What your job can claim, and what people forget.
Every guide is grounded in the ATO’s occupation rules, written in plain English, and calls out the deductions people leave on the table1. Find yours.
Aged care & disability support workers
Driving between clients, uniforms, your phone, first aid and check renewals: what aged care, disability and community support workers can actually claim, and the records the ATO expects.
What you can claim →Chefs
Your knives, chef's whites and checked pants, food-safety certificate renewals and travel between venues: what an employed chef or cook can actually claim, the $300 rule, and why plain black clothing isn't deductible.
What you can claim →Cleaners
Protective gear, supplies, driving between sites and your phone: what cleaners can actually claim, the ones that get missed, and the records the ATO expects.
What you can claim →Construction workers
Tools, protective gear, travel between sites and licence renewals: what building and construction workers can actually claim, the $300 tool rule, and the records the ATO expects to see.
What you can claim →Doctors
Registration, medical indemnity, college fees, equipment and CPD: what employed doctors can actually claim, the big fees people under-claim, and the records the ATO expects.
What you can claim →Electricians
Test instruments, cordless kit, licence and ticket renewals and travel between sites: what an employed electrician can actually claim, the $300 tool rule, and the records the ATO expects.
What you can claim →FIFO & mining workers
Protective gear, sun protection, ticket renewals and the travel you can't claim: what FIFO and mining workers can actually claim, and where most claims go wrong.
What you can claim →Hairdressers & beauty workers
Scissors and kit, uniforms, products and training: what hairdressers and beauty workers can actually claim, the $300 rule for gear, and the records the ATO expects.
What you can claim →Hospitality workers
Knives and kit, uniforms, non-slip shoes, RSA renewals and training: what chefs, bar and waitstaff can actually claim, the $300 rule for gear, and the records the ATO expects.
What you can claim →IT professionals
Home office, equipment, certifications and software: what IT professionals can actually claim, the $300 rule for gear, and the records the ATO expects.
What you can claim →Mechanics
The self-funded tool kit is the big one: how the $300 rule and decline in value work, tool-truck finance interest, uniforms, diagnostics and the write-off that isn't yours. What an employed mechanic can claim.
What you can claim →Nurses
Uniforms, your fob watch, equipment, registration and union fees: what nurses and midwives can actually claim, the $300 rule for gear, and the records the ATO expects to see.
What you can claim →Office & admin workers
Home-office hours, your own equipment, memberships and self-education: what office, admin, finance and HR workers can actually claim, and the small deductions that get missed.
What you can claim →Plumbers
Tools, the plumbing and gas licence renewals, backflow revalidation, protective gear and travel between jobs: what an employed plumber can actually claim, the $300 rule, and the records to keep.
What you can claim →Police officers
Uniforms, protective gear, association fees and training: what police officers can actually claim, the fitness myth to avoid, and the records the ATO expects.
What you can claim →Real estate agents
Your car, self-funded marketing, licence renewals and institute fees: what real estate agents can actually claim, the logbook that unlocks the biggest deduction, and what isn't claimable.
What you can claim →Retail workers
Uniforms, laundering, required shoes, phone and training: what retail and shop workers can actually claim, the few that get missed, and the records the ATO expects.
What you can claim →Teachers
Classroom resources, excursions, home marking, registration and union fees: what teachers can actually claim, the $300 rule for gear, and the records the ATO expects to see.
What you can claim →Truck drivers
Overnight meals, licence renewals, protective gear and sun protection: what employee truck drivers can actually claim, the reasonable-amounts rule for meals, and the records the ATO expects.
What you can claim →- 1 General information only, not tax advice. Each guide links to the relevant ATO page; check the ATO or a registered tax agent for your situation.
Common questions
What can I claim as a tax deduction?+
A work expense is deductible when you paid for it yourself, it directly relates to earning your income, and you have a record. Common ones are work-related car travel, working-from-home costs, tools and equipment, and union or professional fees.
Do I need receipts for tax deductions?+
Generally yes. You can claim up to $300 of work-related expenses in total without receipts, but above that you need records, and car and home claims need a logbook or a record of hours. Keep your records for five years.
How much is a tax deduction worth?+
A deduction lowers your taxable income, so it is worth what you claim multiplied by your marginal tax rate. Claim $2,000 at a 30% rate and you save around $600 in tax, not the full $2,000.
Can I claim my commute to work?+
Normally no. Travel between home and your regular workplace is private. Travel between two jobs, or between work sites during the day, can be claimed.