When a lodgment is rejected¶

A rejection means your Activity Statement was not accepted — it did not go through. The statement is not lodged yet. This can happen for a small reason, like a figure that needs fixing or a connection problem between your software and the ATO at the moment you lodged.

A rejection is not a penalty. Nothing bad has been recorded against you. It simply means "this did not go in — have another go." You fix the cause and lodge again.

In one line

A rejection means the statement was not accepted. It is not a fine — fix the cause, lodge again, and keep the confirmation once it goes through.

Why this matters¶

The word "rejected" sounds final, but it is not. Knowing that a rejection is a normal, fixable hiccup — not a mark against you — keeps you calm and lets you deal with it in a few steps. The important thing is to fix the cause, lodge again, and then confirm the statement actually went through so you are not left wondering.

What you will learn¶

What a rejected lodgment means
Why a rejection is not a penalty
How to fix the cause, lodge again, and confirm it went through

Understanding the concept¶

When you lodge, your statement travels to the ATO to be accepted. If it is rejected, it did not complete that trip. The statement stays with you, unlodged, until you try again.

Rejections usually come from one of two things:

A detail on the statement — such as a figure that needs correcting before the statement can be accepted.
A connection issue — a brief problem reaching the ATO at the moment you lodged, which often clears on its own.

The steps are always the same:

Read the reason. A rejection usually comes with a short note about what stopped it.
Fix the cause. Correct the detail it points to, or simply wait a moment and try again if it looks like a connection issue.
Lodge again.
Confirm it went through. When a statement is accepted, you get a confirmation — often with a receipt or reference number. Keep it. That confirmation is your proof the statement is in.

For accountants & bookkeepers

A lodgment that is not accepted is returned rather than recorded, so the obligation remains open until a successful lodgment is made. The ATO's online services present a confirmation on a successful lodgment, including a receipt or reference that can be saved or printed. Retaining that confirmation gives you a clear record that the statement was accepted, and when.

Example¶

Jordan runs a small courier business. He completes his Activity Statement and lodges it, but it comes back as rejected — the note mentions a figure that needs correcting. Jordan's first thought is that he is in trouble. He is not.

He reads the reason, goes back to the figure, and corrects it. He lodges again. This time a confirmation appears with a receipt number. Jordan saves the confirmation to a folder with his other records. Now he knows for certain the statement went through, and he has the proof if he ever needs it.

Common mistakes¶

Thinking a rejection is a fine or a black mark — it is neither.
Assuming the statement lodged anyway — a rejected statement did not go in.
Fixing the cause but forgetting to lodge again.
Not keeping the confirmation, then being unsure later whether it actually went through.

How this works in myaccountant¶

In the app — if the ATO does not accept your Activity Statement, myaccountant shows you that it was not lodged and points to the reason. You fix the cause and lodge again from the same screen. When it goes through, the app shows the statement as lodged, so you can see it was accepted.

Key points¶

A rejection means the statement was not accepted — it did not go in.
A rejection is not a penalty.
The usual causes are a detail to fix or a brief connection issue.
Fix the cause, then lodge again.
Confirm the statement went through, and keep the confirmation as your proof.

Learn next¶

General information only — not tax, super or financial advice.

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