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As a self-employed DJ, you’re not just playing music—you’re running a business. Whether you perform at weddings, clubs, festivals, or private events, HMRC allows you to claim back a wide range of business-related expenses to reduce your tax bill.
Getting Started: Registering and Keeping Records
Before you can claim any tax deductions, you must register as self-employed with HMRC. This allows you to submit an annual Self Assessment tax return, in which you report your income and expenses.
Once registered, make sure to keep accurate records of every job you do, every invoice you send, and every business cost you pay. You must retain receipts, invoices, and supporting evidence for at least five years in case HMRC asks for proof.
If you’re planning to grow your DJ business, it’s a good idea to separate your personal and business finances to make record-keeping easier.
Claiming Travel and Accommodation Costs
As a DJ, travel is part of the job. You can claim the cost of travelling to and from gigs, meetings with clients, or industry-related events.
If you drive your vehicle, you can claim a fixed mileage rate. If you use public transport, the ticket cost is allowable. If your gig requires an overnight stay, you can also claim hotel costs and meals while away from home.
You can’t, however, claim the cost of your daily commute or any journeys that are primarily personal with a small business element added on.
Equipment, Gear and Software
Your decks, speakers, controllers, headphones, and microphones are all tools of your trade. You can deduct the cost of purchasing, maintaining, repairing, or upgrading your DJ equipment.
This includes accessories such as cables, stands, flight cases, and even software used to mix tracks or produce music. Whether it’s a one-off payment or a subscription, if it’s essential to your work, it’s claimable.
If you replace old or broken gear, you can also claim the cost as a business expense, provided the replacement is like-for-like or necessary for your work.
Using Your Home as a Studio or Office
Many DJs rehearse, record, edit, and manage admin from home. If you use a room in your home as a practice space or office, you can claim a proportion of your household costs.
These include rent, council tax, electricity, heating, internet, and even mortgage interest (not the repayment amount). You can either calculate the actual proportion based on room use and hours worked, or use HMRC’s simplified flat-rate option, which allows you to claim a standard monthly amount depending on your usage.
To make these claims, your use of space must be regular and for business purposes only, not occasional or mixed-use.
Marketing, Promotion, and Advertising
Marketing is a vital part of being a DJ. From flyers and posters to social media ads and paid search, all your promotional efforts can be deducted as business expenses.
If you pay a designer to create your logo, update your website, or produce visual content, those costs count too. Similarly, this includes domain name registrations, website hosting, and subscriptions to email marketing tools.
As long as the expense is intended to grow or maintain your DJ business, it’s allowable.
Clothing and Costumes
HMRC doesn’t let you claim for ordinary clothing, even if you only wear it for gigs. However, if your DJ act includes distinctive performance costumes or branding—such as a character outfit or logo-emblazoned attire—you can claim those specific items as a deduction.
If your outfit serves a clear performance or promotional purpose and isn’t suitable for everyday wear, it’s more likely to be accepted as a business expense.
Training, Events and Networking
As part of your career development, you might attend music industry seminars, DJ workshops, networking events or technology exhibitions. These costs are allowable, provided they directly support your business growth or professional development.
Travel to and from the event, accommodation, and the event ticket or registration fees are all deductible, provided they are for business purposes and not for social or unrelated activities.
Learning a completely new, unrelated skill usually won’t qualify. But upskilling as a DJ or music producer absolutely will.
Insurance, Legal and Professional Services
Insurance is a must-have for working DJs. Whether it’s public liability insurance for gigs or cover for your equipment, these costs are fully deductible.
If you hire an accountant, solicitor, or consultant to help manage or grow your business, those professional fees are also considered legitimate business expenses. So are membership fees to relevant trade bodies or unions.
If you offer services that require licensing—such as using certain samples or performing at venues requiring certification—you can claim the costs of obtaining or renewing those licences.
Phone, Internet and Communication
If you use your phone, broadband or mobile data for business activities—such as client calls, social media, or sending bookings—you can claim a portion of those costs.
If your phone or internet is used for both personal and business purposes, you must split the cost fairly. You can only claim the part that relates to your work. Keep a record of how you use your phone and internet over a typical month to help calculate the correct percentage.
Music, Content and Branding
As a DJ, music is your product. You can claim back the cost of purchasing digital tracks, vinyl records, sound libraries, and streaming services used for research or rehearsal, as well as any software used for music creation and production.
Promotional content, such as photography, video shoots, or graphic design for flyers and online profiles, also qualifies as a business expense.
If you sell or give away branded merchandise to promote your act—like T-shirts or stickers—you can claim back the production costs as long as they’re used for business branding purposes.
Making the Most of Your Tax Return
Once you’ve identified and recorded all allowable expenses, they are deducted from your income to calculate your taxable profit.
You’ll then pay:
- Income Tax based on your total profit
- Class 2 and Class 4 National Insurance Contributions if your earnings exceed the relevant thresholds
You must file your Self Assessment tax return by 31 January each year and pay any tax owed by the same deadline. To stay on top of their taxes, many DJs set aside 20–30% of their annual income to cover their liabilities.
Running your DJ business effectively involves utilizing available tax reliefs. By claiming legitimate expenses and maintaining accurate records, you can lower your tax bill and comply with HMRC. Ensure that expenses like equipment, travel, music, and marketing are used solely for your DJ work. When uncertain, consult our tax accountant, as their guidance can lead to savings.