NZ Low-Value Asset Write-Off ($1,000 Rule) & 20% Investment Boost for Tradies (2026–2027)

Short answer: Under the NZ low value asset write off rule in New Zealand (section EE 38 of the Income Tax Act 2007), sole traders and tradies can immediately deduct 100% of the cost of any business tool, phone, laptop, or piece of equipment costing $1,000 or less (excluding GST if GST-registered, or including GST if not registered) in the income year of purchase. For tools, machinery, and work vehicles over $1,000 bought in the 2026–2027 tax years, you claim the 20% Investment Boost upfront plus standard IRD depreciation.

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Every New Zealand builder, sparky, plumber, landscaper, and sole-trader contractor buys gear throughout the year—from cordless impact drivers and laser levels at Mitre 10 Trade or PlaceMakers to an iPhone or ute canopy. Getting the line right between an immediate $1,000 low-value asset expense and a capital asset on your fixed asset register determines how much tax you save on your 2026 and 2027 IR3 and IR10 returns.

This guide covers Inland Revenue’s (IRD) low-value asset rules, the same-supplier/same-day aggregation trap, how GST registration changes your $1,000 limit to $1,150 incl. GST, and how the 20% Investment Boost interacts with NZ depreciation rates in 2026–2027.

How does the $1,000 NZ low-value asset threshold work in 2026–2027?

Since 17 March 2021, the permanent statutory threshold in section EE 38 of the Income Tax Act 2007 has been $1,000. Whether the $1,000 cap is measured before or after 15% GST depends entirely on whether your sole trader business is registered for NZ GST:

Tradie GST Registration Status	Maximum Asset Cost for Immediate 100% Write-Off	What Happens to the 15% GST Component?	Example: Buying a $1,127 ($980 + GST) Drop Saw
GST-Registered Sole Trader (Turnover > $60,000 or voluntary)	$1,000.00 excluding GST ($1,150.00 including 15% GST)	Claim $147.00 GST back in your current GST return; deduct $980.00 in full on your IR3/IR10	Qualifies! ($980 ex-GST is $1,000 or less)
Not Registered for GST (Turnover under $60,000)	$1,000.00 including GST	No GST return claim; the GST-inclusive price is your tax cost	Does NOT qualify for instant write-off ($1,127 > $1,000); must depreciate (with 20% Investment Boost if eligible)

If an asset qualifies under the $1,000 threshold, you do not add it to your depreciation schedule and you do not calculate diminishing value (DV) or straight line (SL) percentages—you deduct the full business-use cost in the year you bought it, alongside your other NZ sole trader expenses.

What is the IRD “same supplier, same day, same depreciation rate” trap?

The single biggest mistake tradies make at the end of March (right before the 31 March balance date) is buying a bundle of cordless skins, batteries, or scaffolding components on a single invoice that pushes them over $1,000.

Under IRD’s aggregation rule (section EE 38(2)), you cannot write off multiple low-value items under $1,000 each if all three of the following are true:

1. You bought the items from the same supplier;
2. You bought them at the same time (on the same invoice or same transaction day); and
3. All the items would have the same IRD depreciation rate if depreciated (for example, two $650 cordless power tools, which both fall under “Tools and equipment — power tools (hand operated)” at 50% DV / 40% SL).

How to avoid the aggregation trap legally:

• Example of a disallowed claim: You buy a $620 cordless rotary hammer and a $580 cordless circular saw from PlaceMakers on the same Tuesday invoice (Total = $1,200 ex-GST). Because both are hand-operated power tools sharing the 50% DV rate from the same supplier at the same time, IRD aggregates them to $1,200. Neither tool gets an instant write-off; both must be capitalized and depreciated.
• Example of an allowed claim (different depreciation classes): On the same invoice at Noel Leeming, you buy an $850 ex-GST iPad (Computers/tablets: 50% DV) and a $400 ex-GST office chair (Office furniture: 16% DV). Because their IRD depreciation rates are different, they are not aggregated—both get an immediate 100% low-value write-off!
• Example of separate purchase timing: Buying one $620 power tool on Monday and a second $580 power tool on a separate work week when needed for the next job keeps each acquisition below $1,000.

What happens when a tool or ute costs MORE than $1,000 in 2026–2027? (The 20% Investment Boost)

When you buy a new (or new-to-New Zealand) productive business asset costing more than $1,000 on or after 22 May 2025—covering the 2025–26, 2026–27, and 2027–28 income years—New Zealand’s Investment Boost gives you a massive first-year deduction before standard depreciation even starts:

1. Step 1 — Claim 20% immediately: Deduct 20% of the asset’s cost upfront as a tax deduction in the year you first use it (no dollar cap, and no pro-rata reduction for the month of purchase!).
2. Step 2 — Claim standard IRD depreciation on the remaining 80%: Calculate your normal Diminishing Value (DV) or Straight Line (SL) depreciation for the months owned in that tax year on the remaining 80% cost base.

Asset Purchased in 2026–27 (GST-Registered Tradie)	Cost (ex-GST)	Treatment Under $1,000 Rule + Investment Boost	Year 1 Total Tax Deduction (Assuming Full 12 Months Owned, DV)
Cordless Impact Driver + Battery Kit	$780	Under $1,000 Low-Value Asset Write-Off (100%)	$780.00 (100% written off in Year 1)
ProPress / Pipe Pressing Tool Kit	$3,500	20% Investment Boost ($700) + 50% DV on remaining $2,800 ($1,400)	$2,100.00 (60% of total cost deducted in Year 1!)
MacBook Pro / Rugged Laptop	$2,400	20% Investment Boost ($480) + 50% DV on remaining $1,920 ($960)	$1,440.00 (60% of total cost deducted in Year 1!)
Brand-New Double-Cab Work Ute (100% work use)	$48,000	20% Investment Boost ($9,600) + 20% DV on remaining $38,400 ($7,680)	$17,280.00 (36% of ute written off in Year 1!)
Second-Hand Ute Bought Locally in NZ	$28,000	Second-hand NZ asset: No 20% Boost; standard 20% DV depreciation	$5,600.00 (standard 20% DV)

Note on second-hand gear: An asset that has previously been used in New Zealand does not qualify for the 20% Investment Boost, though a second-hand tool costing $1,000 or less does still qualify for the 100% low-value asset write-off!

What if a $1,000 low-value asset is used partly for private purposes?

If you buy a $950 ex-GST smartphone or tablet and use it 80% for your trade business and 20% personally, the $1,000 low-value threshold is tested against the total cost of the asset ($950), which passes. You then claim 80% of the cost ($760) as your deductible low-value asset write-off on your NZ sole trader tax return.

How do you record low-value assets on your IR10 and IR3 return?

When completing your IR3 tax return and IR10 financial statements summary for 2026 or 2027, assets written off immediately under the $1,000 threshold are claimed inside your general operating expenses rather than in Box 15 (Depreciation), while your 20% Investment Boost and ongoing DV/SL depreciation on assets over $1,000 sit on your fixed asset schedule.

Frequently asked questions

What is the low-value asset write-off threshold in New Zealand for 2026–2027?

The permanent low-value asset threshold in New Zealand is $1,000 under section EE 38 of the Income Tax Act 2007. If you are registered for GST, you can immediately write off any asset costing $1,000 or less excluding GST ($1,150 including 15% GST). If you are not registered for GST, the limit is $1,000 including GST.

Can I write off multiple tools under $1,000 bought on the same receipt?

Only if their total combined cost is $1,000 or less, or if the items fall into different IRD depreciation rate categories. If you buy multiple items from the same supplier at the same time that share the same IRD depreciation rate (such as three cordless power tools totaling $1,400 ex-GST), you must aggregate them and depreciate the total rather than claiming an instant write-off.

Do second-hand tools qualify for the $1,000 low-value asset write-off in NZ?

Yes. Second-hand tools and equipment costing $1,000 or less qualify for the immediate 100% low-value asset write-off in New Zealand, provided you did not buy them from an associated person (such as a spouse or related family trust). However, second-hand assets over $1,000 that were previously used in New Zealand do not qualify for the 20% Investment Boost and use standard depreciation rates.

Where do low-value assets go on the IR10 financial statements summary?

When you file your IR3 and IR10 with Inland Revenue, low-value assets written off immediately under the $1,000 rule are included in your general deductible expenses (or Purchases/Other Expenses depending on your chart of accounts) rather than in Box 15 (Depreciation), because IRD treats the $1,000 write-off as an immediate deduction instead of scheduled depreciation.

What happens if I sell a tool that I already wrote off under the $1,000 rule?

If you later sell or trade in a tool or asset that you previously wrote off in full under the $1,000 low-value asset rule, the entire sale proceeds (excluding GST if you are GST-registered) must be declared as assessable business income on your IR3 tax return in the year you sell it.

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This article is general tax information, not personalized tax advice. Confirm asset classifications in Inland Revenue’s General Depreciation Rates guide (IR265) or with a New Zealand chartered accountant.

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