Estimated reading time: 7 minutes
Key Takeaways
- You can claim tax deductions without receipts in Australia but there are rules
- The ATO currently allows up to $300 work-related expense claims without receipts
- Bank and credit card statements can sometimes replace a lost receipt
- Cash payments with no records are not accepted by the ATO under any circumstances.
- Keeping your receipts year-round is the easiest way to maximise your refund
Can you claim tax deductions without receipts?
In Australia, claiming expenses without receipts can be risky because the ATO is watching for false claims. In some cases however, it’s okay to claim tax deductions without receipts! Here’s what you need to know to maximise your refund and avoid ATO troubles.
Claiming eligible deductions is the best way to improve your tax refund. If you buy items that are required to do your job, you could get some of that money back.
Budget Update: In May 2026, the government announced that eligible workers will be able to claim an automatic ‘$1,000 instant tax deduction‘, without needing to keep receipts for work-related expenses in their 2026-27 tax return. This change does not apply to tax time July 2026.
What can I claim on tax without receipts?
The ATO wants you to keep a receipt for every expense you claim on your tax return. But what happens if you don’t have a receipt? What if you lost it, or it’s so faded that you can’t read it?
Can I use a bank statement instead of a receipt?
There are cases where you can claim a tax deduction without a receipt. You need to make sure your expense is “allowable” if you can answer yes to these three questions:
- Is it directly related to and needed for your job?
- Did you pay for it yourself?
- Were you not reimbursed or paid back by your employer (or anyone else)?
If you answered yes to all three questions, and you have a credit card statement or bank statement showing the transactions, the ATO will usually accept that deduction claim.
If that’s your situation, we recommend getting in touch, so we can review the evidence you have and confirm whether it’s enough to support a deduction.
Ready to lodge your tax return and get that refund?
It takes just a few minutes online, with live online support to help boost your refund.
Deductions you might be able to claim without a receipt:
Membership Fees or Union Fees:
Your Income Statement or another summary you get from your employer or tax agent will usually itemise these.
Fuel/Petrol with a logbook:
If you keep a proper car logbook for at least 12 consecutive weeks (valid over a five year period), you could claim a petrol deduction based on your work-related kilometres, your car’s engine size, and the ATO’s nominal fuel rate. Etax can help work this out for you.
Fuel/Petrol without a logbook:
If you haven’t kept a car logbook, the ATO will allow a claim, as long as you can show how you’ve calculated the number of claimed kilometres. You can claim up to a maximum of 5,000 km per year using the cents per km method.
Computer Items:
If you have a credit card statement and you make a note at the time of the purchase, you can use it as evidence of the claim. It also helps if you take a photo of the packaging as well. The note should say, for example: new home office computer from JB Hi-Fi.
Stationery:
As above, if you make a note against your credit card statement and take a photo of the item in its packaging, you can usually claim the item as a tax deduction.
Laundry Expenses (Up to $150):
If you wash, dry, or iron eligible work clothing, such as uniforms or protective clothing, you can claim up to $150 per year without written evidence. Keep a simple record of your washing loads per week and the types of clothes washed to support your claim.
What the ATO will not accept as proof for deductions
There are some forms of “proof” the ATO will not accept. These include:
- Deductions for items you paid for in cash, if you have no tax invoice or receipt.
- Having an item with a price tag attached, but no proof you purchased it. You also need a corresponding bank statement that confirms you purchased it and for how much.
- A catalogue or advertisement with the price of an item, if you don’t have a receipt, you would also need a bank/credit card statement showing you bought it.
How much can you claim on tax without receipts?
The ATO says that if you have no receipts at all, but you bought work-related items, you can claim up to a maximum value of $300 per year.
Most people are eligible to claim more than $300 which would boost their tax refund. However, with no receipts, you’re stuck below that limit. From their 2027 tax return, taxpayers won’t need receipts to claim a deduction of less than $1,000 for work-related expenses in their tax return.
While the ATO won’t ask for receipts if your claim is below this amount, they may still ask what the expense was, how you paid, and why it relates to your work.
It’s both easy and important to keep your receipts throughout the year, so you never miss out at tax time. This will really save you money and claiming eligible tax deductions can add up when you lodge your tax return.
Having your receipts ready at tax time is an easy problem to fix. Here’s how:
Use your Etax Account
- You can save deductions and receipts in your Etax account, year-round, so they are ready for your next tax return.
- Snap a photo of your receipt as soon as you buy something you’re planning to claim, then Login to Etax and upload it to your account.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, in limited cases. You can claim up to $300 without receipts, provided the expense was work-related and you paid for it yourself.
Sometimes. A bank or credit card statement showing the purchase may support a deduction, if it clearly shows the purchase and you can explain how the expense relates to your work. In some cases, the ATO may still ask for additional evidence.
Unfortunately, the ATO does not accept cash payments without any records. If you can’t provide a receipt or a bank statement, you won’t be able to claim that expense.
Not always. Some expenses, like union fees, appear on your income statement. Others, like car expenses using the cents-per-kilometre method, don’t require receipts, but you do need to show how you calculated your claim. For everything else, the ATO strongly recommends keeping receipts.
The simplest method is to photograph each receipt as soon as you make a purchase and upload it to your Etax account. That way, everything is stored and ready when it’s time to lodge your return.
Related links:
- Manage your receipts and boost your tax refund!
- Ironing Out Laundry Expenses for Uniforms
- Save Receipts and Deductions to Fast-Track Your Next Tax Return
- The key to a better tax refund: Easy record keeping
Ready to lodge your tax return and get that refund?
It takes just a few minutes online, with live online support to help boost your refund.
