Mileage log template — 40 free mileage logs, forms and examples
A mileage log records the miles you drive for your business: date, where, why and how far. This page explains what a log needs, the 2026 IRS mileage rates (72.5¢ for January–June and 76¢ for July–December), and the mistakes that weaken a log. Then it gives you 40 copy-paste blocks: weekly, daily, monthly and annual logs, an employee reimbursement form, fleet and spreadsheet layouts, worked mileage math, logs by business, which miles count, team vehicle policies, and messages about mileage and travel.
General recordkeeping information, not tax advice. Ask your tax preparer what you can deduct.
A mileage log is a running record of the miles you drive for your business: the date, where you went, why, and how far. Small service businesses drive constantly between clients, suppliers and job sites, and those miles are often one of the biggest costs they can document. Without a log, the miles are hard to prove.
The same log does three jobs: it backs up a vehicle deduction at tax time, it lets you reimburse employees fairly, and it shows you what each route and each far-away client actually costs, which is useful when you set a travel fee or a service area.
What every log needs
Date of each trip.
Where: start and destination, or each stop on a multi-stop day.
Business purpose: the client, job number or errand (“parts for 22 Lake Rd”).
Miles, from odometer readings or a map or app.
Year totals: odometer on January 1 and December 31, so you can show total miles and business miles.
Parking and tolls for business trips, with receipts (they’re separate from the per-mile rate).
2026 mileage rates
For 2026 the IRS set the business standard mileage rate at 72.5 cents per mile for January 1 to June 30, then raised it to 76 cents per mile for July 1 to December 31, 2026 because of fuel prices. If you use the standard mileage rate, split your 2026 business miles by date and apply each rate to its half of the year. That’s one more reason a dated log matters this year. (For comparison, the 2025 rate was 70 cents.)
The rate covers gas, wear, insurance and depreciation, so you don’t add those on top. Business parking fees and tolls are added separately. Check the IRS “Standard mileage rates” page for the 2027 rate when it’s announced, usually in late December.
Mileage log mistakes
Counting the commute from home to your regular shop. Usually that’s personal, unless your home office is your principal place of business.
Rebuilding the whole year from memory in April. Write it daily or weekly.
Leaving out the purpose. “Driving, 38 mi” proves nothing; “Patel clean, 12 Oak” does.
Forgetting the January 1 odometer reading, so there’s no total-miles figure.
Using one rate for all of 2026. It changed on July 1.
Letting an app count personal trips as business by default.
Mixing personal detours into business trips. Log the direct business route.
A worked example
A solo cleaner with a home office drove a van about 13,500 miles in 2026 and kept no log until spring. She started a weekly log on her phone (date, stops, job names, odometer at the start and end of each day) and copied it into a spreadsheet every Friday. She added the January 1 odometer reading from an oil-change receipt and rebuilt the early months from her calendar and invoices, noting which months were reconstructed.
By year end the log showed 9,620 business miles: 4,700 before July and 4,920 after. At 72.5¢ and 76¢ that came to $7,146.70, plus $214 in parking and tolls, versus a rough guess of “maybe 5,000 miles” she had planned to give her preparer. The log also showed one client 30 miles out was costing about $45 a visit in driving, so she added a travel charge for new clients outside 15 miles.
Mileage log templates to copy
Every example adds up. Swap in your own dates, places and odometer readings.
Weekly mileage log with odometer readings
The classic format: one line per day, start and end odometer.
MILEAGE LOG — Week of Mon Nov 2, 2026
Driver: [Maria Lopez] Vehicle: [2019 Ford Transit, plate ABC-1234]
Date Start odo End odo Miles Business purpose (where / why)
Mon 11/02 41,210 41,248 38 Home office → Patel clean (12 Oak) → Chen clean (9 Cedar) → home
Tue 11/03 41,248 41,279 31 Home office → Lakeview HOA common areas → supply store → home
Wed 11/04 41,279 41,301 22 Home office → estimate, 400 Shore Dr → home
Thu 11/05 41,301 41,345 44 Home office → 3 recurring cleans (Elm, Birch, Pine) → home
Fri 11/06 41,345 41,372 27 Home office → move-out clean, 14 Elm St Apt 3 → home
Total business miles this week: 162
Value at the IRS rate for Jul–Dec 2026 (76¢): 162 × $0.76 = $123.12
Daily trip log for a multi-stop day
When one day has many stops, log each leg.
TRIP LOG — Thu Nov 12, 2026 Vehicle: [white pickup]
Leg From → To Miles Purpose
1 Home office → 18 Pine St 9 Handyman: grab bars (Okafor)
2 18 Pine St → 22 Lake Rd 6 Faucet repair (Northline WO-5520)
3 22 Lake Rd → Ace Hardware, Main St 4 Parts for 22 Lake Rd
4 Ace Hardware → 9 Cedar Ct 11 Door adjustment (Patel)
5 9 Cedar Ct → Home office 14 Return
Total: 44 business miles Parking: $0 Tolls: $0
Monthly mileage summary
Roll the weekly logs into one line per month.
MONTHLY MILEAGE SUMMARY — November 2026
Vehicle: [2019 Ford Transit]
Odometer Nov 1: 41,210 Odometer Nov 30: 42,220 Total miles: 1,010
Business miles (from weekly logs): 640
Personal / commuting miles: 370
Business use this month: 640 ÷ 1,010 = 63.4%
Value at 76¢/mile: 640 × $0.76 = $486.40
Parking & tolls (receipts in folder): $38.00
Annual mileage summary for tax time
What your tax preparer will ask for. 2026 has two IRS rates (see the guide above).
ANNUAL VEHICLE SUMMARY — 2026
Vehicle: [2019 Ford Transit] Placed in business service: [Mar 2023]
Odometer Jan 1, 2026: 30,300 Odometer Dec 31, 2026: 43,800 Total miles: 13,500
Business miles Jan 1–Jun 30: 4,700 × $0.725 = $3,407.50
Business miles Jul 1–Dec 31: 4,920 × $0.76 = $3,739.20
Total business miles: 9,620 (71.3% business use)
Standard mileage amount: $7,146.70
Business parking & tolls (separate): $214.00
Commuting miles: [0 — home office is principal place of business]
Logs kept: weekly, in [app / notebook]; receipts in [folder].
Employee mileage reimbursement form
For staff who drive their own car between jobs.
MILEAGE REIMBURSEMENT REQUEST
Employee: [Jordan Lee] Period: [Nov 16–29, 2026] Rate: $[0.70] per mile (company rate)
Date From → To Miles Purpose
11/16 Shop → 14 Elm → 22 Birch → shop 28 Two cleans
11/18 Shop → 400 Shore Dr → shop 34 HOA common areas
11/20 Shop → 9 Cedar → 18 Pine → shop 41 Two cleans
11/23 Shop → supply store → shop 12 Pick up supplies
11/24 Shop → 14 Elm → 22 Lake → shop 47 Deep clean + estimate
11/27 Shop → 400 Shore Dr → shop 50 Post-holiday clean, 2 buildings
Total: 212 miles × $0.70 = $148.40
I certify these miles were driven for work and not for commuting.
Employee signature: ________ Approved by: ________ Paid on: ________
Crew / multi-vehicle log
One sheet for a small fleet.
FLEET MILEAGE — Week of Mon Nov 16, 2026
Vehicle Driver Start odo End odo Total Business Notes
Van 1 (Transit) Maria 42,010 42,198 188 188 Work-only vehicle
Van 2 (Promaster) Sam 18,450 18,602 152 152 Work-only vehicle
Owner pickup Ana 61,300 61,512 212 96 Estimates + supply runs; rest personal
Total business miles: 436
Simple spreadsheet columns
Set up once in Google Sheets or Excel.
Columns: Date | Vehicle | Start location | End location | Business purpose | Client / job # | Start odometer | End odometer | Miles (=End−Start) | Round trip? | Rate | Amount (=Miles×Rate) | Parking/tolls | Notes
Formulas: Miles in I2: =H2-G2 Amount in L2: =I2*K2
Monthly total: =SUMIFS(I:I, A:A, ">="&DATE(2026,11,1), A:A, "<"&DATE(2026,12,1))
Quick phone-note log
If you’ll only keep it on your phone, keep it like this.
11/30 Mon — 23 mi — home office → Rivera (pet visit) → Northline estimate → home — Rivera + Northline WO-5601
12/01 Tue — 17 mi — home office → Lakeview HOA → home — monthly walk-through
12/02 Wed — 0 mi — office day
(Copy the week into your spreadsheet every Friday.)
Mileage math and rates
Worked numbers you can copy. Rates are the IRS business standard mileage rates for 2026.
2026 IRS business rate (two periods)
The IRS raised the rate mid-year in 2026.
2026 business standard mileage rate:
• Jan 1 – Jun 30, 2026: 72.5 cents per mile
• Jul 1 – Dec 31, 2026: 76 cents per mile
Log each trip’s date so you can split your miles between the two periods.
Parking fees and tolls for business trips are added separately; they aren’t in the per-mile rate.
Splitting miles between the two 2026 rates
A full-year example.
Business miles Jan–Jun: 1,240 × $0.725 = $899.00
Business miles Jul–Dec: 1,380 × $0.76 = $1,048.80
Total: 2,620 miles = $1,947.80
Business-use percentage
Needed if you use actual expenses or a car that’s also personal.
Business miles ÷ total miles = business-use %
9,620 ÷ 13,500 = 0.7126 → 71.3%
If you use actual expenses instead of the mileage rate, roughly 71.3% of gas, insurance, repairs and depreciation is the business share (ask your tax preparer).
Round trip with a stop on the way
Count the whole route, not just home-to-job.
Home office → Job A (12 mi) → Job B (7 mi) → Supply store (3 mi) → Home office (15 mi)
Total business miles: 12 + 7 + 3 + 15 = 37
Charging a client for mileage
Use your own rate, set in advance (often a travel fee).
Service area: 15 miles from our shop. This job: 33 miles each way → 18 extra miles each way.
Extra round-trip miles: 18 × 2 = 36
Travel charge: 36 × $1.00 per extra mile = $36.00 (quoted before booking)
Reimbursing an employee
Many employers use the IRS rate or less.
Employee drove 212 miles for work in the period.
At the company rate of $0.70: 212 × $0.70 = $148.40
At the IRS rate for Jul–Dec 2026 ($0.76): 212 × $0.76 = $161.12
Paying at or below the IRS rate with a log is usually not taxable wages under an accountable plan; confirm with your payroll provider.
Mileage logs by type of business
The format is the same; the “purpose” column changes.
House cleaning
Client names or job numbers make each trip easy to prove.
Thu 11/19 — Home office → Morgan (14 Elm) → Lee (22 Birch) → Okafor (18 Pine) → home — 29 mi — 3 recurring cleans
Lawn care and landscaping
Route days are repetitive; log the route once and note changes.
Mon route A (11 lawns, Westside) — 46 mi — same as route sheet A; extra stop: dump/green waste site +6 mi = 52 mi
Tue 11/17 — Shop → 9 Cedar (bath remodel) → Home Depot (tile) → city permit office (rough-in inspection) → 9 Cedar → shop — 38 mi
Mobile detailing and mobile mechanics
Your vehicle is the shop; every client trip counts.
Sat 11/21 — Home base → Patel (detail, 9 Cedar) → Lee (detail, 22 Birch) → car wash supply → home — 27 mi
Tutors, trainers and in-home therapists
Driving between client homes is business travel.
Mon 11/30 — Home office → Chen (tutoring, 4 pm) → Rivera (tutoring, 5:30 pm) → home — 19 mi
Which miles count
Common situations, explained plainly. General information, not tax advice; your situation may differ.
Commuting vs. business driving
The most common mistake.
Usually NOT deductible: driving from home to your regular shop or office and back (commuting).
Usually deductible: driving between job sites, from your shop to a client, to the supply store or bank for business, and to temporary work locations.
If your home office is your principal place of business, trips from home to clients are generally business miles.
Mixed trip (business + personal)
Log only the business part.
Home office → client (10 mi) → grocery store for personal shopping (2 mi) → home (9 mi)
Business: home → client and the most direct way back (10 + 10 = 20 mi). The grocery detour is personal; log 20, not 21.
Standard mileage vs. actual expenses
Pick one approach per vehicle; ask your preparer before switching.
Standard mileage: business miles × IRS rate, plus business parking and tolls. Simple; just keep the log.
Actual expenses: business-use % × (gas, insurance, repairs, registration, depreciation or lease). More paperwork; sometimes larger for expensive or heavily used vehicles.
For a car you own, using the standard rate in the first year it’s used for business keeps your options open later.
What a good log shows
What the IRS expects to see.
For each business trip: date, destination, business purpose, and miles. For the year: total business miles and total miles for the vehicle (odometer at the start and end of the year).
Write it at or near the time of the trip. A log rebuilt from memory in April is much weaker.
Records to keep
How long and where.
Keep mileage logs, parking and toll receipts, and vehicle expense receipts with your tax records, generally at least 3 years after you file (longer if your preparer advises it). A phone app’s export, saved as a PDF each month, is fine.
Using a mileage-tracking app
Apps help, but check them.
If you use an app that tracks trips automatically: mark each trip business or personal the same week, add the client or job, and export a monthly report. Delete or reclassify personal trips; don’t let them count as business by default.
Vehicle and mileage policies for your team
For businesses with employees who drive. Adjust to your state’s rules.
Mileage reimbursement policy
Short and clear.
MILEAGE REIMBURSEMENT POLICY
We reimburse employees for driving their personal vehicle for work at $[0.70] per mile, for trips between job sites, to suppliers and to temporary work locations. Normal commuting between home and the shop isn’t reimbursed. Submit the mileage form every [other Friday] with dates, routes, purposes and miles. Reimbursements are paid with the next paycheck. Parking and tolls for work trips are reimbursed with receipts.
Company vehicle use policy
For work vans and trucks.
COMPANY VEHICLE POLICY
Company vehicles are for work only, with no personal errands or passengers who aren’t employees or clients. Drivers must hold a valid license, report any ticket or accident within 24 hours, log the start and end odometer daily, and keep the vehicle clean and stocked. No phone use while driving except hands-free navigation.
Driver checklist (start of day)
Thirty seconds, every morning.
☐ Odometer start written on today’s log ☐ Fuel above ¼ tank ☐ Tires look normal ☐ Lights and signals work ☐ Supplies loaded and secured ☐ Route and first address in the GPS
Hi team! Mileage forms for Nov 16–29 are due by Monday, Nov 30 at 5 pm so they make the next paycheck. Please include the job or client for each trip. Thanks!
Change to the reimbursement rate
Give notice before a new rate starts.
Hi team, starting Monday, Jan 4, 2027, our mileage reimbursement rate goes from $0.70 to $[0.72] per mile. Trips before Jan 4 use the old rate. Same form, same schedule. Questions? Ask [name].
Messages about mileage and travel
For clients, staff and your tax preparer.
Explaining a travel charge to a client
Before booking, not on the invoice.
Hi [name], happy to help! You’re about 33 miles from our shop, a bit past our usual 15-mile area, so there’s a $36.00 travel charge on top of the quote. If you can be grouped with another client nearby, I’ll waive it.
Mileage line on an invoice
Clear and checkable.
Travel: 36 extra round-trip miles beyond the service area × $1.00/mile = $36.00 (agreed by text on Nov 12)
Sending your log to your tax preparer
January, with the totals up front.
Subject: 2026 vehicle mileage — [Business]
Hi [preparer], attached is my 2026 mileage summary and monthly logs. Totals: 13,500 miles on the van, 9,620 business (4,700 Jan–Jun, 4,920 Jul–Dec), plus $214 business parking/tolls. The van is used about 71% for business. Let me know if you need anything else.
Asking an employee for missing log details
Friendly, specific.
Hi Jordan, thanks for the mileage form! Two trips on 11/20 are missing the job names. Could you add them? Then I’ll send it to payroll today.
Client asks why you charge for travel
Plain explanation.
Good question! Driving time and vehicle costs are real costs for us, so we include nearby addresses in our prices and add a small travel charge only for longer drives. It keeps prices fair for everyone in our main area.
Group-booking offer to cut drive time
Saves you miles and the client money.
Hi [name], we’ll be in your neighborhood on Thursday, Dec 3 for two other clients. Want to book that day? I can skip the travel charge since we’re already nearby.
New Year mileage reset reminder
To yourself or your team.
Reminder: write down every vehicle’s odometer on Friday, Jan 1, 2027 (or the first workday, Mon Jan 4) and start a new 2027 log. Save the full 2026 log and export as a PDF for taxes.
Year-end note to a contractor or sub
If you pay subs who drive.
Hi [name], for your 2026 records: we paid you $[2,850] in travel charges this year as part of your invoices (no separate mileage reimbursement). Your 1099 will include it. Keep your own mileage log for your taxes; we can’t advise what you can deduct.
Common questions
Do I need odometer readings for every trip? Not necessarily. Many people log miles per trip from a map or app and record the odometer at the start and end of the year (and the start and end of each day if it’s easy). Daily odometer readings make the log stronger.
Is a phone app good enough? Yes, if it records the date, route, miles and a purpose you add, and you export and save the reports. Review it weekly so personal trips aren’t counted.
Can I deduct the drive from home to my first client? It depends on whether your home is your principal place of business and on where you go. Ask your tax preparer; the rules have exceptions.
What rate should I use to reimburse employees? Any rate you set in a written policy. Many businesses use the IRS rate or a bit less. Reimbursing at or below the IRS rate with a proper log is generally not taxable to the employee; confirm with your payroll provider, and check your state (California, for example, requires reimbursing necessary work expenses).
What if I have two vehicles? Keep a separate log, and separate year-start and year-end odometer readings, for each one.
Is this tax advice? No. It’s general information to help you keep good records. Your tax preparer can tell you what you can deduct.
How to use this template
Write down every vehicle’s odometer on January 1 (or today), pick the weekly or daily format, and log each workday with stops and job names. Every Friday, copy the week into a spreadsheet; every month, add a summary line. In January, send your preparer the annual summary with miles split by IRS rate period.
If you have staff, publish a short reimbursement policy and use the reimbursement form every pay period. Use what the log teaches you: group nearby clients on the same day, and set a fair travel fee for long drives.
More team, hiring & contractors templates
The other free documents in the same group. Every business document on the site is listed on the home page.