What you can claim.
Car and travel between properties
Driving between the office, open homes, inspections, appraisals and client meetings is usually the biggest deduction an agent has. A logbook kept for a representative period lets you claim the work-related percentage of your running costs; the ATO's cents-per-kilometre method is the simpler fallback. Keep the logbook plus fuel, servicing, rego and insurance records. Your normal home-to-office commute doesn't count.
Licence renewals and CPD
Renewing your certificate of registration or real estate licence is deductible, and so is the compulsory professional development you complete to keep it. The cost of getting your very first licence to enter the industry generally isn't — that's an expense of getting the job, not doing it. Keep the renewal invoices and CPD receipts with your tax records.
Phone, data and internet
Agents live on the phone, but you can only claim the work-related share. Work out a reasonable percentage from a typical month of bills or a usage diary — calls to vendors and buyers, portal apps, data used for listings — and apply it to your plan. Keep the bills and your working; a round guess doesn't survive an ATO question.
Marketing you pay for yourself
Plenty of agents fund their own profile: advertising shortfalls, letterbox drops, social media ads, professional photography, signboards, even personal branding videos. Where you pay these yourself to win listings and earn commission — and your agency doesn't reimburse you — they're generally deductible. Keep the invoices, and any agreement showing the cost was yours rather than the office's.
Memberships and subscriptions
Annual fees to a professional body such as your state's Real Estate Institute are deductible, along with union dues and work-related subscriptions — property data platforms, industry publications and CRM tools you pay for personally. Only the portion that relates to earning your income counts, and you'll want the receipts or renewal notices on file to back it up.
Client and settlement gifts
Settlement gifts and thank-yous — a bottle of wine, a hamper, a gift voucher — are generally deductible when you're on commission and the gift is aimed at winning referrals and future listings. Entertainment is different: taking a client to lunch, drinks or the footy generally isn't claimable. Keep the receipts and note down who each gift went to.
Working from home
Writing appraisals, following up buyers and doing CRM admin at night counts as working from home. You can claim using the ATO's fixed-rate method — which needs a record of your actual hours, such as a diary or timesheet — or by calculating actual running costs. Occupancy costs like rent or mortgage interest are generally off the table for employees.
Commission, PAYG and the tax-time sting
Not a deduction — a warning. Commissions, bonuses and incentives are all assessable income, and if your agency withholds tax on a modest base salary, a big quarter can leave you short at tax time. The ATO may also move you onto PAYG instalments. Check your income statement covers everything you were paid, and set something aside in good months.
What you can't claim: suits and grooming
Looking sharp is part of the job, but conventional clothing — suits, dresses, heels — isn't deductible, no matter how strictly your agency enforces the dress code. Neither is dry-cleaning it, nor haircuts and grooming. The exception is a compulsory uniform with your agency's logo printed or embroidered on it; keep receipts for buying and laundering that.
What to have ready.
- Income statement(s) from your agency, plus records of any commissions or bonuses paid outside normal payroll
- Car logbook and running-cost receipts — fuel, servicing, rego, insurance
- Licence or certificate renewal invoices and CPD receipts
- Phone and internet bills with your work-use percentage worked out
- Receipts for marketing, client gifts, memberships and subscriptions you paid personally
- A diary or calendar record of hours worked from home
Start your tax return.
Answer simple questions online — tick “Ask my accountant” on anything you’re unsure about. A real accountant reviews your return and emails you. Nothing is charged until your final fee is confirmed.
Start for $99Common questions.
Can I claim the car I use for inspections and open homes?
Generally yes, for travel between workplaces during your day — office to appraisals, open homes, auctions and client visits. A logbook kept over a representative period gives you the work percentage of your actual running costs, or the ATO's cents-per-kilometre method is a simpler alternative for smaller claims. The trip from home to your office and back is private commuting and can't be claimed.
Are settlement gifts to clients tax deductible?
Usually, yes — if you earn commission and the gift is intended to generate future business, such as referrals or repeat listings, a hamper or bottle of wine at settlement is deductible. Entertainment isn't: lunches, drinks and event tickets with clients generally can't be claimed, even when they clearly help your business. Keep the receipt and jot down who received each gift.
Why do I get a tax bill when I'm on commission?
Your agency withholds tax through PAYG, but withholding based on a modest retainer often doesn't cover the tax on a strong commission year, so a debt appears when the return is lodged. The ATO may then put you on quarterly PAYG instalments. There's no trick to avoid the tax itself — but claiming every legitimate deduction, and setting money aside in big months, softens the landing.
How does MYIDTAX work, and what does it cost?
You answer plain-English questions online in about four minutes — from $99, with nothing charged upfront. Not sure whether something's claimable? Choose 'Ask my accountant' and move on. A real accountant reviews your return and emails you about questions or missed deductions. Your final fee is confirmed by email before a secure Stripe invoice is sent, so nothing is paid until you've agreed to it.
This guide is general information only and doesn’t consider your personal circumstances — it isn’t tax advice. Eligibility rules, rates and thresholds change; your accountant confirms what applies to you before anything is lodged. Keep receipts for everything you claim.