Tax deductions for retail & sales workers
As a retail or sales worker you can generally claim compulsory logo’d uniforms and their laundry, work-related training, and union or association fees.
Build your checklistRetail claims are modest but real — mostly the required uniform and any training tied to the role. Here’s what usually counts.
The three rules for any claim
- You paid for it yourself and weren’t reimbursed.
- It directly relates to earning your income.
- You have a record — a receipt, invoice or bank statement.
Checked against ATO guidance: August 2026
What you can usually claim
Uniforms and laundry
Compulsory uniforms with a store logo, and the cost of laundering work-specific clothing.
Training and memberships
Product or sales training that builds on your current role, and any union or association fees.
Phone
The work-related portion of your phone where you use it for work — based on a reasonable, recorded percentage.
General information, not personal tax advice. What you can claim depends on your circumstances — check the ATO's own occupation guides or a registered tax agent, and keep records for every claim.
Keep in mind
- Plain clothing that fits a dress code but carries no logo — even if you buy it from the store you work at.
- Everyday shoes.
- Your commute.
Where mistakes happen
The claims most likely to get adjusted — not because they're disallowed outright, but because the split or the timing was off.
- Claiming plain black pants or plain shoes as a uniform — a logo is what makes a uniform compulsory, not the store's dress code alone.
- Claiming purchases made using a staff discount as a work expense.
Take it further
Your income tax, Medicare levy and take-home pay on any salary.
2Fin for students →Money that still exists in week four
2Fin for employees →Work expenses found, your refund in view
Tax-free threshold →The first $18,200 of income you can earn tax-free.
Marginal tax rate →The tax rate on your next dollar of income.
Retail & sales workers — common questions
Can I claim clothes I have to buy from my own store?
Only if they’re a compulsory uniform with a logo. Conventional clothing that merely meets a dress code isn’t deductible, even when bought from your employer. This is general information, not personal tax advice — what you can claim depends on your circumstances, so check with the ATO or a registered tax agent, and keep records to back up every claim.
Can I claim my phone if I use it for rosters and shift swaps?
The work-related portion is generally claimable where your employer genuinely requires you to use your own phone — for rosters, shift cover or store systems. Keep a representative record of the work-use percentage rather than estimating at year end. This is general information, not personal tax advice — what you can claim depends on your circumstances, so check with the ATO or a registered tax agent, and keep records to back up every claim.
Can I claim laundering my logo’d uniform?
Generally yes. The cost of laundering work-specific clothing is typically claimable alongside a compulsory uniform with a store logo. Plain clothing that fits a dress code but carries no logo isn’t claimable, and neither is washing it — the logo is what makes the uniform, and the laundry claim, work. This is general information, not personal tax advice — what you can claim depends on your circumstances, so check with the ATO or a registered tax agent, and keep records to back up every claim.
Can I claim shoes for standing all day on the shop floor?
Generally no. Everyday shoes stay private even if you only wear them to work, and claiming plain shoes as part of a uniform is one of the common mistakes on a retail return. A logo is what makes a uniform compulsory, not the store’s dress code alone. This is general information, not personal tax advice — what you can claim depends on your circumstances, so check with the ATO or a registered tax agent, and keep records to back up every claim.
Can I claim things I bought with my staff discount?
Generally no. A staff discount doesn’t make a purchase work-related — plain clothing or personal items bought with your discount stay private. The test is still whether the item is a compulsory uniform with a logo, so a discount on a plain outfit changes nothing. This is general information, not personal tax advice — what you can claim depends on your circumstances, so check with the ATO or a registered tax agent, and keep records to back up every claim.
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