Fringe benefits tax – rates and thresholds

This information contains fringe benefits tax (FBT) rates and thresholds for the 2015–16 to 2017–18 FBT years.

• The FBT year runs from 1 April to 31 March.
• Certain rates and thresholds are referenced from the relevant taxation determination.

See also:

• Fringe benefits tax – a guide for employers

Pay by instalments threshold

If your FBT liability for the last year was $3,000 or more, you will need to pay four quarterly instalments.

Gross-up rates for FBT

Type 1: higher gross-up rate

This rate is used where the benefit provider is entitled to a goods and services tax (GST) credit in respect of the provision of a benefit.

Type 2: lower gross-up rate

This rate is used if the benefit provider is not entitled to claim GST credits.

Reportable fringe benefits amounts and grossing up

Regardless of whether the benefits provided are type 1 or type 2, only the lower gross-up rate is used for reporting on employees' payment summaries.

See also:

• How to calculate your FBT

Car fringe benefits statutory formula rates

A flat statutory rate of 20% applies, regardless of the distance travelled, to all car fringe benefits you provide from 1 April 2014 (except where there is a pre-existing commitment in place before 7.30pm AEST on 10 May 2011 to provide a car).

The statutory percentages for car fringe benefits where you have a pre-existing commitment in place prior to 7.30pm AEST on 10 May 2011 to provide the car after this time, are available in Chapter 7.4 of Fringe benefits tax – a guide for employers.

See also:

• Fringe benefits tax – car calculator
• Fringe benefits tax – a guide for employers: Chapter 7 – Car fringe benefits

Motor vehicle (other than a car) cents per kilometre rate

See also:

• 2018 reference: TD 2017/4
• 2017 reference: TD 2016/3
• 2016 reference: TD 2015/6

Car parking threshold

FBT year ending:

• 31 March 2018: $8.66 (reference TD 2017/14)
• 31 March 2017: $8.48 (reference TD 2016/7)
• 31 March 2016: $8.37 (reference TD 2015/11)

Statutory/benchmark interest rate

FBT year ending:

• 31 March 2018: 5.25% (reference TD 2017/3)
• 31 March 2017: 5.65% (reference TD 2016/5)
• 31 March 2016: 5.65% (reference TD 2015/8)

Record keeping exemption threshold

FBT year ending:

• 31 March 2018: $8,393 (reference TD 2017/2)
• 31 March 2017: $8,286 (reference TD 2016/2)
• 31 March 2016: $8,164 (reference TD 2015/5)

Housing indexation figures

See also:

• 2018 reference: TD 2017/6
• 2017 reference: TD 2016/1
• 2016 reference: TD 2015/4

Deemed depreciation rate – cars

The diminishing value depreciation rates are used for car fringe benefits valued under the operating cost method.

For cars purchased on or after 10 May 2006 the depreciation rate is 25%. For cars purchased prior to 10 May 2006 the previous rates are available in Chapter 7.5 of Fringe benefits tax – a guide for employers.

See also:

• Fringe benefits tax – a guide for employers: Chapter 7 – Car fringe benefits

Reportable fringe benefits

If you provide certain fringe benefits with a total taxable value of more than $2,000 in the FBT year, you must report the grossed-up taxable value of the fringe benefits on the employee's payment summary for the corresponding income year.

Reportable fringe benefits are grossed-up using the lower gross-up rate. So if an employee receives certain fringe benefits with a total taxable value of $2,000.01 for the FBT year ending 31 March 2018, the reportable fringe benefits amount is $3,773.

Capping of concessional FBT treatment for certain employers

The capping thresholds for the FBT exemption and FBT rebate concessions have changed for the FBT year ending 31 March 2016 onwards.

Reasonable food and drink amounts for employees living away from home – in Australia

The table below sets out the weekly amounts we consider to be reasonable food and drink amounts for a living-away-from-home allowance (LAFHA) paid to employees living away from home within Australia. These amounts are for the total of food or drink expenses and include any amounts that may have been allowed for home consumption.

Note: A person is considered an adult for this purpose if they were 12 years or older before the beginning of the FBT year.

See also:

• 2018 reference: TD 2017/5
• 2017 reference: TD 2016/4
• 2016 reference: TD 2015/7

Reasonable food and drink amounts for employees living away from home – overseas

The tables below set out the weekly amounts we consider to be reasonable food and drink amounts for a LAFHA paid to employees living away from home outside of Australia for the FBT year ending 31 March 2016 to 31 March 2018 as follows.

• Table 1 sets out the reasonable food and drink amounts for each cost group.
• Table 2 sets out the factors to apply if the employee is accompanied by other family members while overseas.

You will need to obtain the cost group for the country from TD 2017/5 for the FBT year ended 31 March 2018, TD 2016/4 for the FBT year ended 31 March 2017 and TD 2015/7 for the FBT year ended 31 March 2016.

See Table 1 below for the amounts that apply to each cost group.

Where the employee is accompanied by other family members while overseas, the reasonable food and drink amount per week for the family is worked out by multiplying the amount shown in Table 1 by the relevant factor in Table 2 below:

See also:

• 2018 reference: TD 2017/5
• 2017 reference: TD 2016/4
• 2016 reference: TD 2015/7