Free template · Excel · Logs
Free mileage log template (IRS and CRA)
A vehicle logbook with the columns the IRS and the CRA expect: date, where, why and how far, plus odometer readings for the year. It works out the amount at the standard rate and totals it by month.
Mileage log template
Excel workbook (.xlsx) · 41 KB · 3 sheets
| Date | Destination | Business purpose | Distance | Rate | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 5, 2026 | Smith residence | Quote visit, kitchen refit | 18.0 | 0.760 | 13.68 |
| Oct 6, 2026 | Supplier yard | Pick up materials | 23.0 | 0.760 | 17.48 |
| Oct 8, 2026 | Bank | Deposit cheques | 6.0 | 0.760 | 4.56 |
What it is
If you claim car expenses, or reimburse employees for driving their own cars, you need a record of each business trip made at the time. Both tax agencies ask for the date, the destination, the business purpose and the distance, and the total driving for the year.
This log has those columns, works out distance from odometer readings, applies the rate (including the IRS's mid-2026 change and the CRA's two-tier allowance), and gives you your business-use percentage.
Who it's for
- Self-employed people who drive for work
- Employers reimbursing employees by the mile or kilometre
- Trades and mobile services that bill mileage to customers
What's in the file
| Sheet | What it holds |
|---|---|
| Mileage log | Settings for driver, year, units, odometer at the start and end of the year, and rates; 400 trip rows with date, vehicle, start, destination, business purpose, customer or job, odometer readings, distance, rate, amount and billable. |
| Summary by month | Trips, distance and amount for each month and the year. |
| Instructions | How to set it up for the US or Canada, and the 2026 rates with sources. |
How to use it
- Enter your name, the tax year, miles or km, and the odometer reading on January 1.
- Set the rates. US 2026: 0.725 with a new rate of 0.76 from July 1 (already filled in). Canada 2026: rate 0.73, clear the new-rate date, tier limit 5,000 and 0.67 after it (0.77 and 0.71 in the territories).
- Clear the sample trips.
- Log each trip the day you drive it. Distance calculates from the odometer readings, or type it in.
- Mark trips you'll bill to a customer as Y.
- On December 31, enter the closing odometer reading to get total driving and your business-use percentage.
Pale yellow cells are for your entries; white cells calculate. Nothing is locked, so you can rename lines, add rows inside a section, or change the layout. Each file has an Instructions sheet with these steps.
Download mileage log template (.xlsx)
Sources
Figures as of October 25, 2026.
- IRS: Standard mileage rates (2026 rates for January 1 to June 30 and July 1 to December 31)
- IRS Publication 463, Travel, Gift, and Car Expenses
- Department of Finance Canada: 2026 automobile deduction limits and expense benefit rates (January 14, 2026)
Questions
What is the IRS mileage rate for 2026?
The business standard mileage rate is 72.5 cents a mile for January 1 to June 30, 2026 and 76 cents a mile from July 1 to December 31, 2026. The IRS raised it mid-year (IR-2026-29). The template applies the right rate to each trip by its date.
What is the CRA rate per km for 2026?
The 2026 limit on tax-exempt allowances an employer pays employees is 73 cents a km for the first 5,000 km and 67 cents after, or 77 and 71 cents in the Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut. Self-employed people don't deduct a per-km rate; they deduct actual vehicle costs times their business-use percentage, which this log proves.
What does a mileage log need to show?
For each business trip: the date, where you started and went, the business purpose, and the distance. Also record the odometer at the start and end of the year so total and business driving can be compared.
Is commuting business mileage?
Generally no. Driving between home and your regular place of work is personal in both countries. Trips from your workplace to customers, suppliers or job sites usually count. The rules have exceptions, so check IRS Publication 463 or the CRA's guidance.
How long should I keep a mileage log?
Keep it with your tax records: generally at least three years after filing for the IRS (longer in some situations) and six years after the end of the tax year for the CRA.
Related
General information, not tax, legal or accounting advice. Check with your accountant before relying on a template for a tax return.
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