Who needs a machine credential

When to create a machine credential

Use machine credentials to transact with government services through your business software.

You’ll need to create a machine credential if you:

• are a digital service provider who offers cloud-based SBR-enabled software – you’ll need to install it on your server to enable software authentication by third-party users
• use desktop, locally hosted or on-premise enterprise software to send information directly to a government agency (for example, the ATO) – your digital service provider will let you know when your software has been updated.

If you use cloud-based SBR-enabled software, you do not need to create a machine credential. Instead, your digital software provider will create the machine credential and install it on their server.

Who can create a machine credential

A principal authority or machine credential administrator (MCA) can create and manage machine credentials for a business. 

You are responsible for any machine credential you create and cannot appoint another person as a custodian of the credential.

Principal authority

As a principal authority, you can create a machine credential or authorise someone else as a MCA to do so.

A principal authority is a person responsible for the business, such as a trustee or director.

Machine credential administrator

To become a MCA, you need to be authorised that role by a principal authority or authorisation administrator.

If you already have an existing authorisation, it will need to be updated by a principal authority or authorisation administrator.