Work Related Clothing & Laundry Tax Deductions: What You Can and Can’t Claim

If you’re working in Australia, especially as an international student in hospitality, retail, or aged care, you probably spend money on work clothes. But here’s the tricky part: not all work clothing can be claimed in your tax return.

The ATO has clear rules about what you can and can’t claim when it comes to work uniforms and laundry. Here’s a simple breakdown.

✅ What You Can Claim

Some clothing is deductible if it’s specific to your job and not suitable for everyday wear:

• Branded uniforms: If your employer requires clothing with a logo (e.g., Coles polo shirt).

• Protective clothing: Gloves, steel-cap boots, safety glasses, aprons, chef hats, hi-vis vests.

• Occupation-specific attire: For example, a nurse’s scrubs or chef’s jacket.

• Laundry costs: You can claim:

  • $1 per load if the load is only work clothes.

  • $0.50 per load if the load is mixed (work + personal).

❌ What You Can’t Claim

This is where most students slip up.

• Everyday black pants or plain shoes (even if your employer requires them).

• Non-logo clothing bought for work (e.g., generic white shirt).

• Casual clothes that “look professional” but aren’t a compulsory uniform.

Basically, if you could wear it outside of work, it’s not deductible.

How to Keep Records?

• Keep receipts for any uniform or protective clothing you purchase.

• Track your laundry loads if you want to claim washing costs.

• If your laundry claim is $150 or less for the year, you don’t need receipts. But you still need to show how you worked it out.

• If it’s more than $150, receipts or a diary of loads is required.

Examples

• Hospitality Student (Café Job): Can claim apron, chef’s jacket, protective shoes, and laundry. Cannot claim plain black jeans.

• Retail Student (Supermarket Job): Can claim branded shirts with logos. Cannot claim plain black pants or sneakers.

• Aged Care Student (Support Worker): Can claim scrubs, protective gloves, and laundry costs.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Claiming full outfits when only the branded shirt is deductible.

• Forgetting small laundry claims (they add up).

• Not keeping receipts for clothing purchases.

How Precent Helps

Filing your tax return correctly means you avoid ATO knock-backs and get the most out of your refund. At Precent, we guide you through what’s claimable and what’s not – saving you time, stress, and money.

👉 Claim your work clothing deductions with Precent today

💬 Still unsure what clothing expenses you can claim? Talk to one of our tax experts before you file, we’ll walk you through it step by step.