HOW TO CHECK ON THE PROGRESS OF YOUR TAX RETURN PROCESSING AT IRD

How to check on the progress of your tax return processing at IRD is one of the questions we get asked most, especially once filing season is in full swing. “How much longer will IRD take?” “Are they even processing it?” “Is something wrong?” The good news: checking is free and quick. It takes about ten minutes to set up if you’re not already registered. This guide walks through exactly how to do it. It covers what the different statuses actually mean once you’re in, and what to do if things seem to be taking longer than expected.

30-Second Read

• You can check your tax return’s progress for free through myIR, IRD’s secure online portal.
• If you’re not registered yet, signing up takes about 10 minutes and generally doesn’t involve any postal delay.
• Once logged in, myIR shows you exactly where your return sits — received, being processed, or assessment complete.
• IRD’s processing time varies widely, from about a week to twelve weeks or longer. It depends on the time of year and the complexity of your return.
• Always check the address bar reads https://myir.ird.govt.nz before entering any details. That confirms you haven’t landed on a fake site.

Setting Up myIR

If you’re not already registered, here’s the process:

1. Go to myir.ird.govt.nz and check the address bar. It should read exactly https://myir.ird.govt.nz/_/, with a padlock icon showing. This confirms you’re on IRD’s real site, not a fake one.
2. Click “Not yet registered for myIR?”
3. Choose the option that matches what you’re trying to do. Most people checking on a personal tax return should select the personal option and click Next.

 

4. On the following screen, select the appropriate option and continue. The exact fields shown depend on what you selected in the previous step.

 

 

5. Enter your personal details, tick “I’m not a robot,” and click Next.
6. Check your details are correct, tick “I accept…”, and click Submit.
7. You’ll receive an email confirmation. From here, you’re ready to log in and view your information, including the progress of your tax return.

What You’ll See Once You’re Logged In

Once you’re in myIR, your tax return will generally show one of a few statuses:

• Return received — IRD has your return, but processing hasn’t started yet.
• Being processed — IRD is actively working through your return.
• Assessment complete — your return has been processed, and IRD has issued an assessment. This will show whether you have a refund coming, or tax to pay.

If your assessment shows a refund, myIR will also show when it’s expected to be paid out. If it shows tax to pay, you’ll see the amount and the due date.

How Long Does Processing Actually Take?

There’s no single fixed answer, and IRD doesn’t publish a guaranteed turnaround time. In our experience, processing can take anywhere from about one week to twelve weeks or longer, depending on:

• Time of year. Filing season (roughly May through October) sees a much higher volume of returns, so processing tends to slow down. A return filed in November or December often moves faster than one filed in July.
• Complexity. A simple personal return with only salary and wages usually processes faster. One involving rental property, LTC income, or other more complex sources tends to take longer.
• Whether IRD needs to ask you anything. If something in your return needs clarifying, processing pauses until that’s resolved. That can add real time to the total.

If your return has sat in “being processed” for considerably longer than usual with no update, see our full breakdown of what happens at each stage after filing for the typical timeline. You can also contact IRD directly: use myIR’s secure mail feature, or contact IRD directly.

Checking on Your Phone

IRD also has a myIR mobile app, available on iOS and Android, which uses the same login as the web portal. It’s handy for a quick check on your return’s status without needing to be at a computer. More complex tasks — like actually filing a return or updating business details — are generally easier to do on the full desktop site.

Help, I’m Stuck!

Stuck at any point? Call IRD on 0800 775 247 for personal enquiries, or 0800 377 774 for business enquiries. You can also contact us for help. If we’re managing your return, we can often chase things up on your behalf.

Checklist

• ✅ Confirm the address bar reads https://myir.ird.govt.nz/_/ before entering any details
• ✅ Have your IRD number, date of birth, and a current email address on hand before you start registering
• ✅ Know which status you’re looking for — received, being processed, or assessment complete
• ✅ Factor in the time of year — expect longer waits during peak filing season (May–October)
• ✅ Use myIR’s secure mail to query anything that seems stuck, rather than guessing
• ✅ Save the myIR app on your phone for quick status checks going forward

Common Questions

How long should I wait before I start worrying? There’s no fixed cutoff, but if your return has sat in “being processed” for well beyond 12 weeks with no update, it’s reasonable to follow up.

Can I check my return’s progress without registering for myIR? Not really. myIR is the only self-service way to check. If you’d rather not register yourself, we can check on your behalf if we’re managing your return.

Does IRD’s processing time depend on whether I use a tax agent? Not directly. IRD processes returns filed by agents the same way as self-filed returns. What differs is your filing deadline, which is much later if you have an extension of time through a tax agent.

What if my assessment shows an amount I don’t agree with? Don’t just accept it without checking. Get in touch with us or with IRD directly. Assessments can sometimes differ from what was filed, for reasons that are usually fixable.

Summary

Checking on your tax return’s progress at IRD is free, quick to set up, and gives you a genuine answer instead of guessing. Register for myIR if you haven’t already, and always double-check you’re on IRD’s real site before entering any details. Expect processing to take anywhere from about a week to twelve weeks, longer during peak season. If something looks stuck well beyond that window, don’t just wait. Follow up through myIR’s secure mail, call IRD directly, or ask us to chase it up for you.

Talk to EpsomTax.com If You’re Unsure

If you’re not sure what a status in myIR means, or your return seems to be taking longer than it should, we’re happy to take a look.

Contact EpsomTax.com and we’ll check where things stand. If we’re managing your return, we can often follow up with IRD directly on your behalf. You don’t have to.