What you can claim.
Classroom supplies you paid for yourself
Stationery, stickers, prizes, art materials, classroom decorations, storage tubs: if you paid out of pocket for items used in your teaching and weren't reimbursed, you can generally claim them. Keep every receipt, even small ones; they add up fast over a school year. More expensive equipment may need to be claimed gradually over several years rather than all at once.
Teaching aids, books and subscriptions
Reference books, teaching guides, lesson-planning subscriptions, educational apps and journals directly related to what you teach are generally claimable. If a resource is partly personal, say a streaming service you also use at home, you can only claim the work-related portion. Keep receipts and note how each resource connects to your current teaching role.
Working from home: marking and lesson prep
Those evening marking sessions and Sunday lesson-planning blocks count. You can claim home working costs using the ATO's fixed-rate method or by calculating actual expenses; an accountant can tell you which suits your situation. Either way, the ATO expects a record of the hours you actually worked at home, so keep a diary, timesheet or roster across the year.
Professional development and self-education
Courses, conferences, seminars and study that maintain or improve the skills you use in your current teaching role are generally deductible, including course fees, textbooks and some travel. The catch: study that qualifies you for a different career isn't claimable. Keep invoices, enrolment records and travel details so the connection to your current job is easy to show.
Teacher registration and renewal fees
Annual registration with your state's teacher regulator (TRB, VIT, NESA, QCT and equivalents) is generally deductible while you're working as a teacher, including renewal fees. Your very first registration before starting work is usually treated differently, so flag it if that's you. The renewal receipt or your payment record is normally all the evidence you need.
Union and professional association fees
Fees paid to a teachers' union or a professional association connected to your work, such as subject associations or early-childhood networks, are generally claimable. These often appear on your income statement or an annual receipt from the organisation, which makes them one of the easiest deductions to substantiate. Check you haven't already been reimbursed through salary packaging.
Excursions, camps and school events
If supervising excursions, camps, carnivals or performances is part of your job, out-of-pocket costs your school didn't cover, like entry fees and transport during the event, are generally deductible. Anything the school reimbursed can't be claimed again. Keep receipts and a quick note of which event each cost relates to, because these small amounts are easy to lose track of.
Working with Children Check renewals
The cost of renewing a Working with Children Check (or your state's equivalent) while you're employed in a role that requires it is generally deductible. The initial check you paid for before starting the job usually isn't, because the ATO treats it as a cost of getting work rather than doing it. Keep the renewal receipt with your other records.
What you generally can't claim
Driving between home and school is private travel, even with a boot full of marking. Everyday clothes aren't deductible either, no matter how much chalk or paint they collect; only genuine occupation-specific or protective clothing qualifies. Lunches, coffee runs and childcare are also off the table. Claiming these is a common audit trigger, so leave them out.
What to have ready.
- Your income statement (finalised by your employer through myGov)
- Receipts for classroom supplies, resources and equipment (photos are fine)
- A diary or log of hours worked at home for marking and lesson prep
- Union, teacher registration and professional association fee statements
- Invoices for professional development courses and any related travel
- Bank or card statements to back up purchases where a receipt has gone missing
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 classroom supplies I bought with my own money?
Generally yes, if you weren't reimbursed and the items are used in your teaching: stationery, prizes, art supplies, decorations and similar. Keep receipts as you go; a shoebox of small purchases across a year can add up to a meaningful claim. Anything your school pays you back for can't be claimed, and pricier equipment may need to be spread over several years.
Can I claim the hours I spend marking at home?
Usually, yes. Marking, report writing, lesson planning and parent emails done at home are genuine work, and you can claim home working costs using the ATO's fixed-rate method or actual expenses. The key is evidence: the ATO wants a record of your actual hours, so keep a diary or regular log rather than estimating at tax time.
Is my Working with Children Check tax deductible?
It depends on timing. A check you paid for before starting a job generally isn't deductible, because the ATO treats it as a cost of getting employment. Renewing the check while you're working in a role that requires it generally is. If you're not sure which side of the line you're on, that's exactly the kind of thing to ask an accountant.
How does MYIDTAX work for teachers?
You answer simple questions online in about four minutes, and if anything's unclear you choose 'Ask my accountant' and move on. A real accountant reviews your return and emails you with any questions or suggestions. Fees start from $99, your final fee is confirmed by email before a secure Stripe invoice is sent, and nothing is charged upfront.
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.