# How to Keep a Mileage Log for Taxes (Simple Guide)

> Record each business trip at or near the time you drive it: the date, where you went, why the trip was for business, and the miles. Keep a running total of business and total vehicle miles, and save supporting receipts. A simple paper, spreadsheet or app log can work if it is complete and accurate.

Canonical: https://receiptscanner.co/blog/how-to-keep-a-mileage-log-for-taxes
Published: 2026-10-28
Applies to: United States (IRS), 2026 tax year

## Key points
- Write down each business trip while it is fresh.
- Record date, places, purpose and miles.
- Keep business miles separate from personal and commuting miles.
- Save the log with receipts and year-end totals.

## What the IRS expects

This guide is for US self-employed people and gig workers keeping 2026 tax records. IRS Publication 463 says your records should support the time, place, amount and business purpose of a transportation expense. For car use, that includes the mileage for each business use and the total miles for the year.

The record should be made at or near the time of the trip. A note written months later from memory is harder to support than a log you update as you drive.

- [ ] Date of the business trip
- [ ] From and to, or the destination and area
- [ ] Business purpose, such as “delivery shift” or “client visit”
- [ ] Business miles driven for that trip

Tip: Add start and end odometer readings, plus your total vehicle miles for the year, so the business-use total has context.

## Use a log that you will update

The best format is the one you can complete consistently. You can use a notebook, spreadsheet or app. The IRS says a computer record can be an adequate record, but it still needs to be complete and accurate.

For a busy driver, enter a trip when it ends instead of trying to reconstruct a whole week. For a tradesperson or freelancer, one row per client visit, supply pickup or other business trip is usually easier to review later.

- Paper notebook: quick and offline, but easy to lose or total incorrectly.
- Spreadsheet: flexible and easy to total, but you must maintain backups.
- Manual mileage app: keeps trip details together and can export a report, but you still have to enter each trip.

## A filled mileage-log example

Here is an example of one week for a delivery driver. The distances are examples, not a tax calculation. Your entries should match the trips you actually made.

**Example: one week of business trips**

| Item | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Monday · delivery shift · home base to downtown | 42.0 mi |
| Wednesday · client visit · office to Oak Street | 18.4 mi |
| Friday · supply pickup · shop to Builders Supply | 6.2 mi |
| Total business miles for the week | 66.6 mi |
| Year-to-date business miles | 1,284.7 mi |

Example only. Check the current IRS guidance and mileage rate for the tax year you are filing.

## A two-minute daily routine

A short routine is easier to keep than a large tax-time cleanup. Put the log beside the action that already happens, such as ending a delivery shift or locking the work van.

1. Before or during the trip, note the date, starting point, destination and purpose.
2. When the trip ends, enter the distance and check that it was business use.
3. Photograph fuel, parking and toll receipts when you receive them.
4. At the end of each week, check the total and fix missing or unclear rows.
5. At month-end, save or export a copy with your other tax records.

## Common mileage-log mistakes

A mileage log is evidence for your records, not just a total of miles. A single number with no date, destination or purpose makes it difficult to show what the miles were for.

- Filling in every trip from memory at tax time.
- Writing only “business” instead of the actual reason for the trip.
- Mixing regular commuting, personal driving and business miles in one total.
- Keeping mileage totals but losing fuel, parking or toll receipts.
- Using an old mileage rate without checking the IRS rate for the year and date of the trip.

Tip: The IRS standard mileage rate can change by tax year, and 2026 has a mid-year update. Use the official IRS rates page when you calculate a deduction.

## How ReceiptKit helps

ReceiptKit's mileage log is manual: add each trip with the date, from, to, distance and reason, then set the rate per mile. It does not track your location by GPS.

You can export the mileage log as a PDF or Excel file, and keep fuel, parking and toll receipts in the same app. There is no account, and the app stores your data on your phone.

## FAQ

### Do I need an app to keep a mileage log?
No. A paper log, spreadsheet or app can work. The important part is recording the date, places, business purpose and miles at or near the time of each trip, then keeping a complete and accurate record.

### What should a mileage log include for taxes?
For each business trip, record the date, destination or places, business purpose and miles. Also keep total vehicle miles for the year and supporting records such as relevant receipts.

### Does commuting count as business mileage?
Regular commuting is generally treated differently from business travel. Read IRS Publication 463 for the rules that apply to your work and travel pattern, or ask a tax professional about your situation.

### How do I calculate the mileage amount?
First total your qualifying business miles. Then check the IRS standard mileage rate for the tax year and date of the trip, or use the method that applies to your records. The rate page can change, so do not rely on an old number.

### Does ReceiptKit track mileage automatically?
No. ReceiptKit uses a manual mileage log. You enter each trip yourself, and the app can export the log as PDF or Excel.

## Sources

- [IRS Publication 463: Travel, Gift, and Car Expenses, Chapter 5](https://www.irs.gov/publications/p463)
- [IRS: Standard mileage rates](https://www.irs.gov/tax-professionals/standard-mileage-rates)
- [IRS Announcement 2026-11: revised standard mileage rates](https://www.irs.gov/irb/2026-29_IRB)
- [IRS Publication 583: Starting a Business and Keeping Records](https://www.irs.gov/publications/p583)

## About ReceiptKit

ReceiptKit's manual mileage log stores each trip's date, from, to, distance and reason. Set a rate per mile, export a PDF or Excel log, and keep fuel, parking and toll receipts in the same app. No account is needed, and your data stays on your phone.

## Related

- [Driver mileage log in ReceiptKit](https://receiptscanner.co/#mileage)
- [Mileage deduction calculator](https://receiptscanner.co/tools/mileage-deduction-calculator)
- [Best mileage tracker app for gig drivers](https://receiptscanner.co/blog/best-mileage-tracker-app-for-gig-drivers)