Occupation guide · Reviewed 17 August 2026
Tax deductions for real estate agents
What real estate agents can legitimately claim, what the ATO routinely disallows, and the records that make the difference at review time.
What can real estate agents claim on tax?
Agents can claim vehicle costs for inspections, appraisals and open homes (log book strongly recommended), marketing and prospecting you personally fund — letterbox drops, signage, online listings, photography — licence and registration fees, professional subscriptions and CRM software, work-related phone, home office hours, client gifts that aren't entertainment, and self-education. What isn't claimable: home-to-office travel, client meals and entertainment, and clothing that isn't protective or a compulsory branded uniform.
- Occupation-specific checklist below
- Written evidence needed above $300 total
- We ask from the right list, not “anything else?”
- Returns prepared within 48 hours
Claimable
What you can claim.
- Vehicle running costs with a log book (high work-use)
- Travel to inspections, appraisals and open homes
- Marketing you fund: flyers, signage, listings, photography
- Real estate licence and registration renewals
- REIQ or industry association membership
- CRM, listing platforms and software subscriptions
- Phone and internet at work-use percentage
- Home office hours for after-hours admin
- Client gifts (non-entertainment, reasonable value)
- Compulsory branded uniform and its laundry
- Self-education and auctioneer training
- Bank fees on a business account and agent fees
What the ATO disallows
- Home to office travel
- Client lunches, drinks and entertainment
- Business suits and everyday clothing
- Grooming, hair and cosmetics
- Marketing the agency reimbursed
- Parking at your regular office
- Gifts that are entertainment (event tickets)
Claiming these is the fastest route to an amended assessment and a shortfall penalty. If you’ve claimed them before, we can review prior years.
Records
What to keep.
Written evidence is required once your total work-related claims exceed $300 — and for vehicles, home office and laundry there are specific record rules regardless of amount.
- Receipts or invoices for every claim once the $300 total is passed
- A vehicle log book — 12 consecutive weeks, valid five years
- Home-office hours recorded for the full year at the 70c rate
- A diary basis for phone and internet work-use percentages
- Your income statement and any allowance details
FAQ
Questions from real estate agents.
Can I claim my suit?
No. Conventional business clothing isn't deductible even where it's expected, expensive, and only worn to work. A compulsory uniform with the agency's logo, and its laundry, is a different matter.
Are client gifts deductible?
Non-entertainment gifts — a hamper, wine, a gift card — given to a client to generate future business are generally deductible and don't attract FBT (clients aren't employees). Entertainment gifts such as event tickets aren't deductible. Keep the value reasonable and record who received it.
I'm on commission — should I be a company?
Often not, because the personal services income rules commonly apply to commission-only agents, attributing income to you personally regardless of the entity. It's the first thing to test. Our structure calculator gives a rough comparison, but this needs a real conversation.
How much of my car can I claim?
Agents typically run high work-use percentages — 60–80% is common — which makes the log book method far more valuable than cents-per-kilometre. Twelve weeks of records, then you apply the percentage to all running costs for five years.
Related
Related pages.
Personal tax returns from $150
Occupation-specific deduction checklists, prepared in 48 hours.
Learn more →Work from home deductions
The 70c fixed rate against actual cost, with worked examples.
Learn more →Vehicle claim calculator
Log book versus cents per kilometre on your own numbers.
Learn more →Other occupation guides
Ready when you are
Get every deduction you’re entitled to.
Returns from $150, prepared within 48 hours, by accountants who work from an occupation checklist rather than guesswork.