IRS Mileage Rate Calculator 2026

It depends on when you drove. Business miles from July 1, 2026 on are worth 76 cents each. Miles from January through June are worth 72.5 cents. Medical miles went from 20.5 to 23.5 cents on July 1, and charity miles stay at 14 cents all year.

Split your miles at July 1. Multiply the miles before July 1 by 72.5 cents and the miles after by 76 cents, then add the two. If you only know your total for the year, the calculator splits it by days for an estimate. Your dated log gives you the real split.

Not on your federal tax return. W-2 employees lost the deduction for work costs in 2018, and the 2025 tax law made that permanent. You can ask your employer to raise the rate. California, Illinois, and Massachusetts also require employers to pay employees back for work driving.

No, if your employer pays at or under the IRS rate and you report your miles to them. If they pay more than the IRS rate, the extra counts as pay and gets taxed. You will see it in box 1 of your W-2.

The IRS wants the date, the miles, where you went, and why, for every business trip. A notebook, a spreadsheet, or an app all work. A log you keep as you drive holds up much better than one you rebuild in April.

No, not on a federal return, unless you are an Armed Forces reservist, a qualified performing artist, a state or local official paid by fee, or you have work costs tied to a disability. If you also have a side business paid on a 1099 form, those side-business miles count.

For most cars, the mileage rate gives you a bigger deduction with much less paperwork. Adding up actual costs can win for an expensive car, a year with few miles, or a truck with big repair bills. To keep the mileage rate as an option, you must use it the first year you drive the car for business.

The IRS can ask for proof of any deduction. Without a log, it can take away the whole mileage deduction. A log you rebuild from your calendar is better than nothing, but a log you kept as you drove is what holds up.

A deduction lowers the income you pay tax on. It does not pay your tax for you. A $6,000 deduction in the 22% bracket cuts your income tax by about $1,320, plus some self-employment tax. If you owed $5,000 before, you still owe, just less.

Yes. Type your miles in the calculator at the top of this page and tap Get a PDF for my accountant. The free PDF shows your total, where it goes on Schedule C and Schedule A, and the math. No email or signup.

Use it as a starting point. A yearly total does not show the date, the place, and the reason for each trip, and the IRS wants all of those. Keep your own log for every business trip.