The right tax deductions for veterinarians and veterinary nurses can add real money to your refund, because the work comes with registration, insurance, equipment and a lot of driving. Veterinarians and vet nurses in small animal, mixed and large animal practice all pay for professional costs out of their own pocket. This guide sets out what you can claim, what the ATO will not allow, and the records that keep your claim safe.
Tax rules and rates change from year to year, so use the figures here as a guide and have a registered tax agent confirm the current rules and rates before you lodge.
What Can Vets and Veterinary Nurses Claim on Tax?
A work expense is deductible when you paid for it yourself, you were not reimbursed, it relates directly to earning your income, and you have a record. For vets and vet nurses the main claims sit across registration and insurance, professional development, equipment, scrubs and PPE, and travel between clinics and to farms.
Full List of Vet and Veterinary Nurse Tax Deductions
Registration renewal. The annual renewal of your veterinary registration with your state board is deductible. Your first, initial registration to enter the profession is not.
Professional indemnity insurance. Veterinary indemnity and professional liability cover for your clinical work is deductible.
Professional memberships. Membership of a body such as the Australian Veterinary Association, and related subscriptions, are claimable.
Self-education and CPD. Courses, conferences and clinical CPD that maintain or improve the skills in your current role are deductible, along with fees, materials and travel to attend.
Equipment and instruments. A stethoscope, clippers, hand instruments and other tools you buy yourself are claimable. Items over 300 dollars are claimed as depreciation over their effective life.
Scrubs, boots and PPE. Scrubs, protective footwear, gloves and other protective gear, along with laundry, are deductible for vets and vet nurses alike.
Car and travel. This is a large claim for mixed and large animal work. You can claim travel between clinics on the same day, farm and property visits, ambulatory calls, and carrying bulky equipment where there is no secure storage at work. Home to your regular clinic is not deductible. Use the cents per kilometre method up to the annual cap, or a logbook for a work-use percentage of actual costs.
Reference materials. Veterinary texts, journals and professional subscriptions used for your role are claimable.
Phone, internet and home admin. The work-use share of your phone and internet is deductible, along with time spent on CPD or administration at home under the fixed rate or actual cost method.
Vet and Vet Nurse Deductions at a Glance
| Expense | Can you claim it? | Conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Veterinary registration renewal | Yes | Ongoing renewal with your state board, not initial registration |
| Professional indemnity insurance | Yes | Cover for your clinical work |
| AVA and professional memberships | Yes | Ongoing memberships related to your role |
| CPD, courses and conferences | Yes | Maintains or improves skills in your current role |
| Instruments and equipment | Yes | Stethoscope, clippers, tools, depreciated if over 300 dollars |
| Scrubs, boots and PPE | Yes | Occupation-specific clothing and protective gear, plus laundry |
| Travel between clinics and farms | Yes | Same day travel, farm visits and ambulatory work, not home to clinic |
| Reference texts and subscriptions | Yes | Veterinary journals and professional resources |
| Initial registration | No | Cost of entering the profession is not deductible |
| Conventional clothing and grooming | No | Private, even if worn to the clinic |
| Your own pet’s veterinary costs | No | Private expense |
| Home to work travel and daily meals | No | Private expenses |
Table for general guidance only. A registered tax agent should confirm your eligibility and the current rates.
A Worked Example
Tom, a mixed practice veterinarian, pays across the year: his registration renewal, professional indemnity insurance, AVA membership, a clinical conference, and new instruments claimed as depreciation. Between farm visits and travel between two clinics, he covers a lot of kilometres, so his car claim is significant. Add scrubs, laundry and the work share of his phone, and his deductions run to several thousand dollars, a good share of which returns at his marginal tax rate.
Want to see your own number before you lodge? Try our free Tax Calculator.
What Vets and Vet Nurses Cannot Claim
- Your first, initial registration to enter the profession
- Your own pet’s veterinary costs
- Conventional clothing, shoes and grooming
- Travel between home and your regular clinic
- Meals on a normal working day
- Costs your employer reimbursed you for
Records You Need to Keep
Travel is usually the biggest claim, so document it carefully. Keep the following for every work year:
- A logbook or record of kilometres for travel between clinics and to farms
- Receipts and invoices for registration, insurance, memberships, CPD and equipment
- A depreciation record for instruments and equipment over 300 dollars
- A record of hours spent on CPD or admin at home
- Bank and card statements that support your receipts
The ATO myDeductions tool makes this easy to capture through the year, and your tax agent can bring it together at lodgement.
How to Maximise Your Vet Tax Deductions
For mixed and large animal work, car travel is often the single largest claim, so keep a logbook to compare the cents per kilometre and logbook methods. Claim depreciation on instruments rather than missing it. Keep every registration, insurance and CPD receipt together. Vet nurses should not overlook scrubs, laundry and self-education for the current role. A registered agent who knows veterinary returns will make sure your travel claim is calculated the best way.
Get Ready for Tax Time With Accountants Direct
Accountants Direct are registered Australian tax agents who make tax time simple for vets and veterinary nurses. You get fixed pricing, no surprise bills, and phone or online appointments including after hours. We are rated 4.9 from 1,653 Google reviews, and we know the deductions that veterinary professionals miss.
Here is how to get started
- Gather your registration, insurance, CPD, travel logbook and equipment records
- Estimate your position with our free Tax Calculator
- Book a call online or call 1300 829 746
Frequently Asked Questions
Vets can claim registration renewal, professional indemnity insurance, AVA and professional memberships, CPD and conferences, instruments and equipment, scrubs and PPE, travel between clinics and to farms, and the work share of phone and home admin, as long as they paid for it and kept a record.
Yes. Vet nurses can claim scrubs and their laundry, protective gear, self-education for the current role, professional memberships, small equipment and work-related travel between sites, on the same principles as any employee.
Yes. Scrubs, protective footwear and other occupation-specific and protective clothing you buy yourself are deductible, along with the cost of laundering them. Conventional clothing is not.
Yes. Travel between clinics on the same day, farm and property visits and ambulatory calls are deductible. Home to your regular clinic is not. Use the cents per kilometre method up to the annual cap, or keep a logbook for a work-use share of actual costs.
The annual renewal of your registration with your state veterinary board is deductible. The first, initial registration that lets you enter the profession is not.
Yes. Instruments and equipment you buy yourself for work are deductible. Items that cost more than 300 dollars are claimed as depreciation over their effective life rather than all at once.
