As a delivery rider you're a contractor, which means you pay your own tax — but it also means you can claim deductions most employees can't. Every dollar of legitimate deduction lowers your taxable income. Here's what to claim.
The deductions checklist
| Deduction | Example/year |
|---|---|
| Vehicle (cents-per-km, ~$0.88/km in AU) | $3,000+ |
| Phone & data (work-use portion) | $300 |
| Bags, helmet, hi-vis, equipment | $200 |
| Bike maintenance / servicing | $250 |
| Platform service fees | varies |
Cents-per-km vs logbook
You can claim vehicle costs two ways: the simple cents-per-km method (multiply work km by the set rate, up to a cap), or a logbook (track actual costs and your business-use percentage). For most part-time riders, cents-per-km is the easiest and gives a solid deduction.
Worked example — the total
A rider claims $3,000 (kilometres) + $300 (phone) + $200 (equipment) + $250 (maintenance) = $3,750 in deductions. On a 15% working holiday tax rate, that’s about $562 less tax — money that would otherwise have gone to the ATO.
Keep the records
Deductions only count if you can prove them. Log your kilometres per shift and keep receipts for gear and servicing throughout the year — not the night before you lodge.
Track kilometres and expenses per shift for an effortless tax time.
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