Small Business Tax
The Mileage Deduction: How to Track and Claim Business Driving
Business driving is real money back in your pocket — but only if you track it. Here's how to claim it without leaving anything on the table.
01What Counts as Business Miles
Driving between job sites, to clients, to the bank, or to buy supplies counts. Your regular commute from home to a main workplace generally does not.
02Standard Rate vs. Actual Expenses
You can multiply business miles by the IRS standard rate, or track the actual costs of operating the vehicle and deduct the business percentage. Most people find the standard rate simpler. The IRS standard mileage rates update yearly.
03Keeping a Log the IRS Accepts
Record the date, destination, purpose, and miles for each trip. Apps that track this automatically from your phone remove almost all the friction.
04The Commuting Trap
Personal and commuting miles aren't deductible. Mixing them into your business total is a common, avoidable error that undermines the whole deduction.
05Consistency Wins
Whichever method you pick, apply it carefully and keep the records. A contemporaneous log beats a reconstructed guess every time.
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