Finance and accounting
OpEx vs CapEx
OpEx is the day-to-day cost of running a business. CapEx is one-off spending on owned assets. A printer lease is generally OpEx.
Operating expenses (OpEx) are the day-to-day costs of running a business, such as wages, rent, utilities, and service subscriptions, that are generally deductible in the tax year they are incurred.
Capital expenses (CapEx) are one-off purchases of assets a business owns and depreciates over time, such as an outright printer purchase.
An operating lease for a printer or copier is generally structured as an OpEx line item, because the business pays for the use of the device rather than acquiring ownership.
This distinction matters for budgeting, since OpEx is easier to approve through monthly operating budgets, and for tax, since operating expenses are generally deductible in the year incurred while owned assets follow a depreciation schedule. Confirm the appropriate treatment for your business with your accountant.
In short
- OpEx: ongoing running costs, generally deductible in the year incurred.
- CapEx: one-off spend on owned, depreciating assets.
- A printer operating lease is generally an OpEx item.
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Frequently asked questions
- Is a printer lease CapEx or OpEx?
- An operating lease for a printer is generally treated as an operating expense (OpEx) rather than a capital expense, because you are paying to use the device, not buying it. This often makes the cost easier to budget and generally deductible in the year incurred. Confirm the treatment for your business with your accountant.
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Related terms
- Operating LeaseAn operating lease lets a business use equipment such as a printer for a fixed term and return it at the end, without taking ownership.
- Finance LeaseA finance lease is an agreement under which a business effectively finances the purchase of equipment and carries most of the risks of ownership.
- GST on Printer LeasesPrinter lease payments attract GST at 10%. Quotes are usually shown ex GST, and GST-registered businesses can generally claim the GST back.
- Residual ValueResidual value is the estimated worth of leased equipment at the end of the term, and it determines who carries the end-of-lease risk.
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