Running your business – records

Work out what records your business needs to keep for tax and superannuation purposes.

Last updated 27 November 2019

While you are running your business you are legally required to keep records of all transactions relating to your tax and superannuation affairs, specifically:

any documents related to your business's income and expenses
any documents containing details of any election, choice, estimate, determination or calculation you make for your business's tax and super affairs, including how (basis or method) the estimate, determination or calculation was made.

Information in this section is grouped into either the situation or the tax return or report that the records are related to.

Find out about

Banking records – business
Business activity statement records including GST, pay as you go, fuel tax credits, luxury car tax and wine equalisation tax
Income tax return records – business including income, deductions, stock and assets, and personal services income
Taxable payments annual report records
Fringe benefits tax return records
Employment and payroll records – business
Contractor and supplier records – business
Petroleum resource rent tax records
Sharing economy records – business
Crypto assets used in business
Index – Record keeping for business

Banking records

Information about the banking records you need to keep.

Business activity statement records

Records you need to keep to meet your business activity statement (BAS) reporting requirements.

Income tax return records - business

You need to keep records of all transactions related to information you include in your business's income tax return.

Taxable payments annual report records

Work out what records you need to keep to complete a Taxable payments annual report (TPAR).

Fringe benefits tax return records

Information about the records you need to keep for fringe benefits you provide to your employees or their family.

Employment and payroll records

As an employer, it's important that you understand your record-keeping obligations when it comes to your employees.

Independent contractor and supplier records – business

You need to keep records relating to payments made to independent contractors and suppliers.

Petroleum resource rent tax records

Information for the records you need to keep if your business is required to pay petroleum resource rent tax (PRRT).

Sharing economy records

You need to keep records of all income, expenses and vehicle use related to sharing economy activities.

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