Fringe Benefits Tax
Calculator AU 2026-27

FBT is a tax on non-cash benefits provided by employers to employees in respect of employment. It is paid by the EMPLOYER, not the employee — but it directly affects the value of salary packaging arrangements.

The FBT rate is 47% (matching the highest marginal income tax rate plus 2% Medicare levy), applied to a 'grossed-up' taxable value to mimic the income tax that would have been paid if the benefit were salary. The FBT year runs 1 April to 31 March (not the income tax year 1 July - 30 June).

The gross-up factor converts the taxable value of a benefit to a pre-tax cash equivalent for FBT calculation. Type 1 gross-up = 2.0802: applied when the employer can claim a GST input tax credit on the benefit (most car leases, business-related goods/services).

Type 2 gross-up = 1.8868: applied when GST credit is NOT available (loans, residential rent, certain expenses). Final FBT = taxable value × gross-up factor × 47%.

The two factors differ because Type 1 also includes an embedded GST adjustment to keep the system tax-neutral.

Two methods: (1) Statutory Formula — taxable value = car's GST-inclusive base value × 20% × (days available ÷ 365). Simple, no logbook required.

Common for low-business-use cars. (2) Operating Cost Method — taxable value = total operating costs (running costs + depreciation + interest) × (1 − business-use %). Requires a logbook for at least 12 continuous weeks within the last 5 FBT years.

Better for high-business-use vehicles. Employee contributions made from after-tax salary directly reduce the taxable value (Employee Contribution Method, ECM) — often used to bring FBT to zero in novated lease arrangements.

RFBA appears on an employee's annual income statement if their total taxable fringe benefits in an FBT year exceed $2,000 (i.e., grossed-up amount > $3,773 with Type 2 factor). RFBA is NOT added to assessable income — it doesn't increase income tax.

However, it IS used for: HECS-HELP repayment income, Medicare levy surcharge thresholds, child support assessments, family tax benefits, government co-contribution to super, and Centrelink payment income tests. RFBA reporting uses the Type 2 gross-up regardless of whether the benefit was Type 1 or 2.

(1) Minor benefits exemption: benefits under $300 (incl GST) provided infrequently and irregularly. Multiple small benefits per year may aggregate. (2) Otherwise deductible rule: if the employee could have claimed a tax deduction for the cost themselves, FBT taxable value reduces to nil. (3) Work-related items: laptops, phones, software, briefcase, tools of trade — generally exempt if work-related and primarily used for work.

Limit: one item per category per FBT year. (4) Public Benevolent Institutions (PBIs) and health promotion charities: exemption capped at $30,000 grossed-up per employee per FBT year. (5) Public and not-for-profit hospitals and public ambulance services: $17,000 grossed-up cap. Salary-packaged meal entertainment and entertainment facility leasing have a separate $5,000 cap. (6) Electric vehicles (battery-electric or hydrogen fuel cell): full FBT exemption since 1 July 2022, up to the luxury car tax (LCT) threshold for fuel-efficient vehicles, which is indexed annually — check the ATO's current-year figure.

Plug-in hybrids lost eligibility on 1 April 2025 except under a pre-existing binding commitment.

Since 1 July 2022, eligible electric vehicles are exempt from FBT under the Treasury Laws Amendment (Electric Car Discount) Act 2022. Conditions: (1) Battery electric or hydrogen fuel cell.

Plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) STOPPED being eligible on 1 April 2025 — a PHEV only remains exempt where a financially binding commitment to provide private use was already in place before that date and has not changed, so no new PHEV arrangement qualifies. (2) Vehicle held first-time after 1 July 2022. (3) First-retail price below the luxury car tax threshold for fuel-efficient vehicles at the time of its first retail sale and any later sale — the fuel-efficient threshold is $91,661 for 2026-27 ($91,387 in 2025-26), per the ATO. (4) Used by current employees (not held for past employees). The benefit still appears as RFBA on the income statement, even though no FBT is payable.

ANNOUNCED, NOT YET LAW: on 5 May 2026 the government announced a phased wind-back — the full exemption continues to 31 March 2027, then from 1 April 2027 applies only to eligible EVs valued at $75,000 or less (with EVs above that but under the LCT threshold getting a 25% FBT discount), and from 1 April 2029 a 25% discount replaces the exemption entirely. Arrangements entered into before each commencement date are to keep their existing treatment for the life of the arrangement.

Treat all of this as an announcement until the enabling legislation passes.

A novated lease is a three-way arrangement between employer, employee, and finance company. The employer makes lease payments from the employee's pre-tax salary, providing income tax savings.

FBT applies to the car as a fringe benefit. The Statutory Formula method (20% of base value) is most common.

To minimise or eliminate FBT, the Employee Contribution Method (ECM) is used: employee makes after-tax contributions equal to the FBT taxable value, which directly reduces the taxable value to zero (no FBT payable). The employer's lease payment + employee's ECM combined still yields net savings vs paying for the car after-tax.

EV exemption removes FBT entirely with no ECM needed (but RFBA still appears on payment summary).

FBT year: 1 April to 31 March. FBT return: due 21 May after the FBT year end — so 21 May 2027 for the FBT year ending 31 March 2027 (the year ending 31 March 2026 was due 21 May 2026).

Tax agents may have an extended deadline. Employers lodge a Fringe Benefits Tax Return (NAT 1067) with the ATO.

Quarterly FBT instalments are required if FBT liability exceeded $3,000 in the prior year — paid via BAS (Business Activity Statement). Reportable Fringe Benefits Amount (RFBA) is reported on each employee's income statement (lodged via STP — Single Touch Payroll), visible to the employee in their MyGov account at end-of-financial-year.

Yes — meals, drinks, recreation, and other entertainment expenses provided to employees (and sometimes their associates) are typically subject to FBT. Three valuation methods: (1) Actual method — calculate taxable value of each event/individual. (2) 50/50 split method — 50% of total entertainment expenses subject to FBT regardless of who attended. (3) 12-week register method — track entertainment for 12 representative weeks and apply the resulting percentage to the full year.

Christmas parties: minor benefits exemption may apply if cost per person < $300 and infrequent. The 'otherwise deductible' rule generally does NOT apply to entertainment (employers cannot claim entertainment expenses as deductions, and if they do via FBT, the cost is grossed up + 47% taxed).

Per the ATO's table for the FBT years ending 31 March 2023 to 2027: Public Benevolent Institutions (other than public hospitals) and health promotion charities have an FBT exemption capped at $30,000 grossed-up per employee — about $15,900 of taxable value at the Type 2 gross-up. Public hospitals, not-for-profit hospitals and public ambulance services have an exemption capped at $17,000 grossed-up — about $9,010 of taxable value.

Rebatable employers (certain registered charities and non-government, not-for-profit organisations) get a 47% FBT rebate capped at $30,000 grossed-up. For all three, salary-packaged meal entertainment and entertainment facility leasing benefits have a separate $5,000 cap.

Above the caps, normal FBT applies. The caps are what make salary packaging valuable for charity and hospital workers.