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Business Nov 28, 2025 6 min read

How to Track Business Mileage: A Complete Guide

Everything you need to know about tracking mileage for tax deductions, including IRS requirements and best practices.

How to Track Business Mileage: A Complete Guide

For gig workers, real estate agents, and mobile freelancers, the mileage deduction can be one of your largest annual write-offs. In 2025, the standard mileage rate is expected to be around 67 cents per mile (verify with current IRS data).

Standard Mileage vs. Actual Expenses

You have two choices:

  • Standard Mileage Rate: Multiply your business miles by the IRS rate. Simple and often yields a higher deduction for economy cars.
  • Actual Expenses: Track gas, insurance, repairs, depreciation, and lease payments. multiply by the business use percentage.

What Counts as a Business Mile?

Deductible: Driving from your office to a client site, driving between job sites, driving to pick up supplies.

Not Deductible: Commuting from your home to your regular place of business (even if you're freelancing at a coworking space regularly).

IRS Documentation Requirements

To claim the deduction, you must keep a log (digital or paper) containing:

  • Date of the trip
  • Mileage driven
  • Destination
  • Business purpose
TaxWatch's mobile app automatically tracks your drives and generates this log for you, so you're audit-proof.