tax-law australia
What is required in order to claim a tax deduction for use of a motor vehicle?
<p>I have a question about Commonwealth income tax law.</p>

<p>Suppose I am an employee at a retail chain. Occasionally, my boss asks me to take stock from one store to another. I use my private motor vehicle to do so. I pay for the petrol, repairs, etc out of my own pocket. The employer contributes nothing to my motor vehicle.</p>

<p>Under what conditions can I claim an income tax deduction for costs associated with my motor vehicle?</p>

<p>In the circumstances you describe, you can claim the out of pocket expenses as a work related tax deduction, provided you owned or leased the vehicle. The ATO has <a href="https://www.ato.gov.au/Individuals/Tax-Return/2016/Tax-return/Deduction-questions-D1-D10/D1-Work-related-car-expenses-2016/" rel="nofollow">some information</a> on work-related car expenses and if you don't own the vehicle, you may still be able to claim expenses as <a href="https://www.ato.gov.au/Individuals/Tax-return/2016/Tax-return/Deduction-questions-D1-D10/D2-Work-related-travel-expenses-2016/" rel="nofollow">travel expenses</a>. </p>
