Mileage reimbursement calculator
Enter your miles and get the exact reimbursement or deduction at the current IRS rate, plus tolls and parking. Works for employees claiming reimbursement and for self-employed drivers claiming Schedule C mileage.
Your miles
Reimbursement / deduction
$846.00
70.5¢ per mile for business miles in 2026.
- Mileage at IRS rate
- $846.00
- Tolls
- $0.00
- Parking
- $0.00
- Estimated tax saved
- $332.48
Employers who reimburse at or below the IRS business rate can pay this tax-free under an accountable plan. Self-employed filers deduct it on Schedule C instead.
Standard rate vs actual expenses
The IRS gives you two ways to claim vehicle cost. The standard mileage rate bundles gas, depreciation, insurance, repairs and maintenance into one per-mile number — 70.5 cents for 2026. The actual expense method tracks every real cost and deducts the business-use percentage of it.
Standard mileage wins for most high-mileage drivers with ordinary vehicles, and it takes far less bookkeeping. Actual expenses tend to win for expensive vehicles, heavy repair years, or low annual mileage. If you want the option to switch later, you must use standard mileage in the first year the vehicle is in service.
Either way, the log is what survives an audit. Four fields per trip — date, destination, purpose, miles — recorded as you drive. Reconstructing a year of trips from memory is the single most common reason mileage deductions get thrown out.
Frequently asked questions
What is the IRS mileage rate for 2026?
The IRS standard business mileage rate is 70.5 cents per mile for 2026, up from 70 cents in 2025. Medical and moving miles are 21 cents and charitable miles are 14 cents, a rate fixed by statute.
How do I calculate mileage reimbursement?
Multiply the business miles driven by the IRS standard rate for that tax year, then add tolls and parking, which are reimbursed separately. Reimbursement at or below the IRS rate under an accountable plan is tax-free to the employee and deductible for the business.
Is mileage reimbursement taxable?
No, as long as it is paid under an accountable plan at or below the IRS standard rate and the employee substantiates date, destination, purpose and miles. Anything above the standard rate, or paid without substantiation, is taxable wages.
Do employers have to reimburse mileage?
There is no federal requirement, but California, Illinois and Massachusetts require employers to reimburse necessary business expenses including vehicle use. Reimbursement is also required anywhere it would otherwise drop a worker's pay below minimum wage.
What records do I need to keep?
The IRS wants date, starting point and destination, business purpose and miles for every trip. A contemporaneous log kept as you go holds up in an audit; a spreadsheet reconstructed a year later usually does not.
Rates shown are the IRS standard mileage rates. Estimates only, not tax advice.