Free mileage log template (2026)

Where can I get a free mileage log template without signing up?

Right here, no email needed: download the 2026 mileage log template (CSV) for Excel, Google Sheets or Numbers, or print the blank log at the bottom of this page. It has a column for each record IRS Publication 463 lists for business driving: date, destination, business purpose and business miles, plus odometer readings for total yearly miles and a parking and tolls column. Fill it in at or near the time of each trip; Pub. 463 says a log kept weekly counts as timely, and a computer record counts as adequate.

Formula: deduction under the standard mileage method = business miles × IRS rate for the dates driven (72.5¢ per mile Jan 1 to Jun 30, 2026; 76¢ per mile Jul 1 to Dec 31, 2026), plus business parking and tolls.

Worked example: 120 business miles in November 2026 × 76¢ = $91.20; the same 120 miles in March would be × 72.5¢ = $87.00.

Download the free CSV Jump to the printable log

Last verified October 31, 2026 against IRS Publication 463, Travel, Gift, and Car Expenses (chapter 5, Recordkeeping), IRS Topic no. 510, Business use of car, IRS: Standard mileage rates. Fee change tracker · How we verify

What each column is for

Column	Why it's there
Date	Pub. 463: the date of each use of the car. 2026 has two rates split at July 1, so dates matter.
Start location and destination	Pub. 463: your business destination.
Business purpose	Pub. 463: the business purpose, e.g. "Lee residence, weekly clean".
Odometer start / end (optional per trip)	Makes the miles easy to check; the yearly start and end readings give total miles for the year.
Business miles	Pub. 463: the mileage for each business use.
Parking and tolls	IRS Topic 510: business parking and tolls are deductible separately under either method.
Header: vehicle, Jan 1 and Dec 31 odometer, date first used for business	Pub. 463: total miles for the year and the date you started using the car for business.

How to use it

Open it. Excel and Numbers open the CSV directly. In Google Sheets, choose File > Import > Upload. Save it as a spreadsheet so you can add totals.
Fill in the header once: the vehicle, the odometer on January 1 (or the first day you used it for business) and the date you started using it for business.
Log each business trip with the date, where you started, where you went, why, and the business miles. Delete the example row.
Update it at least weekly. A record made at or near the time of the trip carries more weight than one rebuilt later from memory, and Pub. 463 treats a weekly log as timely.
At year end, enter the December 31 odometer reading, then total business miles for January to June and for July to December separately, because the 2026 rate changed on July 1.

Commuting doesn't go in the log

Publication 463 treats driving between home and your main or regular place of work as personal commuting, however far it is. Trips between clients, job sites and suppliers are business driving. If your home office is your principal place of business, trips from home to clients can count. The mileage log requirements guide covers these rules, sampling and the standard versus actual expense methods in more detail.

Free template or the full spreadsheet?

The free CSV is a blank log: you add your own totals. The paid Business Mileage Log adds what takes time by hand: both 2026 IRS rates applied by date automatically, monthly and yearly totals for business and total miles, and a summary you can hand to your tax preparer.

Questions

Is this mileage log template really free?

Yes. The CSV download and the printable log on this page are free, with no email or signup. The paid spreadsheet on Etsy is optional.

What does the IRS require in a mileage log?

IRS Publication 463 lists the mileage for each business use and total miles for the year, the date of each use, your destination and the business purpose, plus the cost of the car and the date you started using it for business.

Does a spreadsheet or CSV count as a mileage log?

Publication 463 says that if you prepare a record on a computer, it is considered an adequate record. It still has to be kept at or near the time of the trips; a log kept weekly counts as timely.

What mileage rate should I use for 2026?

The IRS business standard mileage rate is 72.5¢ per mile for miles driven January 1 to June 30, 2026 and 76¢ per mile from July 1 to December 31, 2026, per the IRS standard mileage rates page. Total your miles for each period separately.

Can I print the mileage log?

Yes. Use your browser's Print command on this page; only the blank log table prints. Or print the CSV from your spreadsheet app.

Should I log parking and tolls?

Yes, in their own column, and keep the receipts. IRS Topic 510 says business parking fees and tolls are deductible separately whether you use the standard mileage rate or actual expenses. Parking at your regular workplace is commuting and isn't deductible.

General information, not tax, legal or accounting advice. Rates change: check the linked official source before you rely on a number. Not yet reviewed by a CPA or EA.

Printable mileage log (2026)

Vehicle: ____________________ · Odometer Jan 1: __________ · Odometer Dec 31: __________ · Date first used for business: __________

Date	From	To (destination)	Business purpose	Odometer start	Odometer end	Business miles	Parking / tolls

Plain Sheet Co free mileage log · plainsheetco.com/free/mileage-log-template · Columns from IRS Publication 463. Not tax advice.