Why we impose penalties
Tax laws authorise us to impose administrative penalties when you fail to meet your tax obligations.
Penalty provisions are there to encourage all taxpayers to take reasonable care in complying with their tax obligations.
We consider your circumstances when deciding what action to take.
Penalty unit amount
When infringement occurred | Penalty unit amount |
|---|---|
On or after 7 November 2024 | 330 |
1 July 2023 to 6 November 2024 | 313 |
1 January 2023 to 30 June 2023 | 275 |
1 July 2020 to 31 December 2022 | 222 |
1 July 2017 to 30 June 2020 | 210 |
31 July 2015 to 30 June 2017 | 180 |
28 December 2012 to 30 July 2015 | 170 |
Up to 27 December 2012 | 110 |
How we notify you
If you're liable for a penalty, we'll notify you in writing and include:
- the reason for the penalty
- the amount of the penalty
- the due date for payment (at least 14 days after we give notice).
You can't claim a deduction for penalties we impose.
How we calculate the penalty
We calculate the penalty amount using either:
- a statutory formula, based on your behaviour and the amount of tax avoided
- multiples of a penalty unit.
We also have certain rules for: