Yes — Fully Claimable

Can I Claim Mobile Phone as a Business Expense in Australia?

Yes — mobile phone costs used for work are deductible based on business use percentage. Provide a representative 4-week diary, then apply that % to the year's bills.

Typical claim: A$600–A$1,200/year

What Australian Taxation Office (ATO) says

ATO accepts a 4-week representative diary to establish work-use percentage. Apply to itemised bills or the contracted plan cost. Phone hardware is depreciated over the asset's effective life (3 years for phones).

When you can claim

  • Apportioned monthly plan cost (work %)
  • Apportioned itemised call charges
  • Phone hardware depreciation (or instant asset write-off if under threshold)
  • Cases, screen protectors used for the work phone

When you cannot claim

  • Private call charges
  • Family member's phone on a business plan
  • Pre-existing phone costs that have not changed due to work use

Related expenses

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