Yes to Do you have a linking code?, then select Next.
- Select Get Started in the Linking Code (Recommended) box.
- Enter your CRN and your linking code, then select Next.
- When the details are correct, your Centrelink service is linked. You can select Continue to go to your Centrelink online account, or Return to myGov.
Because the code is single-use, do not share it and do not try to reuse an old one — if it has already been used, it will not work again and you will need a fresh code.
Method 2: Link with your Digital ID
If you already use a Digital ID, or are happy to create one, this path proves who you are online instead of using a code.
- After signing in and choosing Centrelink, select Get started in the Digital ID (Recommended) box.
- Answer the questions about yourself, based on information Centrelink already holds, so the right record is matched to you.
- You will be redirected to the Digital ID system. If you do not have a Digital ID, select Create a Digital ID; if you do, select I have a Digital ID and choose your identity provider.
- Follow the prompts to share your Digital ID details and prove who you are. You may need to enter a code from your Digital ID app.
- Once your identity is confirmed, Centrelink links to your myGov account.
One real advantage here: if you link with a Digital ID at Strong identity strength, you generally will not have to visit a service centre before you can claim a payment.
Method 3: Link with Centrelink identity verification (no CRN, no code)
This is the path for people who have never dealt with Centrelink before and therefore have no CRN and no linking code. You prove your identity online with documents instead.
- Select No when asked if you know your CRN, then Next.
- Select Get started in the Centrelink identity verification box.
- Read what you will need, then select Next. You will need at least two acceptable identity documents plus your Medicare card.
- For the first document, choose one of: Australian passport, Australian birth certificate, Australian citizenship certificate, or Australian visa. Enter the details exactly as they appear on the document, then select Check. It should show as Verified.
- Repeat the process for the second document.
- Complete the remaining questions about yourself. Your name must be the same on both documents and on your myGov account.
If you link this way, Centrelink may still ask you to meet some extra identity requirements later — it will tell you if so. And if you do not have suitable documents, call Centrelink or visit a service centre rather than guessing at details; wrong details will fail the check.
What you can do once Centrelink is linked
With the link in place, your myGov home screen shows Centrelink as a linked service, and opening it takes you straight into your Centrelink online account. From there you can:
- Claim a payment and track a claim
- Report your income
- Upload documents
- Update your address, phone number and bank details
- View letters and payment information
Centrelink is just one of the services you can connect — see the full list of myGov linked services if you also want Medicare, the ATO or others in the same place.
Troubleshooting: when linking does not work
Your names do not match
This is the most common blocker. Your myGov name and your Centrelink name must match exactly. Update the out-of-date one through Centrelink on your regular payment line, then try linking again.
The linking code is rejected
Check the CRN and code for typos — a single wrong digit fails the match. Remember the code is single-use, so an already-used code will never work. Get a fresh one if needed.
Your identity documents will not verify
Enter details exactly as printed on the document, including middle names and dates. If a document keeps failing, try the other document options, or use the linking-code path instead.
You are told to visit a service centre
Some people still need an in-person identity check before they can claim. That is normal, not an error — take your identity documents with you and staff can finish the link there.
It says you already have a linked account
You may have linked Centrelink to a different myGov account in the past. You cannot link the same Centrelink record to two myGov accounts, so sign in to the original account or contact Centrelink for help sorting it out.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a CRN to link Centrelink to myGov?
No. If you have one, it speeds things up, but if you have never dealt with Centrelink, the identity verification path creates your CRN as part of linking.
Can I link Centrelink without a linking code?
Yes — use your Digital ID or the identity verification path with two documents and your Medicare card. The linking code is simply the fastest path if you already have one.
Is linking Centrelink the same as claiming a payment?
No. Linking just connects your accounts so you can use online services. Claiming a payment is a separate step you do inside your Centrelink online account after linking.
Do I need the myGov app to link Centrelink?
No. You can link on the myGov website on a computer or phone browser. The app is handy afterwards for signing in, but it is not required for linking.
What if I already have a myGov account but never linked anything?
That is fine. Sign in, choose Link a service, pick Centrelink, and follow whichever method fits your situation. Your existing myGov account is exactly what you need.
