You can use a credit card to pay off your ATO tax bill, HECS repayment or quarterly GST payment. You could even earn points this way.
Only a small selection of rewards credit cards earn points for spending with the ATO and other government bodies.
Also, the ATO charges a fee for credit payments. Depending on the size of your tax bill, these fees might outweigh the benefit of the points you earn.
How to pay the ATO with a credit card
You can use a credit card to pay the ATO through the Government EasyPay website or through your myGov account.
You'll need your payment reference number (PRN) or electronic funds transfer (EFT) code, which can be found above the bar code on your payment slip or debt notice, or online via myGov.
How to pay the ATO using the Government EasyPay service
Enter your Payment Reference Number (PRN), the amount you're paying and your card details. You'll then see how much the card payment fee will cost.
Follow the prompts to complete the payment.
How to make an ATO payment through myGov
Log in to your myGov account.
Select the "Australian Taxation Office" link.
Click on the "Tax" column, select "Payments" and then "Payment Options".
Select the card payment option and follow the prompts to complete the payment. The credit card fee will be displayed then, too.
Note that only Australian Visa or Mastercard credit cards can be used for BPAY payments to the ATO, not Amex.
What are the ATO credit card payment fees?
When you use your credit card to pay the ATO, you'll be charged a card payment fee.
Australian Mastercard debit card: 0%
Australian Visa debit card: 0%
Australian Mastercard credit card: 0.72%
Australian Visa credit card: 0.80%
American Express: 1.45%
International Visa or Mastercard: 1.99%
You can avoid credit card fees by using a debit card or BPAY through bank account, but you won't earn points.
You could pay on your credit card using BPAY. But most credit cards won't let you earn points from BPAY transactions. Many of them also treat these payments as cash advances, which incur fees and immediate interest charges.
This might end up costing more than the card payment fee.
Which credit cards offer points for payments to the ATO?
Credit Card
Points per $1 for government charges
Other notes
Personal American Express cards (highest ATO earn rate):
1 Awards point per $1 OR 0.4 Qantas Points per $1 spent
The CommBank Awards program terms and conditions state that payments to the ATO won’t earn points unless they are made with a Business Awards or Business Platinum Awards card.
BusinessChoice Rewards Platinum: 0.33 Qantas Points per $1 spent (0.5 points per $1.50) up to 100,000 Qantas Points per month
Altitude Business Platinum: 0.5 points per $1 spent
Altitude Business Gold: 0.5 points per $1 spent (up to 20,000 Altitude Points per month)
These earn rates are specifically listed for government payments, which includes those made to the ATO.
How to check if your credit card earns points for tax payments
Look at the reward program terms and conditions. Credit cards that earn reward or frequent flyer points have a list of transactions that are not eligible to earn points. If "government charges" or "ATO payments" are on the list, then you won't earn points for your tax payment.
Contact your credit card company. Call, email, use an online chat service or leave a message on social media asking the credit card company whether or not your card earns points for ATO payments. If you decide to use social media, make sure you don't share any personal details and only mention the name of the card (rather than your account information).
Should I pay my tax bill with a credit card in the first place?
Our expert says: Is earning points on a tax payment worth it?
"Earning points is great. But the card transaction fees can really add up. You need to sit down and figure out if the value of the points you get is greater than the surcharge. This is especially true with American Express cards, as a 1.45% fee on a $3,000 payment is $43.50."
Example: Is paying your tax bill with a credit card is worth it?
Let's say you have a $10,000 tax bill with the ATO.
You pay it with an American Express card that earns you 1 Membership Reward Point per dollar spent.
Points earned: 10,000 Membership Rewards
Transaction fee (1.45%): $145
Points value: Varies, but you could get a $50 Coles digital gift card with 10,000 points.
In this example it's not worth it. Let's try another card with.
You pay it with a Mastercard credit card that earns you 1 Qantas Point per dollar spent.
Points earned: 10,000 Qantas Points
Transaction fee (0.72%): $72
Points value: Varies, but you could redeem a one-way Sydney to Melbourne reward flight for around 8,000 points. That's worth around $134, which outweighs the transaction fee.
Paying your ATO bill with your credit card via a third party platform
You can also pay the ATO with your credit card via platforms like:
Deft. This payment platform lets you make payments via your credit card. But there will be a credit card transaction fee that's slightly higher than what the ATO charges.
Sniip. You can make ATO payments via Sniip and earn the full value of your points (for example, some American Express cards offer fewer points per dollar spend on government payments, but Sniip gets you more points). But you have to pay a processing fee that may exceed the standard Amex transaction fee the ATO charges.
Frequently asked questions
If you get a new credit card that earns points for ATO payments, you might be wondering if paying your tax bill counts towards the bonus points spend requirement.
Just like earning points per $1 spent on ATO payments, the answer depends on your card. But it's unlikely if you have a card that doesn't earn points for ATO payments.
If you have a card that does earn points for ATO payments, keep in mind that credit card companies often update the conditions around earning points for ATO payments.
This makes it hard to assume a card will earn points (bonus or otherwise). So before you pay your tax bill, double-check you'll earn points and make sure you consider the card payment fee so that you can decide if it's worth it for you.
It depends on the credit card issuer. While technically the ATO is a government body, in some cases credit card transactions may not be classified as government charges and points may be awarded at the credit card provider’s discretion.
Yes. Several American Express cards let you earn Amex Membership Rewards on ATO or Australia Post payments. You can earn 1 point for every dollar spent at government bodies with the American Express Platinum card, for example.
This is the fee that the ATO charges for processing credit card payments. The fee is based on the credit card used to complete the transaction, Visa, Mastercard or American Express for example, and is a percentage of the total value of the transaction.
You can also use a credit card to make a voluntary HECS-HELP repayment through MyGov. There will be a transaction fee for doing this.
Richard Whitten is Finder’s Senior Money Editor, with over eight years of experience in home loans, property, credit cards and personal finance. His insights appear in top media outlets like Yahoo Finance, Money Magazine, and the Herald Sun, and he frequently offers expert commentary on television and radio, helping Australians navigate mortgages and property ownership. Richard started his career in education and textbook publishing in South Korea. He holds multiple industry certifications, including a Certificate IV in Mortgage Broking (RG 206) and Tier 1 and Tier 2 certifications (RG 146), as well as a Bachelor of Education from the University of Sydney and a Graduate Certificate in Communications from Deakin University.
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If you are paying your Tax by Visa, you say you won’t get any points. When you use Bpay through your bank web site the transaction is eligible for points.
Finder
ShirleySeptember 17, 2014Finder
Hi Sue,
Thank you for your feedback.
Would you be able to let me know which card you are using please? I’d be keen to check it out before making changes to the copy.
All the best,
Shirley
SueSeptember 20, 2014
I have ANZ Rewards, Velocity or NAB Rewards. Could use any of these. Thanks
Finder
ShirleySeptember 23, 2014Finder
Thank you Sue,
I’ve now updated the copy to reflect this information. Please let me know if you have any more feedback.
Cheers,
Shirley
SueSeptember 17, 2014
I would be using a visa credit card
Finder
ShirleySeptember 19, 2014Finder
Hi Sue,
Apologies, I should’ve been clearer, which bank issued your credit card?
Cheers,
Shirley
BillJune 13, 2014
Actually, the Coles Mastercard Rewards card gives you 2 points for every dollar you spend (1 cent), compared to the surcharge it is still worth it.
JoshJune 11, 2014
Hello Shirley,
I have a question that I am finding hard to answer. Which credit cards provide you with points when paying for your BAS or business expenses? I find all say that they do not provide points for these transactions? I have already been stung by the Virgin High Flyer card giving no points for BAS payments and I can see most others also do not give points for these type of transactions. Hope you can help.
Thanks
Josh
Finder
ShirleyJune 12, 2014Finder
Hi Josh,
Thanks for your question.
You may want to have a read about business credit cards, these cards generally allow you to earn points for business expenses.
We also have a page on points for paying your tax bill that may be helpful. Please ensure to read through the relevant product disclosure statement and terms and conditions to ensure that you got everything covered before you apply for a card.
Cheers,
Shirley
PKNovember 7, 2016
Will I earn points paying ATO using the Commonwealth Business Platinum credit card? That is, does it equally apply to BAS and PAYG income tax installments?
Finder
JasonNovember 8, 2016Finder
Hi PK,
Thank you for your inquiry.
You can earn points from payments to the Australian Taxation Office using your CBA Business Awards Platinum card. It applies to both BAS and PAYG payments.
Well-known among frequent flyers and point chasers, this controversial strategy involves taking advantage of bonus point offers on different credit cards.
Gift cards can be thoughtful and practical presents for people. Read this guide on Woolworths and Coles gift cards to find out what you need to know when buying and using them.
Credit card rewards and other loyalty programs have the potential to offer you extra value for your spending – here’s how to work out if you are getting it.
Use your credit card to earn up to 2 Flybuys points per $1 spent on everyday expenses and redeem a variety of flight and shopping rewards.
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If you are paying your Tax by Visa, you say you won’t get any points. When you use Bpay through your bank web site the transaction is eligible for points.
Hi Sue,
Thank you for your feedback.
Would you be able to let me know which card you are using please? I’d be keen to check it out before making changes to the copy.
All the best,
Shirley
I have ANZ Rewards, Velocity or NAB Rewards. Could use any of these. Thanks
Thank you Sue,
I’ve now updated the copy to reflect this information. Please let me know if you have any more feedback.
Cheers,
Shirley
I would be using a visa credit card
Hi Sue,
Apologies, I should’ve been clearer, which bank issued your credit card?
Cheers,
Shirley
Actually, the Coles Mastercard Rewards card gives you 2 points for every dollar you spend (1 cent), compared to the surcharge it is still worth it.
Hello Shirley,
I have a question that I am finding hard to answer. Which credit cards provide you with points when paying for your BAS or business expenses? I find all say that they do not provide points for these transactions? I have already been stung by the Virgin High Flyer card giving no points for BAS payments and I can see most others also do not give points for these type of transactions. Hope you can help.
Thanks
Josh
Hi Josh,
Thanks for your question.
You may want to have a read about business credit cards, these cards generally allow you to earn points for business expenses.
We also have a page on points for paying your tax bill that may be helpful. Please ensure to read through the relevant product disclosure statement and terms and conditions to ensure that you got everything covered before you apply for a card.
Cheers,
Shirley
Will I earn points paying ATO using the Commonwealth Business Platinum credit card? That is, does it equally apply to BAS and PAYG income tax installments?
Hi PK,
Thank you for your inquiry.
You can earn points from payments to the Australian Taxation Office using your CBA Business Awards Platinum card. It applies to both BAS and PAYG payments.
Cheers,
Jason