A clearance number is an identifier a regulator or fund issues to confirm a registration, which the employer records and quotes when it transacts or reports. It is one of several reference numbers payroll has to hold against the right entity.
What it means
Different bodies issue their own reference: a retirement or benefit fund has a registration or clearance number, and the Compensation Fund issues references in the COIDA process. Capturing the correct clearance number against the correct fund or registration is what lets contributions and returns be allocated properly.
Where it fits in
Clearance numbers are configuration data: they sit on the benefit fund or the employer's statutory registrations rather than being calculated each pay run. They surface on the relevant submission - a fund schedule, or the Return of Earnings - so the receiving body can match it to the registration.
Key rules
- A reference confirming a fund or statutory registration.
- Held against the specific fund or registration, not calculated per pay run.
- Quoted on the related submission so contributions or returns are allocated correctly.
- Distinct from the employer PAYE reference and the employee tax number.
