✅ Updated for 2025–26 tax year

If you're a concreter in Australia, you're entitled to claim a wide range of tax deductions that directly reduce your tax bill. Most concreters leave money on the table simply because they don't know what they can claim — or don't have the records to back it up. This guide fixes both problems.

📋 In This Article

  1. →Tools and equipment
  2. →Vehicle expenses
  3. →Licences and memberships
  4. →Clothing and PPE
  5. →Training and education
  6. →Phone and home office
  7. →Insurance premiums
  8. →Record keeping tips
  9. →FAQs

The ATO allows you to claim deductions for expenses that are directly related to earning your income. You must have actually spent the money, not been reimbursed by an employer, and have a record to prove it. Here's every claim available to concreters in Australia.

Tools and Equipment

Any tool or piece of equipment you buy for your concreter work is tax deductible. Under the Instant Asset Write-Off rules, many items can be written off in full in the year of purchase rather than depreciated over several years — check the current threshold with your accountant as it changes regularly.

What concreters can claim:

  • Concrete mixers, vibrators and screeds
  • Bull floats, hand floats and edging tools
  • Formwork tools and accessories
  • Angle grinders and diamond cutting blades
  • Water pumps for site drainage
  • Steel-cap boots, knee pads, gloves and safety gear
  • Replacement parts and consumables used in your work
  • Tool repairs and maintenance
💡 Record-keeping tip:

Photograph every receipt immediately. Apps like Dext or Rounded extract the details automatically and store them in an ATO-compliant format. The ATO can audit up to 5 years back — paper receipts fade and get lost.

Vehicle Expenses

Your vehicle is typically your largest single deduction as a concreter. If you drive between job sites, carry tools and materials, or travel from home to a job site where you're based (not a fixed employer's premises), you can claim vehicle costs.

Logbook method — best for most concreters

Keep a logbook for 12 consecutive weeks recording every work journey. This establishes your business-use percentage (often 70–90% for concreters who use their vehicle mainly for work). Apply that percentage to your actual annual vehicle costs — fuel, registration, insurance, servicing, loan interest and depreciation.

Cents per kilometre method

Claim 88 cents per kilometre (2024–25 rate) for up to 5,000 km of work travel. Simple, but usually gives a smaller deduction for concreters who drive extensively. Use this method if your business-use percentage is low or you drive a modest amount.

Deductible vehicle costs (logbook method): fuel, oil, registration, insurance, loan interest, tyres, servicing, repairs and depreciation on the vehicle's value.

Licences, Registrations and Memberships

The cost of maintaining your trade licences and professional memberships is fully deductible. What concreters can claim:

  • Concreting contractor licence (state licensing authority), White Card (Construction Induction Training), Elevated work platform (EWP) licence
  • White Card (Construction Induction Training) renewal
  • Any other mandatory or relevant industry licences

Note: The cost of obtaining your initial trade qualification is generally not deductible — it's considered a capital expense. Renewal and maintenance fees are deductible.

Clothing, PPE and Safety Gear

Standard everyday clothing isn't deductible even if you only wear it for work. However, safety equipment, protective gear and uniforms with your company logo are fully deductible.

What concreters can claim:

  • Steel-cap safety boots
  • High-visibility vests and shirts
  • Protective gloves and eye protection
  • Hard hats and hearing protection
  • Branded work shirts with your business logo
  • Laundry costs for deductible work clothing — up to $150 without receipts, more with

Training and Education

Training that maintains or improves your skills as a concreter is deductible. It must be related to your current work — courses that lead to a completely new career or trade are not deductible.

  • Safety refresher courses (first aid, working at heights)
  • Industry-specific upskilling courses
  • Business management training relevant to running your trade business
  • Industry conferences and seminars
  • Relevant books, trade magazines and subscriptions

Phone, Internet and Home Office

Claim the work-use percentage of your phone and internet bill. If 70% of your mobile calls are work-related, claim 70% of your plan cost. Keep a 4-week diary to establish the percentage if you're ever audited.

If you do administrative work from home — quoting, invoicing, scheduling — claim the home office running costs. The ATO's fixed rate is 67 cents per hour worked from home, covering electricity, phone and internet.

Insurance Premiums

All business insurance premiums are fully tax deductible:

  • Public liability insurance — deductible
  • Tools and equipment insurance — deductible
  • Income protection insurance — the portion covering lost income is deductible
  • Workers' compensation (if you have employees) — fully deductible

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Record Keeping — Don't Lose Your Deductions

The ATO requires you to keep records for 5 years from when you lodged the return. For most deductions you need a receipt, invoice or bank statement showing the amount, date and supplier.

The fastest way to stay on top of it: use Dext to photograph receipts on the spot, which pushes them directly into your accounting software. At tax time, everything is already categorised and your accountant can lodge your return in half the time.

Good accounting software helps too — Xero and Rounded both keep your income and expenses organised and make BAS lodgement straightforward.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a concreter claim their work vehicle?

Yes. A vehicle used to travel between job sites and carry tools and equipment is deductible. Use the logbook method for the maximum deduction — keep a logbook for 12 weeks recording all business journeys, then claim that business-use percentage of all your annual vehicle costs.

Do I need receipts for everything?

For claims under $10, no receipt is required. For claims between $10 and $75, bank or credit card statements may be accepted. For amounts over $75, you need a proper tax invoice or receipt. Keep digital copies — apps like Dext make this easy.

Is accounting software tax deductible for concreters?

Yes — subscriptions to Xero, Rounded, MYOB, Dext and similar business software are fully tax deductible as a business expense. So is the cost of hiring an accountant to prepare your return.

What happens if I don't have receipts?

The ATO may disallow your deduction on audit. For small items under $300 with no receipt, you may be able to use a bank statement. For larger amounts, missing documentation is a genuine risk. This is why snapping receipts immediately with Dext is so important.

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## Vehicle and Equipment Deductions: What Concreters Often Miss One of the biggest opportunities for concreters to maximise deductions lies in vehicle and equipment expenses. The ATO allows you to claim the running costs of vehicles used for work, but many tradies don't realise how broad this category is. If you use a ute or truck for work, you can claim either actual expenses or use the cents-per-kilometre method. For the 2025–26 tax year, the ATO rates vehicle expenses at **88 cents per kilometre**. This is straightforward: multiply your work-related kilometres by 88c and you've got your deduction. Keep a logbook for four weeks to establish your work-related percentage, then apply that to your annual kilometres. However, actual expenses often yield better deductions for concreters. This includes fuel, servicing, repairs, tyres, insurance, registration, and depreciation. If your vehicle costs $1,200 annually to run and you use it 80% for work, you can claim $960. Many concreters find actual expenses work better because concrete work is equipment-intensive—you're regularly servicing machines, replacing worn parts, and maintaining vehicles more frequently than average tradespeople. For concrete-specific equipment, the $20,000 instant asset write-off applies to items purchased from 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026. This means you can immediately deduct purchases like concrete saws, compactors, vibrators, and finishing machines up to $20,000 each, rather than spreading the cost across multiple years. Items over $20,000 are depreciated using the declining balance method at the ATO's prescribed rate. Keep all receipts and invoices meticulously. If you're managing multiple projects and clients, using accounting software like Xero or Tradify helps track these expenses automatically and ensures nothing slips through. ## Home Office and Site-Based Work Deductions Many concreters operate from home—quoting jobs, managing invoices, scheduling, and handling correspondence from a home office. The ATO allows two methods for claiming home office expenses: the fixed rate method and the actual expenses method. **Fixed Rate Method**: You can claim 67 cents per hour of work-related use (updated annually by the ATO). If you spend 10 hours per week on admin work from home, that's 520 hours annually × 67c = $348 in deductions. This method is simple and requires minimal record-keeping, though the deduction is modest. **Actual Expenses Method**: This is often better for concreters with substantial home office setups. You calculate a percentage of your home's expenses proportional to your office space. If your home office is 10% of your home's floor area, you can claim 10% of: - Rent or mortgage interest (not principal for mortgages) - Council rates - Land tax - Electricity and water - Internet and phone (work-related portion) - Home and contents insurance - Repairs and maintenance - Depreciation on office furniture and equipment For example, if your total home expenses are $8,000 annually and your office is 10% of the home, you'd claim $800. Over time, this typically exceeds the fixed rate method significantly. Don't forget site-based deductions either. If you're working on-site full-time for a client over several months, you can claim travel to and from that site (not your home commute), meals while working away, and accommodation if it's overnight work. These often go unreclaimed by concreters who think they're "just commuting."

TIP: If you operate as a sole trader or partnership, your superannuation contributions are also tax-deductible. You can contribute up to the concessional contribution cap ($30,000 for 2025–26) and claim a tax deduction for personal super contributions. This reduces your taxable income while building retirement savings. Ensure your employer doesn't also contribute the same amount to avoid exceeding the cap.

## Common Deductions: Quick Reference Table | Expense Category | Deductible? | 2025–26 Rate/Notes | |---|---|---| | Vehicle running costs (actual) | Yes | Fuel, servicing, tyres, insurance, registration | | Vehicle running costs (km) | Yes | 88c per work-related kilometre | | Concrete equipment & tools | Yes | Up to $20k instant write-off until June 2026 | | Uniforms and safety gear | Yes | Work shirts, high-vis vests, steel-cap boots, hard hats | | Training and licences | Yes | Concreting courses, forklift certification, first aid | | Home office (fixed rate) | Yes | 67c per hour work-related use | | Home office (actual) | Yes | Percentage of home expenses (rent, rates, utilities) | | Work phone and internet | Yes | Work-related portion only | | Subscriptions and software | Yes | Xero, Tradify, invoicing, accounting software | | Public liability insurance | Yes | Essential for concreters; fully deductible | | Work-related travel | Yes | Site travel (not home-to-work commute) | | Site meals (away overnight) | Yes | Only if working away from usual location | | Bank fees and loan interest | Yes | Business loan interest (not personal loans) | | Advertising and marketing | Yes | Website, flyers, local directory listings | ## FAQs: Concreter Tax Deductions

Can I claim my work vehicle if it's also my personal car?

Yes, but only for the work-related percentage. You must keep a logbook for four weeks to establish your business-use percentage, then apply that to your annual kilometres or actual running costs. For example, if your logbook shows 75% work use, you claim 75% of fuel, servicing, and other vehicle expenses. Many concreters find using the 88c/km method simpler than tracking actual expenses, especially if they use their vehicle for personal trips regularly.

Are meals and refreshments on job sites tax deductible?

Generally, no—meals are considered private expenses, even at work. However, there's an exception: if you're working away from your usual place of residence overnight (such as a multi-week job on the coast or in another town), you can claim meal expenses. You can't claim a deduction if you're within commuting distance of home, even if the site is far from your office. Keep receipts for any overnight work meals and document the dates and locations clearly.

What's the best way to track expenses and maximise deductions?

Use dedicated accounting software like Xero or job-management platforms like Tradify that integrate with accounting. These tools automatically categorise expenses, flag deductible items, and make tax time far easier. Alternatively, maintain a spreadsheet with categories (vehicles, equipment, home office, insurance, training) and photograph all receipts. Also consider BizCover for insuring your equipment and ensuring your public liability policy is current—the premiums are fully tax-deductible and essential for concreters.

The key to maximising tax deductions as a concreter is meticulous record-keeping and understanding which expenses the ATO allows. Review this guide annually, as rates and thresholds change each financial year. When in doubt, consult your accountant—a small investment in professional advice typically pays for itself many times over through identified deductions you'd otherwise miss.