In this section:
- Tax relief for professional fees and subscriptions
Tax relief for professional fees and subscriptions
As an employee you may be able to reduce your tax bill by getting tax relief on any professional fees and subscriptions you pay. You can go back several years to get the relief - the time you've got depends on whether you've previously sent in a Self Assessment tax return.
On this page:
When you can get tax relief for professional fees and subscriptions
It may be that in order to do your job you need to have your name included on a professional register or to have a special licence. Or it could be that it's very helpful to belong to an organisation whose activities are relevant to your work. Either way you'll pay registration fees or membership subscriptions - usually every year. You may be able to deduct the cost of these from your taxable income and reduce the amount of tax you pay.
You can get tax relief on professional fees and subscriptions as long as:
- you have your name on a register, hold a licence or are a member of the organisation in question because it's necessary or relevant to your work
- we've approved the organisation you're a member of
Check the list of HM Revenue & Customs approved organisations
When you are not entitled to tax relief
You can't get tax relief on any fees and subscriptions that you pay to an organisation that we haven't approved.
You won't be entitled to tax relief:
- on a life membership subscription
- if you haven't paid for the allowable professional fees and subscriptions yourself - for example if your employer has paid them and has agreed a 'dispensation' with us
How to get tax relief
When we approve an organisation and add it to our list we ask them to let their members know that they might be entitled to tax relief on their fees or subscriptions. They can tell you how much you are allowed to deduct.
If you haven't completed a tax return you've got five years from the 31 October following the end of the year concerned to get the relief. If you've previously completed a return it's five years from 31 January following the end of the year concerned.
Read our guide 'How to get allowances and reliefs - employees or directors' to find out more.
