Business operations

Business phone, internet and utilities

The business-use portion of communication and operating utility costs.

Who can claim

This deduction is available to individuals and companies.

  • The expense is incurred in carrying on an existing income-producing business.
  • Any private, capital or non-income-producing component is reasonably apportioned or excluded.
  • The service is used to carry on the business.

What you cannot claim

  • Do not include private drawings or personal expenses.
  • Do not treat a capital asset, improvement or acquisition cost as an ordinary operating expense.
  • Private household use is excluded.
  • Do not separately claim phone, internet, energy, stationery or consumables already covered by a home-business fixed-rate claim.

How the amount is worked out

Total cost multiplied by a substantiated business-use percentage.

Records the ATO expects

  • Bills
  • Business-use diary or calculation

Where this rule comes from

Primary source: ATO business income and deductions (Updated 1 June 2023). Reviewed 30 July 2026. Covers the 2025-26 and 2026-27 income years.

Next steps