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    Free IRS Mileage Log Template (Google Sheets, 2026)

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    ReceiptSync TeamJuly 26·4 min read·Updated Jul 26, 2026

    If you drive for business, every mile is deductible — and 2026 is the year a lot of mileage logs are going to be wrong.

    The IRS raised the standard business rate part-way through the year. Anyone using a single rate across all twelve months will produce an incorrect figure. This guide covers what the IRS actually requires in a log, and how to build one in Google Sheets that handles the split for you.

    The 2026 Rates — There Are Two

    Per IRS standard mileage rates:

    PurposeJan 1 – Jun 30, 2026Jul 1 – Dec 31, 2026
    Business72.5¢ per mile76¢ per mile
    Medical / qualified moving20.5¢ per mile23.5¢ per mile
    Charitable14¢ per mile — fixed by statute, unchanged

    A mid-year change is unusual, and it means the arithmetic is not "miles × one rate". Ten thousand business miles spread evenly across 2026 works out at 5,000 × $0.725 plus 5,000 × $0.76 — $7,425, not the $7,000 a single-rate calculation at last year's figure would give you.

    You can check any given split with our free mileage calculator, which has buttons for both periods.

    What the IRS Requires in a Log

    Publication 463 asks for a contemporaneous record covering, for every business trip:

    FieldWhat to recordExample
    DateThe date of the trip15 July 2026
    DestinationWhere you wentClient office, 123 Main St
    Business purposeWhy you wentQuarterly review meeting
    Odometer startReading at departure47,832
    Odometer endReading on arrival47,891
    MilesThe difference59

    Contemporaneous is the word that matters. It means recorded at or near the time of travel — not assembled from memory in April. Reconstructed logs are markedly weaker, and long gaps or suspiciously round numbers are exactly what draws attention to a vehicle deduction.

    Building the Template

    Set up these columns in a new Google Sheet:

    ColumnContents
    ADate
    BStarting location
    CDestination
    DBusiness purpose
    EOdometer start
    FOdometer end
    GMiles — =F2-E2
    HDeduction — see below
    INotes — parking, tolls, passengers

    Column H is where most templates go wrong this year. Rather than multiplying by a single rate, have the sheet pick the right one from the trip date:

    =IF(A2<DATE(2026,7,1), G2*0.725, G2*0.76)

    Copy that down the column and every trip is valued at the rate in force on the day you drove it. Then add a summary row:

    • Total business miles — =SUM(G2:G1000)
    • Total deduction — =SUM(H2:H1000)

    That gives you a running deduction figure that stays correct across the July boundary without you thinking about it.

    Keeping It Accurate

    • Log the same day. Keep the sheet on your phone and add the entry before you drive off. This is what "contemporaneous" means in practice.
    • Record your odometer on 1 January and 31 December. Total annual mileage is how business-use percentage gets sanity-checked.
    • Do not log personal trips. If you drive home to a client and then to the shops, only the first leg counts.
    • Commuting is not deductible under any method — home to your regular workplace is personal.
    • Keep something that corroborates the trip. A calendar entry, an email, an invoice from that day. The log is the primary record; corroboration is what makes it convincing.

    Which Method Should You Use?

    The standard mileage rate is one of two ways to deduct vehicle costs; the other is actual expenses, where you track fuel, insurance, repairs, depreciation and the rest, and deduct the business-use share. There are lock-in rules about which you can choose in the first year for a given vehicle, and the better option depends on what your vehicle actually costs to run.

    We compare both in detail — including the lock-in rules and worked examples — in our Schedule C vehicle deduction guide. This post assumes you have chosen the standard rate.

    Don't Forget Parking and Tolls

    Business parking and tolls are deductible in addition to the standard mileage rate. They are easy to overlook because each one is small, and they are almost always paid at a machine that issues a thermal receipt which will not survive to April.

    ReceiptSync captures those the moment you get them — merchant, date, and amount extracted automatically, image kept alongside — so the parking and toll side of your vehicle deduction is documented as well as the mileage. For what the IRS expects from receipts generally, see IRS receipt requirements.

    The Bottom Line

    The mileage deduction is among the largest available to self-employed people and among the most commonly disallowed, because most logs are built in April rather than as the year goes. Set the sheet up today, use the date-aware formula so the July rate change handles itself, and log each trip the day you take it.

    Track your parking and toll receipts free →

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What is the IRS standard mileage rate for 2026?

    There are two. The business rate is 72.5 cents per mile for January 1 through June 30, and 76 cents per mile from July 1 through December 31, following a mid-year increase. A full-year log has to be calculated across both periods rather than at a single rate.

    What does the IRS require in a mileage log?

    Publication 463 requires a contemporaneous record of the date, the destination, the business purpose, and the miles driven for each trip, supported by odometer readings. Contemporaneous means written at or near the time of travel, not reconstructed later.

    Is a handwritten mileage log acceptable?

    Yes. The IRS does not mandate a format — a notebook, a spreadsheet, or an app are all acceptable. What matters is that the record is timely, complete, and legible. Format is not the issue; reconstruction is.

    Is commuting deductible?

    No. Driving between home and your regular place of business is commuting and is not deductible under either method. If you have a qualifying home office, travel from there to client locations may be a different matter.

    Can I deduct parking and tolls on top of the mileage rate?

    Yes. Business parking fees and tolls are deductible in addition to the standard mileage rate, so keep those receipts separately. They are small individually and add up to a meaningful amount across a year.

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A no spend challenge breaks these automatic behaviors by introducing a rule that requires a conscious decision for every purchase. The financial benefits are real. A typical American spends $300–$500 per month on discretionary purchases that are not strictly necessary — dining out, entertainment, clothing, home goods, personal care extras. A 30-day no spend challenge can redirect most of that toward savings, debt payoff, or an emergency fund. But the behavioral benefit may be more valuable than the financial one. After 30 days of intentional spending, most people find that many of their automatic purchases do not actually make them happier — and they stop making them even after the challenge ends. The Rules: What Counts as "Spending"? The most important step before starting a no spend challenge is defining your rules clearly. Vague rules lead to rationalization. Here is a framework that works for most people: Allowed (necessities): Rent or mortgage payment Utility bills (electricity, gas, water, internet) Groceries (food and household essentials — but not treats or extras) Gas for commuting Required medications and medical appointments Minimum debt payments Childcare and school-related expenses Any pre-committed expenses you cannot cancel (a concert ticket you already bought, a friend's wedding you are attending) Not allowed (discretionary spending): Restaurants, coffee shops, takeout, delivery apps Clothing and accessories Home goods, décor, and non-essential household items Entertainment (movies, streaming services you can pause, games) Personal care extras (new makeup, non-essential salon visits) Online shopping of any kind Subscriptions you can pause or cancel for the month Gifts (plan ahead and make or give experiences instead) The gray areas (decide in advance and write it down): Haircuts — most people allow essential haircuts, not color or extras Pet supplies — allow necessities, not treats or toys Work expenses — allow if genuinely required for your job Birthday gifts — decide in advance whether you will allow a small budget or make something The key is to write your rules down before you start, so you are not making judgment calls in the moment when temptation is high. How to Prepare for a No Spend Month Starting a no spend challenge without preparation is the fastest way to fail. Here is how to set yourself up for success: Week before the challenge: Audit your subscriptions and pause or cancel everything non-essential (streaming services, subscription boxes, app subscriptions). Stock your pantry and freezer so you are not tempted to order food when the fridge looks empty. Identify your biggest spending triggers — is it boredom? Stress? Social media? Plan how you will handle them. Tell a friend or partner about the challenge. Accountability dramatically increases follow-through. Set up a tracking system (more on this below). Remove friction for spending money: Delete saved payment information from your browser and shopping apps. Remove shopping apps from your phone's home screen. Unsubscribe from retail email lists for the month. Turn off push notifications from shopping and delivery apps. 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Replace the habit, not just the action: If you buy coffee every morning because it is part of your commute ritual, make coffee at home and put it in a travel mug. The ritual stays; the spending goes. Find free alternatives: Most discretionary spending fills a need — entertainment, social connection, comfort. Identify free alternatives for each category: the library instead of buying books, a walk instead of a gym class, cooking a new recipe instead of going to a restaurant. Track your savings in real time: Every time you would have spent money but did not, add that amount to a running total. Watching your "saved" number grow is more motivating than watching your "spent" number shrink. What to Do With the Money You Save Before the challenge starts, decide where the money you save will go. This is important — without a destination, saved money tends to drift back into spending. 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    If you have a side hustle — whether it is freelance writing, driving for DoorDash, selling on Etsy, tutoring, or any other income-generating activity — you are running a business in the eyes of the IRS. That means you owe self-employment tax on your profits, but it also means every legitimate business expense reduces the income you are taxed on. Most side hustlers leave hundreds or even thousands of dollars in deductions on the table every year — not because the deductions do not exist, but because they did not track their expenses carefully enough to claim them. This guide fixes that. The Tax Reality of Side Hustle Income When you earn income from a side hustle, the IRS treats you as self-employed. This has two important implications: You owe self-employment tax. Self-employment tax is 15.3% of your net profit (12.4% for Social Security, 2.9% for Medicare). This is in addition to your regular income tax. 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Here are the most common deductions by side hustle type: Expense CategoryExamplesWho Claims It Home officeDedicated workspace square footageFreelancers, remote workers, online sellers Vehicle/mileageMiles driven for business purposesDelivery drivers, real estate agents, contractors EquipmentLaptop, camera, microphone, toolsCreators, photographers, contractors Software &amp; subscriptionsDesign tools, accounting software, cloud storageFreelancers, creators, online sellers Marketing &amp; advertisingFacebook ads, website hosting, business cardsAll side hustlers Professional servicesAccountant fees, legal feesAll side hustlers Education &amp; trainingCourses, books, conferences in your fieldAll side hustlers Phone &amp; internetBusiness-use percentage of your billAll side hustlers Supplies &amp; materialsPackaging, raw materials, office suppliesSellers, crafters, contractors Platform feesEtsy listing fees, PayPal fees, Stripe feesOnline sellers The Most Overlooked Side Hustle Deductions Mileage. The 2025 IRS standard mileage rate is 70 cents per mile for business driving. If you drive 5,000 miles per year for your side hustle — to meet clients, pick up supplies, attend events — that is a $3,500 deduction. Most side hustlers do not track their mileage and miss this entirely. Home office. If you have a dedicated space in your home used exclusively and regularly for your side hustle, you can deduct a portion of your rent or mortgage, utilities, and internet based on the square footage of that space relative to your total home. A 150-square-foot office in a 1,500-square-foot home means 10% of your home expenses are deductible. Phone and internet. If you use your phone and internet for your side hustle, the business-use percentage is deductible. If 40% of your phone use is for business, 40% of your monthly bill is a deductible expense. Start-up costs. If you started your side hustle this year, you can deduct up to $5,000 in start-up costs in the first year. 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