myGov terms of use
myGov terms of use
We last updated these terms of use in April 2026. You can find out how we changed these terms of use.
myGov is run by Services Australia on behalf of the Australian Government. We refer to Services Australia as 'we' or 'us' in these terms of use.
We think of myGov as a portal or gateway. You sign in to myGov to let other organisations know who you are and to access their online services. We refer to these organisations as linked services. A linked service is an organisation, or part of an organisation, that provides online services to you through myGov. You can access these online services when you link them to your myGov account.
Using myGov, including through the myGov mobile application (the app), and accessing your online linked services is voluntary.
For more information about how we collect, hold, use and disclose personal information, go to the myGov privacy notice.
1. Why terms of use are important
By having a myGov account, you agree to be bound by these terms of use. This includes acceptance of any changes to these terms of use in circumstances where it's reasonable to assume that you are aware of the changes.
Your agreement to be bound by these terms of use creates an agreement between you and the Australian Government, represented by Services Australia, that governs your use of myGov and the app. This agreement applies every time you access myGov, including through the app. You must not assign or sub-licence any rights or novate your obligations under this agreement.
These terms of use constitute the entire agreement between us and you in connection with myGov and the app. However, this agreement does not affect any agreement you may have with either:
- Apple in connection with the operation of the Apple App Store or
- Google in connection with the operation of the Google Play store.
Importantly, this means making sure you know and comply with your responsibilities.
2. Changes to terms of use
We may change these terms of use at any time. To keep using your myGov account and the app, you need to accept any changes to the terms of use. These new terms of use replace any myGov terms of use you have accepted before.
If you do not agree to those changes you, as your only remedy, should do both of the following immediately:
- stop using myGov and the app
- (if applicable) remove the app from your mobile device.
3. Who can have a myGov account
You must be a natural person to have a myGov account. This means you are an individual human being. You cannot be, for example, a corporate entity, a robot, or a software program.
You must also have your own email address. Each myGov account must be linked to a unique email address. If you share an email address with someone, you can only use it for one myGov account.
4. Using the app
If you use the app to access myGov, additional terms of use apply. These terms are set out in this section of the terms of use.
Agreeing to the myGov terms of use
Please read these terms of use carefully. When you select 'I Accept' or take steps to install the app on your mobile device, you agree to be bound by them. By installing the app on your mobile device, as permitted under the Apple App Store and Google Play Store terms and conditions, you agree to and will be bound by those terms and conditions.
Your use of the app
As set out below, when you agree to these terms of use, we grant you a non-transferable, non-exclusive, revocable licence. The licence does not allow any of the following:
- use of the app for commercial purposes, such as renting or leasing, unless specifically provided for or permitted by the functionality in the app
- altering, modifying or reverse engineering any element of the app
- copying or extracting information from the app and separately distributing that information
- the use of any of the marks, logos or design layouts in the app.
You should regularly check for any updates to the app.
You agree that you use the app at your own risk.
Signing in to the app
To use the app you need a myGov account.
If you don't have a myGov account you'll need to create one. You can create a myGov account.
When you first set up the app, you can use either your:
- myGov username and password
- Digital ID, if it's connected to your myGov.
When you first set up the app you'll need to create a PIN for the app (app PIN). You'll need to create a new app PIN each time you:
- set up the app on a new mobile device
- set up the app again, if someone else signs in to their myGov account on your device.
After you set up the app with your sign in details, you may use either your app PIN or your mobile device's biometrics, if this is available on your device.
If you choose to use your device's biometrics, myGov will not collect, store or otherwise handle your biometric information.
It is your obligation to keep your mobile device and app PIN secure. If you don't, someone could try to pretend to be you and access the app.
You acknowledge that the app will access and use information associated with your myGov account for the purposes of signing you in to the app.
If you close your myGov account, or your myGov account is locked or closed by us under the myGov terms of use, you will not be able to use the app. You can contact the myGov helpdesk for support if this occurs.
5. Your responsibilities
You need to understand your responsibilities when using myGov, including through the app.
If you do not comply with your responsibilities, we may terminate this agreement, lock, suspend or terminate your myGov account or suspend or terminate your right to use the app. In some cases, you may face civil or criminal penalties.
If you do not keep your personal information secure, someone could pretend to be you and access information from your linked services. For example, they could redirect your payments.
Provide correct and up to date information
You must make sure your personal details, such as your name and contact details, are correct and up to date in myGov. If your details change, you should sign in to myGov and update them. Get help using your account.
You must make sure your details are correct and up to date with myID if you use Digital ID to:
- create your myGov account
- connect to your myGov account
- link a service.
Accessing your linked services does not change any of your obligations to provide information to us. You are not excused from providing information when required if you cannot access your linked services for any reason.
You must not provide false and misleading information. Doing so could result in prosecution and civil or criminal penalties.
Keep linked services up to date
You must ensure your personal details are correct and up to date with linked services. For example, your name and contact details.
Sometimes the law requires you to tell a linked service when your personal details change.
When you update your personal details in myGov, it does not mean we will tell your linked services about your updates. It does not mean their records have been changed. You are responsible for changing your personal details with your linked services as well as with myGov.
Using the ‘Update contact details with linked services’ feature does not mean that a linked service will automatically update its records. You must check if your updates have been accepted by a linked service.
Keep your myGov account safe
You are responsible for your myGov account and making sure only you can access it, including through the app.
You must not allow someone else to sign in or use your myGov account, including through the app.
You must keep your myGov passkey, password, myGov PIN, your secret questions and answers and app PIN safe. You must not include any personal or sensitive information in your passkey name, and do not share these details with anyone else.
If you do not take reasonable steps to keep your myGov details safe, someone may sign in to your account. You are responsible for everything that is done with and on your myGov account, including through the app. We'll assume that any transaction on the account was undertaken by you. This applies even if someone else accesses your account, regardless of whether you gave that person your details to sign in to your account.
If you think someone has tried to access your myGov account, check your myGov account history for suspicious activity.
If you’re concerned after checking your account history, you should:
- Change your password, or turn your password off if you use Digital ID or a passkey to sign in.
- Go to your account settings to check your passkeys or connected devices and remove any you don’t recognise.
- Check your activity history with your linked services and contact that service if you see suspicious activity.
If you still have concerns about your myGov account or the app, contact us.
You should change your password, myGov PIN or app PIN straight away if you think someone else knows it.
Learn more about security and how you can protect your account.
Do not access another person's myGov account
You are not allowed to access another person's myGov account.
myGov Inbox and notification settings
You need to keep your myGov Inbox notification preferences up to date. This is so you know when you have messages from linked services to read.
myGov will send you notifications when you have a message from a linked service to read. You can choose to get notifications by SMS, push notifications on your mobile device or email. Learn how to manage your contact details for your myGov Inbox.
You should read all your notifications and myGov messages in a timely manner.
If you get a myGov Inbox message addressed to another person, you must tell the relevant linked service straight away.
Banned uses of myGov
You are not allowed to use myGov, your myGov account or the app to:
- participate in any illegal or fraudulent activity
- disrupt myGov in a way that infringes a person's rights or prevents them from using myGov
- disrupt myGov in any way that may harass, cause distress or inconvenience others
- post or send unlawful, defamatory, offensive or scandalous material
- post or send material that breaks, or encourages breaking, the law.
We may cancel your access if we believe that you have used myGov, your myGov account or the app to perform an unauthorised action.
Linked service terms of use
Linked services may have their own terms of use. You need to understand, accept and follow the linked services’ terms of use.
Do not monitor or copy myGov
You are not allowed to use any software, such as bots or scraper tools to access, monitor or copy myGov, the app or their contents. You may do this only if we give you written permission.
6. When your access can be taken away
We may lock, suspend or terminate your myGov account or myGov access at any time and for any reason.
We may also terminate this agreement or suspend or terminate your right to use the app at any time and for any reason.
This includes if you do not comply with your responsibilities outlined in the terms of use.
If we notify you that we have terminated this agreement, you must stop using the app and promptly remove it from your mobile device.
Closure of inactive accounts
We may close your accounts that have not been used after a certain amount of time. We may do so when:
- your myGov account has been permanently locked
- you have not signed in for 6 months and have not linked your myGov account to a service
- you have not signed in for 24 months.
If we close your account and you want to use myGov again, you will need to create a new myGov account.
7. Your information
Your privacy and personal information
Your personal information is protected by law (including the Privacy Act 1988) and is collected by Services Australia (the agency) to administer your myGov account.
Your information may be used by the agency, or given to other parties where you have agreed to, or where it is required or authorised by law. Read more about how myGov handles your personal information in our Privacy policy.
You can get more information about the way the agency will manage your personal information from our privacy policy on the Services Australia website.
Use of non-personal information
Apple, Google, and Services Australia may also collect, share and use technical data and related information, including information about your mobile device and the app, to facilitate the provision of updates. This information will not personally identify you.
Cookies
A cookie is a piece of information contained within a small file that a website sends to your browser when you access information at that site. We use cookies collected on myGov and the app to gather website usage data and to optimise the experience of all users of myGov and the app. You can change your web browser settings to reject cookies. You can also change your settings to prompt you each time a website wants to add a cookie to your browser.
You can get more information about our collection and use of cookies in our privacy notice.
How we use the Document Verification Service (DVS)
We will use the DVS to validate your identity documents when we require them. You understand myGov and Services Australia will check identification documents you provide with the issuing authority to confirm validity. In providing these documents, you consent to myGov and Services Australia validating the documents with the issuing authority.
Read more about how DVS handles your documents on the IDMatch website.
8. myGov Inbox
Sometimes a linked service will decide to send you correspondence through the myGov Inbox. By linking a service to your myGov account, you agree to receive this correspondence.
When a linked service sends you correspondence through the myGov Inbox, we do not store, in a persistent way, the contents of that message. Therefore, we cannot assist you to access or correct any personal information contained in the message. If you want to access or correct any such information, you should contact the relevant linked service directly.
9. myGov subscription
At times, you can subscribe to receive messages to your myGov Inbox about a topic or event for a service.
In order to subscribe, you may be asked to provide personal information, which we may share with the relevant service to link the service to your myGov account.
10. Your personalised homepage
myGov draws some information from your linked services to display on your personalised home page. This could include your:
- claim status
- notifications
- payment history and scheduled future payments
- direct debit repayments.
Your home page won’t show all your interactions with services.
11. Our rights, responsibilities and liability
Service availability
We make reasonable efforts to ensure that our online services are provided continuously, with minimal disruption. We will continue to improve myGov and the app, and fix defects.
However, we cannot guarantee, and give no representation or warranty of any kind (whether express, implied, statutory or otherwise), that:
- you will have uninterrupted access to myGov, the app and its services
- your use of myGov and the app will not be affected by delays, failures, defects, errors, omissions or loss of transmitted information.
We also cannot guarantee and give no representation or warranty of any kind (whether express, implied, statutory or otherwise):
- in relation to the availability, accuracy, currency, completeness, quality, reliability or suitability for any purpose of myGov or the app and any information or content available from them
- that the information and content contained in myGov and the app will not infringe any third-party intellectual property rights, or that the site will be free from defects, viruses, third party interception or other security threats or vulnerabilities, including those which could cause loss or damage to you.
myGov, the app and linked services may be unavailable without notice for any reason, including due to power outages, system failures, security measures, maintenance or other interruptions.
If you cannot use myGov and you need to complete a task straight away, you should contact your linked service.
No liability for Loss
We are not responsible for any Loss suffered as a result (whether directly or indirectly) of:
- your use, or your inability to use, myGov, the app or a linked service
- your use of any information or content contained on myGov, the app or a linked service
- you not accessing a myGov Inbox message.
In these terms of use, ‘Loss’ means any loss, damage, cost or expense to any person or property. This includes:
- loss of profits or revenue
- loss or denial of opportunity
- loss of use
- loss of data
- any indirect, remote, abnormal or unforeseeable loss.
We are not responsible if a myGov notification cannot be delivered to your nominated mobile number or email address. myGov Inbox notifications tell you to access your myGov Inbox when you have a new message to read. Find out how to manage your contact details for your myGov Inbox. If you are still not getting notifications, your mobile or email provider may be able to help.
In some circumstances, our liability for a breach of a statutory condition or warranty may not be able to be totally excluded. In those circumstances, to the extent permitted by law, our liability is limited to either of the following, at our discretion:
- the replacement of the information or content available from myGov or the app
- a remedy of our choice contained in section 64A of the Australian Consumer Law.
Linked services
Linked services have their own terms of use. We are not responsible for:
- linked service or third-party websites being accurate, complete, current or not infringing on the rights of any person
- how linked services operate, including the messages they send to your myGov Inbox
- the security of your personal information while it is being collected by, stored or passing through a linked service system
- the deletion of your myGov Inbox messages, noting that linked services can set a date when a message will no longer appear
- making sure linked services update your personal details on their records.
Links to other websites
Some site pages and interactive content contain links to third-party sites we don’t manage. This may include access to your government linked services through myGov.
Those sites are not within our control and may not follow the same privacy, security, or accessibility standards as ours. We are not responsible for the content or availability of those sites, their partners, or advertisers.
We provide links to third-party sites for your information and convenience only, and we do not endorse material at those sites, or any associated organisation, product or service. Similarly, you should not rely on information available through these links as a statement of government policy or advice on any particular matter.
You must make your own assessment of the information contained on third-party sites and, if you choose to rely on it, it is wholly at your own risk.
We do not guarantee, and accept no legal liability whatsoever arising from, linked service or third-party website content. This includes the content's accuracy, reliability, currency, or completeness.
Making changes to myGov or the app
We may, in our sole discretion, at any time, with or without notice to you, change the myGov platform or the app in any way. This includes adding, changing or removing any of the functionality. If we do, these terms of use will govern any upgrade or supplement to the myGov platform or the app.
We may also make changes to your access to linked services at any time with or without notice to you. We may notify you of the changes through informational messages when using a service linked to your myGov account or the app.
No waiver
Our failure to enforce any right or provision of these terms of use is not a waiver of our rights.
12. Your personal devices for example, your mobile, tablet or computer
Some linked service services, like mobile phone apps, may ask for your permission to access features on your device. For example, your camera.
Access to these features is only to help you with a particular service. For example, to take a picture of a document so you can upload it.
When you give access to a feature on your personal device, that access is limited to only that feature. You have not agreed to allow us, or a linked service, access to all features on your device.
Information which you consider may be sensitive may be displayed over your device when accessing myGov, including through the app. For privacy reasons, we may time out your access to linked services through myGov and the app. This may happen if you haven't entered information within a certain time period.
13. Rights we grant you
We give you permission to use the myGov service on your device, for example, your computer or mobile, and the app on your mobile. This is so long as you comply with these terms of use and any other applicable laws. The permission is in the form of a non-transferable, non-exclusive, revocable licence. This is a limited licence and all other rights are reserved to us.
14. Copyright
The myGov platform, the app and the information contained within them is subject to copyright.
Unless stated otherwise, the Australian Government owns or uses any of the following under licence from a third party:
- the content
- text, graphics, logos, icons, images
- video and audio clips
- any other form of information or design elements.
Your use of myGov and the app is by way of a non-exclusive licence, as set out in these terms of use. It does not in any way transfer or assign ownership in any intellectual property rights (including copyright) to you.
No part of the myGov platform or the app may be:
- copied
- reproduced
- republished
- uploaded
- posted
- publicly displayed, unless specifically provided for or permitted by the functionality in myGov or the app
- encoded
- translated,
- transmitted or distributed, in any way without our express and prior written consent.
15. Applicable law
The laws of the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), Australia apply to these terms of use and the parties submit to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of the ACT. However, this does not limit the laws that apply to your use of myGov.
A reference to any legislation or legislative provision includes any:
- statutory modification
- substitution or re-enactment of that legislation or legislative provision.
16. Severability
If a provision of these terms of use is not enforceable for any reason, the provision may be severed from the terms of use. The remainder of these terms of use remains enforceable.
17. How you can contact us
If you have any questions you can get in touch with us. We can address your questions about these terms of use or any issues with myGov or the app. The myGov contact details are listed at Contact | myGov.