Investment and property

Residential rental travel expenses

Travel related to a residential rental property only where a statutory exception applies.

Who can claim

This deduction is available to individuals and companies.

  • The taxpayer is carrying on a business of property letting, is a corporate tax entity or another excluded class, or the travel relates to premises that are not residential premises.
  • The travel has the required connection with earning rental or business income and any mixed purpose is apportioned.

What you cannot claim

  • An ordinary individual investor cannot claim travel relating to inspecting, maintaining or collecting rent from a residential rental property.
  • Merely owning several properties or being actively involved does not by itself establish a rental-property business.
  • Private travel and any private part of a mixed trip are excluded.

How the amount is worked out

Claim only where the residential-rental travel restriction does not apply and the ordinary deduction rules are met. Apportion a mixed-purpose trip and do not add an amount solely because the property earns rent.

Records the ATO expects

  • Travel diary and receipts
  • Property-use evidence
  • Rental-business or excluded-entity evidence
  • Mixed-purpose apportionment

Before you rely on this rule

This item is deliberately review-only because the general rule denies most residential rental travel claims.

Where this rule comes from

Primary source: ATO LCR 2018/7 residential rental property travel expenses (LCR 2018/7). Reviewed 30 July 2026. Covers the 2025-26 and 2026-27 income years.

Supporting sources:

Next steps