Census 2026 Australia: when is the deadline to complete the form, and how much will you be fined if you don’t?

Australians will complete the compulsory 2026 census form on the night of 11 August, answering new questions on sexual orientation and gender for the first time. Photograph: David Gray/JM/Getty Images for Destination New South Wales

On 11 August, millions of Australians will simultaneously complete the same 66-question survey.

Held every five years, the census will record important details about each person to help inform the country – including governments – about Australia’s demographics.