How do the Government levies work?

Your passenger pays you the government levy plus GST for each completed trip. You will need to pay the government all the GST proceeds you have received from passengers. You will need to pay your rideshare platform all the levy proceeds you have received from passengers. This payment to your rideshare platform should be reported as a business expense on your income tax return. The government levy does not affect your taxable income.

For example:

The government levy is $1.00 per trip. You complete 1000 trips in the 2nd quarter of 2023 (1 April to 30 June).

GST

You receive the $100.00 GST and pay this to the government.

Reporting in your BAS

You should include the levy (including GST) in your income and claim the levy (including GST) as an expense in your BAS.

Reporting in your income tax

You receive the $1000.00 levy as a part of your gross fare and record this as revenue on your income tax return.

You are required to pay the $1000.00 levy to your rideshare platform (it should be net of GST in your income tax return). You should claim this payment as a business expense deduction on your income tax return (again net of GST in your income tax return).