What you can claim.
Compulsory uniforms and branded clothing
If your employer requires a uniform that's distinctive to the business — a branded polo, a logo shirt, or clothing on the employer's registered uniform list — you can generally claim what you paid for it. The test is that it identifies where you work, not just what colour it is. Keep the receipts, even for a single polo shirt.
Laundry and dry-cleaning for your uniform
Washing, drying and ironing a claimable uniform is itself claimable, whether you do it at home or use a laundromat or dry-cleaner. Keep a record of how often you wash your work clothes and how you worked out the cost — a simple diary covering a representative period is usually enough, plus receipts for any dry-cleaning.
Protective clothing and footwear
Steel-capped boots for stockroom shifts, non-slip shoes required for a supermarket floor, hi-vis for the loading dock, gloves for handling stock — clothing that protects you from injury at work is claimable even without a logo. Ordinary comfortable shoes don't count. Keep receipts and a note of why the item was needed for your role.
Travel between stores on the same day
If you work at one store in the morning and your employer sends you to another location that afternoon, the trip between the two is a work trip, and you can generally claim it — using the ATO's cents-per-kilometre method with a record of your trips, or a logbook. The same applies if you travel between two different jobs on the same day.
Licences and tickets your role requires
Renewing a licence you need for your current job — an RSA if you sell alcohol, a forklift ticket if you work the stockroom — is generally claimable. The catch: the initial cost of getting that licence to land the job in the first place isn't. Keep the renewal receipt and your certificate as evidence.
Phone and data for rosters and shift swaps
If you check rosters on an app, swap shifts by text or call in about deliveries, the work-related share of your phone and data is claimable. You can't claim the whole bill — work out a reasonable work percentage and keep a few weeks' diary of usage plus your bills to back it up.
Union and association fees
SDA or other union membership fees are deductible, and so are subscriptions to professional associations connected to your retail work. These often come straight out of your pay, so check your final payslip or the annual statement your union sends — that's your record. Don't forget part-year memberships if you changed jobs.
Training linked to your current role
A course that maintains or improves the skills you use in your current retail job — say visual merchandising, first aid if you're the store's designated first aid officer, or a management short course while you're already a supervisor — is generally claimable. Study to move into a different career isn't. Keep enrolment receipts and course records.
What you generally can't claim
Everyday clothes are out, even when your employer insists on them — black pants and a plain white shirt are not a uniform, no matter how strict the dress code. The same goes for travelling from home to your regular store, makeup and grooming (even at a cosmetics counter), and anything your employer reimbursed.
What to have ready.
- Your income statement (finalised in myGov once your employer marks it tax ready)
- Receipts for uniforms, protective gear and dry-cleaning, plus a laundry diary
- A record of trips between stores or jobs — dates, locations and kilometres
- Phone bills and a short usage diary showing your work percentage
- Union or association fee statement, or your final payslip showing the deductions
- Receipts and certificates for licence renewals like an RSA or forklift ticket
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.
My employer makes me wear black pants and a white shirt. Can I claim them?
Generally no. Clothing you could wear outside work isn't deductible just because your employer requires it — the ATO treats plain black-and-white as everyday clothing, not a uniform. It becomes claimable when it's distinctive to the business: branded, logoed, or on a registered uniform list. If yours is borderline, choose 'Ask my accountant' and we'll check it for you.
I work at two stores for the same employer. What travel can I claim?
Your trip from home to the first store and from the last store home is commuting — not claimable. But travel between the two stores during the day is work travel, and you can generally claim it. Keep a record of the dates and distances; a notes app entry after each split shift is enough to support the claim.
Can I claim my RSA course?
It depends on timing. If you paid for the RSA to get a retail job selling alcohol, that initial cost isn't deductible — expenses to land a job never are. Once you're in the role, renewing the RSA (or a forklift ticket, or similar) to keep doing that job generally is claimable. Keep the receipt and the certificate.
How does MYIDTAX work for retail workers?
You answer simple questions online — about four minutes, from $99, nothing charged upfront. A real accountant reviews your answers, checks deductions like the ones above, and emails you with any questions. If you're unsure about an item, choose 'Ask my accountant' rather than guessing. Your final fee is confirmed by email before we send a secure Stripe invoice, and we lodge once you're happy.
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.