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Setting your vehicle business use percentage

The vehicle business use percentage is set in Afirmo under Income Tax > Tax Allowances > Vehicle.

How to work it out:

  • Keep a logbook for a 90-day period covering both business and personal trips
  • Record km, purpose (business/personal), and date
  • Calculate business km ÷ total km for the 90 days
  • Apply that percentage going forward

Common ratios:

  • Tradies with a dedicated work vehicle: often 80% to 100%
  • Owner-operators using a personal vehicle for some site visits: 25% to 50%
  • Office-based business owners with occasional client travel: 10% to 25%

Once set, code vehicle expenses (fuel, servicing, insurance, registration, repairs) under the relevant vehicle category and the percentage applies automatically.

NZTA registration costs for a vehicle used partly for business also get the percentage applied. Your logbook stays valid for 3 years unless your usage pattern changes significantly.