In most cases, yes. If the education or certification maintains or improves skills you already use in your trade, the IRS considers it an ordinary and necessary business expense. The line they draw is straightforward. Education that keeps you current in your existing field is deductible. Education that qualifies you for a completely new trade or profession is not, even if it seems related to what you do now.

For skilled trades professionals and contractors, most continuing education falls on the deductible side. License renewal courses, building code update classes, OSHA safety certifications, manufacturer-specific equipment training, and anything required by your state licensing board all qualify. If the CSLB requires continuing education to keep your California contractor’s license active, every dollar you spend on those courses is deductible. Same goes for electricians maintaining their certification or plumbers completing required training hours.

The test is simple. An HVAC technician taking a refrigerant handling course is improving skills in their current trade. Deductible. That same HVAC tech paying for a real estate license is qualifying for a different profession. Not deductible, regardless of the long-term business plan.

Beyond tuition and course fees, you can also deduct exam and testing fees, study materials and textbooks, travel costs to get to training locations including mileage, and any tools or supplies the course requires. These add up faster than most people realize, especially when training involves travel or multi-day programs.

How you take the deduction depends on your business structure. Sole proprietors and single-member LLCs report these on Schedule C. If your business runs as an S-corp or partnership, the company pays for the education and claims it as a business expense directly. Either way, it reduces your taxable income and your self-employment tax if you’re a sole proprietor.

One thing that trips people up is timing. If you haven’t started working in a trade yet, education costs to break into that field don’t qualify. The deduction only kicks in once you’re already established and earning income in the trade. Pre-career training and apprenticeship costs before your first paying job in the field fall outside this deduction.

Keep your receipts and save documentation showing what each course covered. If you’re ever questioned, you want a clear connection between the training and your current work. A certificate of completion, course description, or even a screenshot of the registration page is usually enough. Dumping everything into a vague “education” category without supporting details creates problems if the IRS asks questions later.

Most contractors and tradespeople leave money on the table because these expenses never make it into the books. A weekend welding certification course, a $200 code update seminar, or the fees to renew your license all count. Track them as they happen and make sure your bookkeeper categorizes them properly. Working with a CPA who understands trade businesses helps ensure nothing gets missed when it’s time to file.