Fuel tax credit business records

To work out your business's fuel tax credits accurately and support your claims, you need to keep complete and accurate records.

Information your records need to show

Examples of types of records

  • You’re carrying on a business. 
  • The type, date and quantity of fuel that you acquired for your business activities. 
  • How the fuel was used in your business for eligible and ineligible activities. 
  • You applied the correct rate when calculating how much you could claim. 
  • That the vehicle meets one of the environmental criteria (if it’s a heavy diesel vehicle manufactured before 1 January 1996).
  • Tax invoices, bank statements. 
  • Log books. 
  • Fuel supplier statements. 
  • Copies of contracts to show that you’re carrying on a business and the activities that the fuel was used in. 
  • Worksheets and other details showing work carried out. 
  • Fuel issue records. 
  • Odometer readings, route distances. 
  • GPS/telematics data to show where the fuel has been used in your vehicles, equipment or machinery. 
  • Calculation worksheets. 
  • Service records and maintenance schedules. 

How long you need to keep fuel tax credits records

You will need to keep more than one of these record types to support your claims. 

If you claim less than $10,000 in fuel tax credits each year, you can use simplified methods such as the basic method for heavy vehicles to keep records and calculate your claim. If you’re using heavy vehicles with auxiliary equipment, you can use the simplified method for all claims, for calculating the amount of fuel used, which will make record keeping simpler and remove the need for sample testing. 

If you’re a primary producer, you should also check the special considerations regarding fuel tax credit records you’re required to keep.

Record keeping

Steps Progress

Record keeping overview

10 mins

Tasks and tips

6 mins

Starting your business records

2 mins

Digital record keeping

5 mins

Manual or paper record keeping

2 mins

Banking records

2 mins

Income records

3 mins

Accounting for private use of assets

9 mins

Motor vehicle deductions records

2 mins

Home-based business deductions records

1 mins

Other deductions records

1 mins

Stock and asset records

5 mins

GST records

1 mins

Employee records

7 mins

Car fringe benefits records

1 mins

Expense payment FBT records

2 mins

Contractor records

2 mins

Sharing economy records

1 mins

Cryptocurrency records

1 mins

Records for other taxes

5 mins

Sole trader structure records

4 mins

Partnership structure records

3 mins

Company structure records

3 mins

Trust structure records

1 mins

Changing your business structure records

1 mins

Selling or closing your business records

2 mins

Related courses

1 mins

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