Quick answer
In ATO online services via myGov, go to Tax, Lodgments, Income tax and History, then select the Notice of Assessment link for the year you need. A copy is also sent to your myGov Inbox. The notice shows your taxable income, tax paid and any refund or amount owing, which is why lenders ask for it.
Key points
- Route one: Tax, Lodgments, Income tax, History, then the Notice of Assessment link.
- Route two: ATO, My profile, Communication, History.
- The notice shows the tax on your taxable income, credit for tax already paid, and your refund or amount payable.
- A copy of recent notices is also sent to your myGov Inbox.
- Lenders often read it alongside the tax return it relates to.
What is a notice of assessment and why does a lender want one?
When you lodge a tax return, the ATO processes it and sends back a notice of assessment. Think of it as the official scorecard. According to the ATO, the notice shows the tax payable on your taxable income, credit for tax you have already paid during the year, the amount you need to pay or your refund, and any excess private health reduction or refund.
For a lender, that is useful because it comes from the ATO rather than from you. A return tells them what you said. The notice tells them what the ATO accepted. Putting the two next to each other builds trust in your income figures, especially if you are self-employed.
How do I get a copy through ATO online services?
You need a myGov account linked to the ATO. Then, following the ATO’s own steps:
- Sign in to myGov and open the ATO.
- Select Tax.
- Choose Lodgments, then Income tax.
- Select History.
- Click the Notice of Assessment link for the year you need.
Save it as a PDF, naming the file by financial year, such as 2024-25-notice-of-assessment.pdf. If you are collecting several documents, our guide to what documents you need for a loan shows how the notice fits in.
Is there a second way to find it?
Yes. The ATO also describes a route through your profile: sign in to myGov, select the ATO, then My profile, Communication and History. Some people find this easier if the lodgments menu is hard to locate.
In addition, the ATO says that if your myGov account is linked, your notice and tax receipt are sent to your myGov Inbox, where you can view and print some notices. Check the Inbox first if you only need a recent one, because it may already be waiting there.
Which years can I get?
The ATO’s copies-of-tax-documents page says individuals and sole traders can view and print lodged returns and notices of assessment from 2010 online. For earlier years, or if you cannot register for myGov, you phone the ATO on 13 28 65. The online request form is not open to individuals and sole traders.
Most loan applications only need the latest two assessed years, so the 2010 limit rarely matters. Our guide on getting your last two years of tax returns covers the matching return documents.
What do I do if the notice is not there?
A missing notice usually has a simple cause. Work through these checks:
- Was the return lodged? A notice only follows lodgment and processing.
- Is it still processing? Recently lodged returns can take time.
- Did an agent lodge it? Your agent may hold the notice, and you can ask for a copy.
- Is the ATO linked to the right myGov? People sometimes have two accounts.
- Is it an older year? Older years may need a phone call.
If none of these solves it, contact the ATO. Keep notes of the date and what you were told, because a broker may need to explain the delay to a lender.
How do lenders read a notice of assessment?
A lender scans for a few things. They look at the taxable income, which often becomes the starting point for assessing capacity. They look at whether tax was paid or is owing. They check the year and your name. And they compare it with the tax return and any supporting documents.
Where taxable income is lower than your real earnings because of deductions or depreciation, expect questions. An accountant’s letter can help explain it. Where the profile is complex, our page on self-employed home loans shows how we approach it. For documents that are harder to produce, low doc loans can sometimes be an option.
What if the notice shows I owe the ATO?
The ATO says a notice includes payment advice and a due date when you have a tax debt, and in some cases a separate statement of account follows. A debt on its own is not necessarily a deal-breaker, but lenders want to see that it is being handled.
Useful context includes whether you have a payment arrangement, how large the debt is relative to your position and whether it is current or overdue. Our guide on ATO debt and your property and the pages on home loans when you owe the ATO and refinancing ATO debt explain how people deal with this in practice. Tell your broker early rather than hoping the lender will not notice.
Can I see an illustrative example?
This is illustrative only and not a real person. A borrower runs a small trade business and is about to apply for finance. His accountant lodged both returns. He opens myGov, goes to History and downloads both notices. One shows a refund; the other shows a smaller refund and a note about instalments.
He adds both returns and a short email from his accountant describing a vehicle purchase. When his broker approaches lenders, the file shows what was declared, what was assessed and why one year looks different. The lender’s questions are answered before they are asked.
What mistakes should I avoid?
- Sending the return without the notice. Many lenders want both.
- Assuming the notice is the same as the return. They are different documents.
- Ignoring a debt on the notice. Silence can look worse than the debt.
- Using an old copy after an amendment. If the ATO issued an amended assessment, send the latest.
- Waiting for an agent. If you can log in yourself, you can usually get it faster.
What can I do right now?
- Sign in to myGov and open History.
- Download the notices for your last two years.
- Save them with clear file names.
- Note any amounts owing or payment plans.
- Share them with your broker with your returns.
Ownright Custom Finance helps borrowers across Australia with tax-based paperwork, from simple employee files to complicated business structures. If you would like a view on how your documents read, head to our apply page or call 03 7043 7233.
Ready to turn the paperwork into a loan?
Sounds like you’re looking to get a loan, and your notice of assessment is a big piece of the puzzle. We’re the lending experts in matching tax paperwork to the right lender, so take a minute to see if you qualify. From there we can look at what is on offer for your circumstances.
Frequently asked questions
What is a notice of assessment?
It is the ATO's response after your tax return is processed. The ATO says it shows the tax on your taxable income, credit for tax already paid, the tax you need to pay or your refund, and any excess private health reduction. Lenders see it as official confirmation of the figures in your return.
Where can I find my notice of assessment in myGov?
The ATO describes two paths. In ATO online services you can go to Tax, Lodgments, Income tax and History, then open the Notice of Assessment link for the year. Or go to My profile, Communication and History. Recent notices are also sent to your myGov Inbox.
My notice of assessment is missing. What now?
First check that the return was actually lodged and processed, because a notice follows assessment. Then look in History and the myGov Inbox. If nothing appears, your tax agent may hold a copy, or you can contact the ATO. A phone call is also the route if you cannot access myGov.
Do lenders want the notice or the tax return?
Many lenders like both, because the return shows what you declared and the notice shows what the ATO assessed. Self-employed borrowers are asked for them most often. Requirements vary by lender and loan type, so your broker can tell you what a particular lender wants in your case.
What if the notice shows a tax debt?
The ATO says a notice includes payment advice and a due date when tax is owing. A debt does not automatically rule out a loan, but lenders look at how it is being managed. Our guide to ATO debt and property explains the practical options, and a payment arrangement can matter.