Commute vs. Business Mileage Checker: Is Your Drive Tax-Deductible?
The 12 miles from home to a regular office are usually commuting miles. The 12 miles between two client sites may be business miles. Choose the route that matches your day before multiplying anything by 76¢.
Ordinary home-to-regular-work travel is commuting. Travel between business locations during a workday is different. A supply stop does not automatically convert every mile in an otherwise personal commute into business travel.
The IRS rate table gives the cents-per-mile amounts. It does not decide whether a particular drive is deductible. Write down why the drive happened before relying on any calculation.
How this worksheet works
The checker gives a cautious category, not a tax ruling. For a home office, the residence must qualify as the principal place of business under the IRS rule and the drive must be to another work location in the same business. Temporary work location rules depend on other facts too.
Worked example
Home → regular office
Generally commuting
Client A → Client B
Generally business
Keep the records behind the number
Write down the destination and business purpose at the time of the trip. An address alone cannot tell an accountant why a drive occurred. Keep personal detours separate when you can.
72.5 cents per business mile for January 1 through June 30, 2026; 76 cents for July 1 through December 31, 2026.
Is this a tax deduction or cash back?
A deduction generally reduces taxable income. The amount shown here is not a refund or guaranteed tax savings.
Are my entries uploaded?
No. This worksheet runs in your browser. Download or print a copy if you want to keep it.
Does this worksheet prove my miles to the IRS?
No. Keep underlying dates, destinations, purposes, mileage records and receipts. Ask a qualified tax professional about your facts.
Drive every week?
Milevaro records trips you start with one tap and exports CSV or PDF reports. Every feature is free for 14 days; then $39.99/year or $3.99/month. Existing trips remain viewable and CSV export stays free if you do not subscribe.
Milevaro reports are records of trips logged by the user. They are not IRS-certified and do not guarantee a tax deduction. A deduction lowers taxable income; it is not direct cash back. The estimated deduction is business miles multiplied by a user-set rate and is an estimate, not tax advice. Consult a qualified tax professional.