Sole Trader Expenses in Ireland: What You Can Claim

When you work out the profit of your business, Revenue lets you deduct expenses directly related to running it, such as goods for resale, rent and bills for your business premises and accountancy fees. You cannot deduct anything not fully related to the business, such as your own pay or business entertainment. For a cost you also use privately, you claim the business part only.

This guide follows Revenue's own pages, linked in each section and listed at the end, all checked on 27 September 2026.

Expenses you can claim

From Claiming a deduction for expenses (Revenue, published 21 October 2025), expenses directly related to running your business include:

• the purchase of goods for resale,
• employees' pay,
• rent and bills for your business premises,
• running costs for vehicles or machines you use in your business,
• lease payments for vehicles or machines you use in your business,
• accountancy fees,
• interest on money you borrowed to finance your business.

You may also claim expenses you had before the business started trading, such as the cost of preparing business plans. If you are registered for VAT, the amount you claim should not include the VAT. Expenses are claimed through ROS on a Form 11 or Form CT1.

Expenses you cannot claim

You cannot claim for anything not fully related to running your business, such as:

• clothing, except protective clothing,
• your own pay,
• business entertainment expenses,
• your own food or travel, except as described in Revenue's manuals on food and accommodation expenses and on travel expenses.

Capital expenditure, money spent on buying or maintaining land, property or equipment for your business, cannot be deducted when you calculate your profit. You may be able to claim capital allowances on some of it.

Costs you also use privately

If you spend money on something for both business and private use, such as phone bills, motor expenses and rent, you can claim a deduction for part of it. Work out how much of it was for business purposes and claim that amount only.

Records to keep

From Keeping records (Revenue, published 20 October 2025):

• Keep anything used to calculate your Income Tax, Corporation Tax or Capital Gains Tax. Revenue calls these linking documents; they can include receipts for expenses and purchases, sales invoices, nominal ledgers and accounting books.
• Keep the originals for six years.
• Your accountant may keep the records for you, but you remain responsible for them.
• You can store digital copies of receipts in Receipts Tracker on ROS.

What to decide with your accountant

• Which of your costs you can deduct, and which you cannot.
• The business share of anything you also use privately, such as a phone, a car or part of your home, and how you work it out.
• Which purchases are equipment or other capital items rather than day-to-day costs.
• Whether the VAT on a cost can be reclaimed.

How NumWise records a cost

• Photograph a receipt or upload its PDF. The supplier, date, total and VAT are read for you to check, and the file stays with the cost.
• Choose a category for each cost. What is deductible is for you and your accountant to decide.
• Enter the business share as a percentage. Only that share counts as a business cost and towards reclaimable VAT; the rest is shown as private.
• Mark whether the VAT on the cost is reclaimable. NumWise does not decide this for you.
• Import a bank statement file and match each line to a cost or an invoice.
• Export the costs by category and the profit and loss report to Excel for your accountant.

Start a 7-day free trial and photograph your next receipt. No card needed.

Related: sole trader tax in Ireland for 2026.

Sources

All checked on 27 September 2026.

• Revenue, Claiming a deduction for expenses, published 21 October 2025.
• Revenue, Keeping records, published 20 October 2025.