What Records Do I Need for the ATO?
Keep records that explain your income, expenses, GST and other tax matters — including invoices issued and received — in a form you can produce on request.
In this answer
- Understand the broad categories of records to keep
- Know why invoices both ways matter
- Learn what makes a record acceptable
- Find out where to confirm the specifics
5 min
Records that explain your tax position
At a high level, the ATO expects you to keep records that explain your business transactions and support what you report. That broadly covers your income, your expenses, your GST (if registered), and other matters such as payments to employees and any assets the business holds. The unifying idea is that if the ATO asks how you arrived at a figure, your records should answer the question.
You do not need to be a bookkeeper to grasp the principle: keep the paperwork that backs up every number on your tax return and activity statement. The detailed lists and retention periods are set by the ATO, so treat the categories below as a practical guide and confirm the specifics with the ATO or your accountant.
Invoices both ways
Invoices sit at the heart of your records — in both directions. The invoices you issue evidence your income, and the tax invoices you receive from suppliers support any GST credits and expense claims you make. It is easy to focus only on what you send out, but the documents coming in are just as important, especially for GST: without a supplier's tax invoice, a credit you claimed can be challenged.
Keep both sets organised together. If you ever need to demonstrate that your income and expenses are accurate, a complete two-way record of invoices is the backbone of that evidence.
What makes a record acceptable
It is not enough to merely possess records; they need to be usable. The ATO generally expects records to be in English (or readily translatable), legible, complete, and capable of being produced reasonably promptly. Electronic records are accepted, including scanned documents, provided they are true, clear copies you can retrieve. In short, a record you cannot find or read quickly is not doing its job. Store everything somewhere reliable with backups, and keep your filing consistent so any document can be located without a hunt.
Build the habit
Saving invoices as you go makes record-keeping painless. Our free invoice tools help you create and store them, and how long to keep invoices covers the time periods.
This is general information only, not tax or legal advice. The records and periods the ATO requires depend on your circumstances — confirm them with the ATO or your accountant.
Key takeaways
- Keep records explaining income, expenses, GST and other tax matters.
- Both the invoices you issue and those you receive matter.
- Records must be legible, complete and able to be produced promptly.
- Electronic and scanned records are generally accepted.
- Confirm the specific records and periods with the ATO or your accountant.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to keep the invoices suppliers send me?
Yes. They support your expense claims and any GST credits. Keep them organised alongside the invoices you issue.
Are digital records acceptable to the ATO?
Generally yes, including scans, if they are true, clear and retrievable copies. Confirm anything specific with the ATO or your accountant.
How long do I keep all this?
Retention periods are set by the ATO and can differ by record type. See our answer on how long to keep invoices, and confirm with your accountant.
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