SnapBooksDownload the mileage log
- Mileage log 2026Excel (.xlsx) · works in Google Sheets
- Printable mileage logPDF · US Letter, landscape
To use it in Google Sheets, upload the file to Google Drive and open it with Google Sheets; the formulas and totals carry over. It also opens in Excel, Numbers and LibreOffice.
What’s in the Excel workbook
- Mileage log: one row per trip, with the date, start, destination, business purpose and odometer readings. Business miles are worked out for you, or you can type them in directly.
- Year summary: your total miles for the year from the January and December odometer readings, your business-use percentage, and business miles and the deduction for each month.
- The 2026 IRS rate built in: $0.76 a mile, so your deduction at the standard rate updates as you add trips.
- How to use: the IRS rules in plain words, on a sheet of its own.
How to fill it in
- Fill it in on the day
Add each business trip when you drive it, or at least weekly. The IRS expects records made at or near the time; a log rebuilt at the end of the year is weak evidence.
- Write a real business purpose
“Client meeting, Lee & Co.” or “Supplies, Home Depot”, not just “business”.
- Note the odometer on January 1 and December 31
The IRS asks for your total miles for the year, business and personal, as well as your business miles.
- Keep parking and toll receipts
Parking and tolls on business trips are deductible on top of the standard mileage rate.
What counts as business driving
- Driving to clients, customers and job sites, between work locations, and to pick up supplies.
- If your home is your principal place of business: trips from home to clients and other work locations.
- Not commuting: driving from home to your regular office or workplace isn’t deductible, even if you make business calls on the way.
These are the rules for the self-employed. Employees generally can’t deduct unreimbursed driving on their federal return. Check IRS Publication 463 or a tax professional.
Example entries
| Date | From | To | Business purpose | Odometer start | Odometer end | Miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 3 | Office | Austin, TX | Client meeting, Lee & Co. | 24,180 | 24,214 | 34 |
| Mar 3 | Austin, TX | Round Rock, TX | Supplier pickup | 24,214 | 24,237 | 23 |
| Mar 5 | Office | Austin, TX | Site visit, Park St. job | 24,301 | 24,329 | 28 |
When a spreadsheet gets tedious
A paper or spreadsheet log works if you’re disciplined about it. If you drive a lot, the SnapBooks app records each drive with GPS, lets you mark it business or personal, applies the IRS rate for the date of the trip and exports a mileage report. See what your miles are worth in the mileage calculator, or read the IRS mileage log requirements in full.
Mileage logs for other countries
Frequently asked questions
Is this mileage log IRS-approved?
The IRS doesn’t approve templates. It asks for an adequate record, made at or near the time, of each business trip’s date, destination, purpose and miles, plus your total miles for the year. This template has a column or field for each of those.
Does it work in Google Sheets?
Yes. Upload the Excel file to Google Drive and open it with Google Sheets; the formulas and totals carry over.
What is the IRS mileage rate for 2026?
$0.76 a mile for business driving. The template uses it, and you can change the rate cell if the IRS announces a different one. Work out your deduction.
Can I switch between the standard rate and actual expenses?
To use the standard mileage rate for a car you own, you must choose it in the first year you use the car for business; in later years you can choose either method. Whichever you use, you need the mileage log.