Definition
FBT (Fringe Benefits Tax) is the Australian Tax Office’s tax on non-cash benefits provided by employers to employees (or associates of employees) outside of wages. Common categories: company cars, low-interest loans, entertainment, accommodation, school fees, reimbursement of private expenses, and provision of property below market value. FBT is separate from the employee’s income tax and PAYG: the employer pays FBT directly to the ATO, and the employee does not pay personal tax on the benefit (subject to the reportable fringe benefits threshold of AUD 2,000).
What FBT means in practice
For an Australian bookkeeper, FBT is the workflow that runs once per year (annual return due 21 May) plus quarterly FBT instalments where the prior-year FBT was significant. The FBT year runs 1 April to 31 March, which differs from the financial year (1 July to 30 June). Tracking benefits over the FBT year requires either a dedicated FBT tracking system (most accounting platforms have limited native FBT support) or a separate spreadsheet that captures every benefit category as it arises.
The most common FBT trigger for SMBs is a company car used privately by an employee or director. The two valuation methods are statutory formula (a percentage of the car’s value based on kilometres driven) and operating cost (actual cost apportioned by business-use percentage). The statutory formula is simpler but often produces a higher FBT bill; the operating cost method requires a detailed logbook over a 12-week representative period.
A practical example: an AU consultancy provides a director with a company car costing AUD 50,000. The director drives 18,000 km per year, 80% private. Under the statutory formula (20% rate, 50,000 base value), the taxable value is 10,000 per year. Type 1 gross-up: 10,000 * 2.0802 = 20,802 grossed-up taxable value. FBT at 47%: 9,777. The company also pays 5,000 of fuel and maintenance per year. Total cost: 50,000 amortised + 5,000 running costs + 9,777 FBT. The same director taking equivalent cash salary would face PAYG and personal income tax at their marginal rate, but the company would not face the FBT. For most directors, cash salary is more tax-efficient than a fringe-benefit company car in 2026.
How FBT works by country
Australia
FBT year runs 1 April to 31 March (different from the financial year 1 July to 30 June). Rate: 47% on the grossed-up taxable value of fringe benefits. Gross-up factor: 2.0802 for Type 1 benefits (employer can claim GST credits on the underlying cost), 1.8868 for Type 2 benefits (no GST credits). FBT return due 21 May. Reportable fringe benefits amount included on the employee’s PAYG summary (now reported via STP) if total benefits exceed AUD 2,000.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom does not have FBT specifically. The equivalent benefits-in-kind are taxed on the employee directly via the P11D regime: each employee receives an annual P11D showing their benefits, the benefits are taxed via the employee’s PAYE code, and the employer pays Class 1A NIC at 15% on the benefit value. The UK regime taxes the employee; the AU regime taxes the employer. The economic burden is similar but the mechanics differ.
Canada
Canada does not have FBT. Taxable benefits to employees are added to T4 income and the employee pays personal tax on the benefit value. The employer does not pay a separate benefits tax (other than the standard employer CPP and EI contributions on the additional T4 income).
New Zealand
New Zealand has FBT under the Fringe Benefit Tax regime, mirroring the AU concept but at different rates. Rate: 49.25% on grossed-up value for the top tax band; lower rates apply for lower bands. Quarterly returns for most employers; annual returns available for smaller employers.
Singapore
Singapore does not have FBT. Taxable employment benefits are added to the IR8A annual return and taxed on the employee as part of personal income tax. The Singapore regime is the simplest of our five jurisdictions; the employer’s role is purely informational reporting on the IR8A.
Related terms
FBT is the AU employer-side tax on non-cash benefits:
- PAYG is the parallel income-tax withholding regime on cash wages.
- Single Touch Payroll reports the reportable fringe benefits amount alongside regular pay data.
- Payroll is the broader process FBT sits adjacent to.
- BAS carries FBT instalments where applicable.
See also
For the AU payroll workflow that FBT sits alongside, see the payroll and Single Touch Payroll entries. For the AU GST return that may carry FBT instalments, see BAS.
FAQ
See the answered questions above for the 2026 AU FBT rate, common benefit categories, and FBT deductibility.