Receipts for Taxes by Country: What Each Agency Expects
Receipts for taxes by country share one job: prove what you spent, with whom, when, and why it was business. The US, UK, Canada, and Australia each set their own retention and format rules, but none of them require you to hand a bank login to a scanner. Here is what each agency asks for.
What Does a Deductible Receipt Need in the United States?
A US receipt needs to show the amount, the date, where you paid it, and what it was for. The IRS doesn’t mandate a special format, but you have to substantiate the deduction with a legible record and show its business purpose—the responsibility for proof is on you.
The IRS recordkeeping guidance lists supporting documents such as sales slips, paid bills, invoices, and receipts, and says to keep them organized by year and type. There’s no fixed retention period for every item: how long you keep a record depends on what it proves. The IRS generally suggests around three years, and at least four for employment tax records. Property and asset records often need to be kept longer.
What Does HMRC Expect From a UK Receipt?
If you’re a sole trader or a partner, HMRC requires records of your business income and expenses for your Self Assessment return. A claimable expense should have a receipt or invoice showing the supplier, the date, the amount, and what the goods or services were.
The GOV.UK guide to business records for the self-employed states you must keep records for at least 5 years after the 31 January submission deadline for the relevant tax year. File very late and the window stretches. VAT-registered businesses follow separate HMRC VAT record rules, so check those as well.
What Do Canadian and Australian Records Need?
Canada and Australia both accept electronic records, with their own retention clocks. The CRA wants records that support every income and expense claim, and electronic records must stay in an electronically readable format—not just a hard copy.
- Canada (CRA): Keep required records and supporting documents for six years from the end of the last tax year they relate to, per the CRA keeping records guidance. Some long-term property records must be kept indefinitely.
- Australia (ATO): You need written evidence such as a receipt or invoice showing the cost, supplier, nature of the expense, and date. The ATO record-keeping rules require most records to be kept for five years from when you lodge your tax return, and digital copies are accepted when they’re true and clear reproductions.
| Country | Authority | The record should show | How long to keep |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | IRS | Amount, date, supplier, business purpose | Generally about 3 years; 4 for employment tax; longer for assets |
| United Kingdom | HMRC | Business income and expenses, with receipts or invoices | At least 5 years after the 31 January deadline |
| Canada | CRA | Records supporting income and expense claims, kept readable if electronic | 6 years from the end of the last tax year |
| Australia | ATO | Written evidence: cost, supplier, nature, date | 5 years from the date you lodge |
How Does Portmoneo Extract Line Items Across Jurisdictions?
Portmoneo is a receipt scanner and record-keeping tool, not a filing service. You scan or import a receipt, cloud AI reads the merchant, date, total, currency, line items, and tax rates, and you review before saving. The tax recovery wizard then frames recoverable VAT or GST and deductibility against a chosen jurisdiction.
The wizard covers 12 jurisdictions: Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Romania, the United Kingdom, the United States, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Canada (including the provinces Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Prince Edward Island), Australia, and Indonesia. Selecting the right one matters because each country frames its taxes differently—US sales tax is not UK VAT, and Canadian GST/HST varies by province.
That framing is a record-keeping aid. Portmoneo doesn’t file, remit, or advise. Confirm every figure with your accountant or the relevant authority before you file.
Is a Scanned Receipt Enough for a Tax Authority?
Usually yes, if the scan is legible, complete, and your local rules accept electronic copies. The US applies the same recordkeeping rules to electronic records as to paper. HMRC and the CRA accept digital records but can ask to see them, and the CRA requires electronic records to stay readable. The ATO accepts images that are true and clear copies of the original.
Two habits keep a scan usable: capture the full slip, including the tax breakdown, and keep the file so it can’t be edited later. Portmoneo stores your captures in-app and exports CSV, PDF, or Excel, so the original image and the structured row travel together to your accountant. For a step-by-step capture routine, see our tax receipts checklist.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Portmoneo file my taxes?
No. It organizes receipts and produces exports. You or your accountant file with the IRS, HMRC, CRA, ATO, or your local authority.
Which countries does Portmoneo cover?
Twelve jurisdictions: Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Romania, the UK, the US, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Canada (with provinces), Australia, and Indonesia.
Can I keep scanned receipts instead of paper?
Often, yes—each authority sets its own rules, and some keep original-document requirements. Check the current rule for your country and expense type.
Do I need to know each country’s rules before I scan?
No. Capture first, add the jurisdiction when you review tax lines, and confirm the treatment with your accountant. Portmoneo doesn’t decide what’s deductible.
Record the Fields Every Country Wants
Download Portmoneo on Google Play, scan a receipt, and check that the merchant, date, total, and tax lines were read correctly. Tax recovery explains how the jurisdiction wizard frames what you may reclaim, self-employed tax deductions covers what to track, and receipt to Excel gets a clean file to your accountant.