Tax Identification Number
12-digit unique identifier issued by NBR for every registered taxpayer in Bangladesh.
VERIFIED
A Tax Identification Number (TIN) — known officially as কর সনাক্তকরণ নম্বর — is a 12-digit unique identifier issued by Bangladesh's National Board of Revenue (NBR). Whether you're a salaried employee, a freelancer, a business owner, or a foreign investor, a TIN is the gateway to participating in Bangladesh's formal economy.
Since 2013, NBR has fully digitised TIN registration through its e-TIN portal. The process is now free, online, and — when done correctly — completed within minutes. But missteps in documentation, NID verification, or category selection are the most common reasons applications get stuck.
This guide walks you through the entire process, the documents you need, and the mistakes we most often see when clients come to us with rejected or pending applications.
01Who needs a TIN?
Under the Income Tax Act 2023, a TIN is mandatory for:
- Anyone with taxable income above the threshold (currently BDT 3,50,000 for general taxpayers)
- All company directors and shareholders of private and public limited companies
- Anyone purchasing a vehicle, land, or applying for a credit card or loan above stipulated thresholds
- Importers, exporters, and anyone applying for an Import or Export Registration Certificate (IRC/ERC)
- Government contractors and suppliers of any value
- Owners of trade licences in any City Corporation or Municipality
- Foreign nationals working in Bangladesh under a work permit
- Anyone opening a savings instrument (sanchaypatra) above BDT 5 lakh
Even if you don't fall into any of these categories, getting a TIN is sensible — it's free, takes minutes, and makes you eligible to file annual returns and claim refunds where applicable.
TIN ≠ Tax Liability
Having a TIN does not automatically mean you owe tax. It simply registers you in NBR's system. Your tax liability depends on your annual income, and you only file a return if you cross the taxable threshold or fit the mandatory-return categories.
02Documents you'll need
For Individual TIN
Have these ready before starting the e-TIN application.
For Company / Entity TIN
In addition to director's individual documents.
03Step-by-step process
Go to secure.incometax.gov.bd/TINHome from any browser. Click "Register" if you're a first-time user, or "Login" if you've previously created credentials.
Provide a username, password, security question, valid mobile number, and email. NBR sends a one-time activation code to both your phone and email — enter both to activate the account.
- Username should be alphanumeric, 6–20 characters
- Password must include upper, lower, number, and special character
- Use an email and mobile you actively check — recovery depends on these
Once logged in, select "TIN Application" and choose the correct category:
- Individual — Bangladeshi citizen, resident
- Individual (Foreigner) — Non-Bangladeshi working/earning in BD
- Company — Private Ltd, Public Ltd, OPC
- Firm / Partnership — Registered partnership
- Local Authority / Trust / NGO — Other entity types
Fill in personal/company details exactly as they appear on official documents. Key sections include:
- Basic details — name, parents' names, date of birth, NID
- Contact — present and permanent address, phone, email
- Income source — salary, business, profession, capital gains, etc.
- Tax circle and zone — system auto-detects based on address; verify it's correct
- Bank account details (for refunds, optional at this stage)
The system pings the Election Commission database to verify your NID against your name, date of birth, and parent names. This is the most common failure point — any mismatch (a single misspelled character, abbreviated name, or wrong date format) will block submission.
Once NID verification passes, click Submit. The system generates your 12-digit TIN immediately and emails the certificate as a PDF. You can also download it directly from the portal under "My TIN Certificate".
04Common mistakes to avoid
Watch out for these
The five mistakes below account for over 80% of rejected or stuck applications we help clients fix.
- Name mismatch with NID — Even small differences (e.g., "Md." vs "Mohammed", or initial vs full name) cause NID verification to fail. Always match the NID exactly, character for character.
- Wrong date of birth format — Use the date as printed on your NID. If your NID shows a "default" 01-01 date, you must use that, not your actual birthday.
- Selecting the wrong tax circle — While the system auto-detects this from your address, you must verify it's correct. Wrong circle = future filing issues.
- Inactive mobile/email at submission — OTPs and the certificate are sent to these. If you can't access them, you can't complete or recover the application.
- Using an old NID — If you've upgraded to a Smart NID, use the 17-digit new number. Some old 13-digit NIDs no longer verify cleanly.
05What to do after getting your TIN
Receiving your TIN certificate isn't the end — it's the start of your tax compliance journey.
- Save the certificate in multiple places — your TIN number is needed for almost every formal transaction
- File your return annually — even if you have zero taxable income, filing a "nil return" keeps your TIN active and builds compliance history
- Update your address through the e-TIN portal if you move; otherwise, future correspondence may be misdirected
- Don't share your TIN credentials — your username and password give full access to your tax account
- Mark return deadlines — typically 30 November for individuals; missing it incurs penalties
06Frequently asked questions
Is there any fee for TIN registration?
How long does it take to get a TIN?
Can I have more than one TIN?
Does a foreigner need a TIN?
What if my application gets stuck or rejected?
Key takeaways
- TIN registration is free, online, and takes 15–30 minutes when done correctly
- Name and date of birth must match your NID character-for-character
- Having a TIN doesn't create tax liability — only crossing the taxable threshold does
- File a return every year, even a nil one, to keep your TIN active
Stuck on your TIN application?
We've registered hundreds of TINs and recovered just as many. If your application is stuck, your NID won't verify, or you simply want it done quickly without the hassle — let our VAT & Tax team handle it.