As a sole trader, you’re a one-person show. That means you’re solely responsible for remembering and hitting all your tax deadlines – but what are they, exactly? Or more importantly, when are they?
Tax dates for sole traders
New financial year (NFY)
In Australia, the financial year runs from July 1st to June 30th of the following year; this is why you often see the financial year written over two dates e.g. FY 2026/27.
This means that the first big date in the tax calendar is July 1st – the start of the new financial year. Any income you earn from this date will be counted towards your FY 2026/27 income, and corresponding tax bill.
End of financial year (EOFY)
Accordingly, the end of the financial year is June 30th.
When it comes time to lodge your tax return, you’ll need to include all income earned in the financial year up until this date to figure out:
- if you’ve paid the right amount of tax,
- if you’re due a tax refund, or
- (unfortunately) if you’ve underpaid your tax and due for a tax bill
📖 For a full walkthrough of the EOFY, check out our guide to navigating the end of the financial year.
Tax return due dates
There are a few key dates you’ll need to remember when lodging your return. The dates are different if you’re lodging by yourself or with a tax agent (cough cough like Hnry) or accountant, so take note which one applies to your situation!
Lodging without an agent
31st October: You have until this date to lodge your own return. This is the return for the most recent tax year that’s just passed, so in this case, tax from FY 2026/27.
Lodging with an agent
15th May (of the following year): If you have an accountant or tax agent, your tax return will be due on May 15th the following year.
Confusing? Well, for example: tax returns for FY 2026/27 will only be due in May of 2028, if you have a tax agent lodging on your behalf.
📖 For the full breakdown of self-lodging vs. agent-lodging deadlines, see our guide to tax lodgment deadlines.
Tax payments due dates
Unlike your lodgment deadline, there’s no single fixed date for paying tax you owe – whether you’re lodging with or without an agent/accountant, the ATO sets your specific payment due date once your return is processed.
Once you’ve lodged, the ATO issues a Notice of Assessment that lays out exactly how much you owe and when it’s due.
PAYG instalment due dates
What are PAYG instalments?
PAYG instalments are the ATO’s way of making sure you don’t end up with a tax bill at the EOFY, by requiring you to pay your income tax in instalments across the FY.
You’ll generally be required to pay PAYG instalments if you meet these three conditions:
- you earned $4,000 or more of instalment income in the previous financial year,
- you owe more than $1,000 in income tax from the previous financial year, and
- you have an estimated tax bill of $500 or more for the current financial year (estimated by the ATO, not you!).
📖 Learn more about PAYG instalments.
When do I have to pay PAYG instalments?
Most taxpayers pay quarterly – this is the default option.
If this applies to you, you’ll need to pay four instalments throughout the financial year, due on:
- 28 October
- 28 February
- 28 April
- 28 July
If you’re GST-registered, these are paid as part of your BAS. If you’re not, the ATO will issue you with an instalment notice each quarter instead.
The ATO may also offer you the option to pay biannually or annually instead of quarterly – if that’s the case, they’ll tell you via your instalment notice or myGov.
Business Activity Statement due dates
If you’re GST-registered, you’ll generally need to charge and collect GST and lodge Business Activity Statements (BAS).
The due dates for these will depend on the payment schedule or ‘lodgment frequency’ you choose: either monthly, quarterly, or annually.
Generally, your BAS is due on the 21st of the month following the end of your reporting period if you’re lodging monthly, or the 28th of the month following the end of your quarter if you’re lodging quarterly. Annual GST reporting is generally due 31st October (or 28th February the following year if you’re not required to lodge a tax return).
For example; if you’re registered for GST and lodge quarterly, your BAS for the quarter ending 30 June will be due on 28 July.
📖 For the exact dates for your lodgment frequency, see our guide to BAS due dates.
Key dates table
| Date | Deadline | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 30th June | EOFY (End of Financial Year) | The financial year runs from the 1st of July to the 30th of June the next year. That's why FYs include a range of two years – "FY 2026/27" – instead of just one. Income tax rates are based on the income you make in a financial year, not a conventional year. |
| 1st July | NFY (New Financial Year) begins | From 1st July, the ATO makes your tax information available via myGov/myTax. We recommend you don't lodge until other income has been reported to the ATO on your behalf – like your PAYG salary, interest, dividends, and private health insurance details – or your pre-filled information may not be accurate. 💡 At Hnry, we send out your Income Tax Return from July/August, once everything's been reported to the ATO. This means when we lodge, we have the most accurate and up-to-date information on hand. |
| Deadlines for lodging your tax return through a tax agent/accountant | ||
| 15th May | Last FY's tax return due | If you have a tax agent (like us) or accountant lodging on your behalf, your tax return for the previous financial year is due on the 15th of May, provided you're registered with them before 31st October and have no outstanding prior-year returns. |
| See Notice of Assessment | Last FY's taxes due | If your tax agent/accountant is lodging your return, your payment due date will be set out on your Notice of Assessment once the ATO processes your return – there's no single fixed date the way there is for lodging. |
| Deadlines for self-lodging your tax return | ||
| 31st October | Last FY's tax return due | If you're lodging your own tax return, you have until the 31st of October to submit it. This deadline is for the most recent FY return. Eg. the 2026-2027 tax return would be due on the 31st of October 2027. |
| See Notice of Assessment | Last FY's taxes due | If you're lodging your own return, your payment due date will also be set out on your Notice of Assessment. |
Or you can let Hnry do it!
You could go at it alone… or you could join the thousands of sole traders who use Hnry.
Hnry is an award-winning tax and financial administration service for sole traders. For just 1% +GST of your self-employed income, capped at $1,500 +GST a year, we will completely sort out your:
- Income tax
- GST
- Medicare levy
- Student loan (HECS/HELP) repayments
- Superannuation contributions (optional)
We lodge your income tax return and BAS, whenever they’re due. It’s all part of the service! And on top of all this, our app has an invoicing feature that helps you create, send, and manage invoices. No extra software required.
Whether you’re just starting out, or an industry veteran, Hnry is designed for all sole traders. We make sure that you never know the horror of an unpaid tax bill – ever. And that’s a big deal, believe us.
Start your sole trader journey off on the right foot, and join Hnry today.
