Tax Deductions for Hairdressers in Australia (2026 Guide)

Who this guide is for: Hairdressers, salon workers, beauty professionals and independent operators in Australia.

Scope note: This guide leans on the ATO hairdressers and beauty professionals guide. If you run your own salon, broader business deduction rules also apply.

Last reviewed: 22 March 2026

Trust note: This guide is written as educational information only and checked against official ATO occupation guidance or related ATO topic pages. If you want the broad claim rules first, use the support pages linked below before acting on a deduction.

Quick answer

Hairdressers may be able to claim tools, salon supplies they paid for themselves, training connected to current work, protective items and the business-use share of mixed costs. Everyday clothing, private use and reimbursed expenses remain common non-deductible areas.

You usually need to have paid the cost yourself.
The expense should directly relate to earning income or running the business.
Only the work-related or business-use share is usually claimable for mixed-use items.
Records matter just as much as the expense itself.

If the claim turns on mixed private use, records or contractor-style work, start with the broader support pages before treating the occupation examples as your final answer.

Intro: who this guide is for

Hairdressers often buy and replace their own tools, use their phones for bookings, pay for training and wear items that feel work-related. But the ATO draws a clear line between deductible work costs and private grooming or ordinary clothes.

That means good claims usually come from tools, protective items, phone use, training linked to current work and business or salon-specific operating costs.

Common deductions this occupation may be able to claim

Common expenses to review

Scissors, clippers, dryers, combs, brushes and other tools you buy and use for work, subject to the ATO asset rules.
Repairs, sharpening, maintenance and insurance for work tools you own.
Protective items such as gloves, aprons and other gear used to protect you from chemicals or the work environment.
Phone and internet costs used for bookings, supplier contact and client communication to the work-related extent.
Training and courses that maintain or improve your existing hairdressing skills.

Occupation-specific expenses to review

Laundry costs for eligible uniforms or protective clothing.
Salon chair rental, booking software and EFTPOS fees if you are an independent operator.
Business-use products or supplies you pay for yourself and use to earn income.
Travel between salons, to an alternative workplace or to qualifying training venues.

Other costs that may still matter

Professional association fees and trade publications.
A work-related portion of tablet or laptop costs used for appointment management and business admin.
Home-based admin costs for independent operators doing rostering, stock ordering or bookkeeping.
Accounting and tax agent fees.

For the general ATO-style claim tests behind these expense types, see How to Claim Tax Deductions in Australia.

Expenses commonly not deductible

Haircuts, hair colour, cosmetics or personal grooming costs on yourself.
Ordinary black clothing or other conventional clothing, even if the salon expects a certain look.
Private use of your phone or tools.
Expenses reimbursed by the salon or employer.
Normal trips from home to your regular salon in most cases.

If an expense sits half in work and half in private life, the claim usually gets weaker unless you can clearly apportion it and support that split.

Employee vs sole trader or contractor differences

Employees generally focus on unreimbursed work expenses tied to their current role in a salon or mobile service.
Chair renters, contractors and salon owners may also claim business operating costs such as software, merchant fees, booking systems and salon consumables they actually paid for.
If you switch between employee work and self-employed work, keep separate records so each claim can be traced back to the right activity.

Read the broader employee vs contractor guide if your work structure is not straightforward.

Record-keeping requirements

Keep receipts for scissors, clippers, tools, training, products, subscriptions and protective items you paid for yourself.
If you run your own chair or mobile setup, keep booking, merchant fee and product purchase records together in one system.
Track private use for phones, vehicles and internet if they are used for both work and personal reasons.
Store evidence for any home-based admin or stock storage claim so the business-use basis is easy to explain.

Use the record-keeping guide if you need a clearer checklist for receipts, logbooks or mixed-use calculations.

Common mistakes

Claiming ordinary black clothing or fashion items just because you wear them to work.
Claiming salon products or stock that were paid for by the salon, not by you.
Forgetting to split private and business use for phones, internet or travel.
Treating a course for a new career direction as if it were training for your current work.

Most weak claims break down because the expense was reimbursed, partly private, poorly recorded or connected to the wrong work structure.

Frequently asked questions

Can hairdressers claim scissors and clippers?

Usually yes, if you paid for them yourself and use them to earn income.

Can I claim my own haircuts or colouring because I work in a salon?

No, personal grooming costs are generally private even if appearance matters for work.

Can salon contractors claim booking software and chair rent?

Often yes, where those costs are genuinely part of running the business and earning income.

Related guides

Use these next if you want the broader rules, a closer matching occupation guide, or a more specific topic page.

Related occupation guides

Relevant hub pages

Browse this cluster

Broader rules and trust pages

Review note, sources and disclaimer

Reviewed by: Australia Tax Deductions editorial team

Review date: 22 March 2026

How this guide is framed: This page is written in plain English, checked against official ATO guidance, and designed as a starting point for readers who still need to apply the rules to their own records and circumstances.

Methodology: See the Editorial Policy and Review Methodology pages for how the site handles source checking, updates and manual review.

Primary references

General educational information only. Tax outcomes depend on your circumstances, records, business structure and the current ATO rules. Check the latest official guidance or speak with a registered tax professional before acting on any deduction claim.