ATO logbook guides
One question per page, answered in full, with the ATO source linked on every point. These are record-keeping references, not tax advice.
Written by the developer who builds LogSprint, not a registered tax agent. Where a rule is genuinely unsettled, the guide says so and points you at a registered tax agent rather than guessing. Found an error? support@logsprint.com.
7 min read
Missed the logbook this tax time? Start your 12 weeks now
A logbook cannot be reconstructed for a year that has already ended, but one started today runs for 12 weeks, finishes before Christmas, and can generally support your claim for the current income year and the four that follow it.
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8 min read
What an ATO car logbook actually has to contain
A valid logbook covers at least 12 continuous weeks, records the reason, destination, start and end odometer, and total kilometres for every journey, and is written up at the end of each journey or as soon as possible afterwards.
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5 min read
Does the 12 weeks have to be continuous, and what breaks it
Yes. The period must run for at least 12 continuous weeks without restarting, but the requirement is continuity of the period and representativeness of the travel, not that you drive on every day of it.
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4 min read
How long a logbook stays valid, and when you need a new one
A logbook is generally valid for the income year it was kept and the four following years, but only for as long as it remains broadly representative of your work use. There is no fixed percentage change that invalidates it.
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4 min read
What odometer readings you need, and exactly when
Three separate readings are required: start and end of every journey, start and end of the logbook period, and start and end of the period you held the car in each income year you use the method.
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7 min read
Can you claim driving from home to work
No. Travel between home and your regular place of work is private, even if you live a long way away, work irregular hours, or do small work tasks on the way. Narrow exceptions exist and each has conditions.
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6 min read
Where your logbook data lives, and what happens to it
It depends entirely on the app. LogSprint keeps your logbook in a database on your iPhone with no account and no server, which means nobody else holds it, and it also means the backup is your responsibility.
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5 min read
How long to keep your logbook and receipts
Keep the logbook and odometer records for five years after the end of the latest income year you rely on them, and written evidence of expenses for five years from the date you lodge the return that claims them.
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4 min read
What counts as a car, and who cannot claim running costs
A car carries under one tonne and fewer than nine passengers, which includes electric and hybrid vehicles but excludes motorcycles and larger vehicles. You must own or lease it, which a novated lease or salary sacrifice arrangement generally means you do not.
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3 min read
Does the ATO accept a logbook app
Yes, the ATO accepts electronic records kept on any device or app, provided the record contains the required fields, is a true and clear copy in English, and can be produced when asked. No approval list exists, so no app can be ATO approved.
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Work out which method pays more
The logbook method takes twelve weeks of records. Cents per kilometre takes none, and caps out. The calculator compares the two on your own numbers, with no signup.