While 30 June gets all the glory (and the stress), 31 March marks the end of the Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT) year. And if your business uses a vehicle for work, there is one 10-second task you absolutely cannot afford to skip before you clock off for the month.
The “Odometer Snap”
Before you head home on Tuesday, 31 March 2026, we need you to do one thing: jump in your work vehicle and take a clear photo of the odometer reading on the dashboard.
It sounds almost too simple to be important, but that single photo is your “get out of jail free” card when it comes to FBT compliance.
Why does this matter?
The ATO is particularly interested in how work vehicles are used, specifically, how much is for business and how much is for popping down to the shops or taking the kids to footy.
By recording your odometer reading exactly at the turn of the FBT year, you provide us with a “hard marker.” This allows us to:
- Calculate your FBT liability accurately: Without a start and end reading, the ATO might default to a method that costs you more in tax.
- Keep your Logbook valid: If you’re currently in a logbook period, that year-end reading is the “anchor” for your claims.
- Avoid the “June Scramble”: Trying to reconstruct your mileage three months from now is a recipe for a headache. A timestamped photo in your camera roll is bulletproof evidence.
What do you need to do?
You don’t need a fancy spreadsheet or a complicated app.
- Park up on or just before 31 March.
- Take a photo of the dashboard showing the total kilometres.
- Email it to us (and we’ll be happy to help) immediately.
That’s it. You’ve just saved yourself a mountain of paperwork and potentially thousands in unnecessary tax.
A quick tip for the road
If you have multiple vehicles in your fleet, make sure the photo includes the number plate or that you label the photo so we know which ute is which.
It’s the ultimate low-key bookkeeping win: a tiny bit of effort in March for a massive sigh of relief in June.
Send us an enquiry here to learn more.
