Occupation guide · Reviewed 17 August 2026
Tax deductions for tradies
What tradespeople can legitimately claim, what the ATO routinely disallows, and the records that make the difference at review time.
What can tradespeople claim on tax?
Tradies can claim tools and equipment (immediately where eligible, otherwise depreciated), vehicle running costs on a log book or cents-per-kilometre basis, travel between job sites, protective clothing, boots and their laundry, licences and tickets, work-related phone and internet, home office time for quoting and invoicing, union or industry fees, and income protection premiums. Not claimable: travel from home to a single regular workplace, ordinary clothes, and any private-use portion of tools or vehicles.
- Occupation-specific checklist below
- Written evidence needed above $300 total
- We ask from the right list, not “anything else?”
- Returns prepared within 48 hours
Running a trade business, or working for one?
The tax questions are completely different depending on which side you're on.
- I run the business ABN, GST, BAS, subbies, TPAR, structure and the ute — business compliance and advice.
- I'm employed as a tradie — you're here What a wage-earning tradesperson can claim, what's disallowed, and the records needed.
Claimable
What you can claim.
- Tools and equipment (write-off rules apply)
- Ute, van and trailer running costs with a log book
- Travel between multiple sites in a day
- Protective clothing, boots, hi-vis and laundry
- Trade licences, tickets and renewals
- White card and safety training
- Phone, tablet and internet at work-use percentage
- Home office for quoting, invoicing and admin
- Union and industry association fees
- Sunscreen, sunglasses and hats for outdoor work
- Tool insurance and public liability
- Subcontractor and labour costs (if you engage others)
What the ATO disallows
- Home to a single regular workplace
- Ordinary clothes and non-protective footwear
- Fines and infringements
- Meals on ordinary work days
- Tools your employer supplied or reimbursed
- The private-use share of a dual-cab
- Gym memberships (except very limited occupations)
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 tradespeople.
Can I claim my ute in full?
It depends on the write-off provisions for that income year, the vehicle's cost, whether it's a 'car' for tax purposes, and your business use. Genuine commercial vehicles often sit outside the car depreciation limit. If a company or trust owns it and it's used privately, FBT enters the picture. Ask before you buy.
Do I need a log book?
If you drive more than 5,000 work kilometres, yes — it's usually worth thousands. Twelve consecutive weeks of records covers you for five years. Our vehicle calculator shows the difference on your numbers.
Can I claim tools I bought second-hand or with cash?
Yes, if you incurred the cost for work — but you need evidence. A bank record plus a note of what it was for is usually acceptable; a cash purchase with no record is not.
Can I claim driving from home if I carry my tools?
Sometimes. Where you carry bulky tools that genuinely can't be stored securely at the workplace, that travel can be claimable. If there's a secure lockup on site, it generally isn't — this is a heavily reviewed area.
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.