Official mileage rates already cover the fuel they are meant to pay for. This tool puts the two methods side by side: what the official rate pays for a trip, and the gas it uses at your own MPG and fuel price. Use it when a policy reimburses fuel instead of the rate, or when you want to see what the rate is covering.
United States: the official business rate for 2026 (Jul 1-Dec 31) is 76 cents per mile, and it already includes fuel. The calculator below prices the trip at that rate first, then shows what the fuel alone costs for the same distance.
Use your own fuel economy and price. The starting values are an example.
Distance and fuel-unit changes convert your inputs. A country change also changes the currency of the rate and the fuel price, so enter the price in that currency. Tolls and parking are optional and are added to both methods when the policy covers them.
Official rate for 2026 (Jul 1-Dec 31): Business rate · 76 cents per mile.
Official reimbursement
$76.00 at the rate for this distance
Fuel cost
3.33 US gallons at $3.50 per US gallon
Difference
Official rate minus fuel cost.
For these inputs, the official rate comes to $64.33 more than the fuel for this trip.
| Cost | Amount |
|---|---|
| Official rate amount | $76.00 |
| Tolls and parking | $0.00 |
| Official reimbursement total | $76.00 |
| Fuel used | 3.33 US gallons |
| Fuel cost | $11.67 |
| Gas-only total | $11.67 |
| Fuel cost per mile | $0.12 |
| Difference | +$64.33 |
The official rate is all-inclusive and cannot be combined with fuel receipts for the same trip. The fuel figure covers fuel only; wear, insurance and depreciation are what the rate adds.
Fuel used with MPG
Distance in miles ÷ MPG = gallons
Fuel used with L/100km
Distance in kilometres × L/100km ÷ 100 = liters
Fuel cost
Fuel used × price per gallon or liter
Official rate amount
Distance × published rate, with the rule's tiers, annual cap and prior distance applied
Difference
Official rate amount − fuel cost
Fuel at $3.50 per US gallon, priced at the United States business rate for 2026 (Jul 1-Dec 31). These are sample inputs.
| Item | Result | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel used | 3.33 US gallons | 100 miles ÷ 30 US MPG |
| Fuel cost | $11.67 | Fuel × $3.50 per US gallon |
| Official rate amount | $76.00 | 76 cents per mile × 100 miles |
| Difference | +$64.33 | Official rate minus the fuel cost |
| Fuel cost per mile | $0.12 | Fuel cost ÷ distance |
The gap is what the rate is meant to cover beyond fuel: maintenance, tires, insurance, registration and depreciation. It is an average across the year, not a bill for this trip, and a gas-only policy pays the first line and leaves the rest with the driver.
| Distance | Fuel cost | Official rate amount | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 500 miles | $58.33 | $380.00 | +$321.67 |
| 1,000 miles | $116.67 | $760.00 | +$643.33 |
The official rate is one figure for the whole cost of using the car. A gas-only policy pays the fuel line on its own, which is why the two totals diverge on an efficient or a thirsty vehicle.
| Cost | Official rate | Gas-only reimbursement |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel | Covered by the rate | Priced from your MPG and fuel price |
| Wear, maintenance and tires | Covered by the rate (not itemized) | Not included |
| Insurance, registration and depreciation | Covered by the rate (not itemized) | Not included |
| Tolls and parking | Reimbursed separately | Reimbursed separately if the policy allows |
| Records to keep | Date, route, purpose and distance | Fuel receipts plus the business distance |
Divide the distance in miles by the vehicle's miles per gallon, then multiply by the price per gallon. For a metric vehicle, multiply the kilometres by the liters per 100 km, divide by 100, then multiply by the price per liter. The calculator does both and shows the figure beside the official rate for the same distance.
Yes. The IRS standard mileage rate is an all-inclusive figure that covers fuel as well as oil, maintenance, tires, insurance, registration and depreciation. HMRC's AMAP, the CRA allowance and the ATO rate are also per-distance figures rather than fuel receipts. A trip cannot be paid twice for the same fuel by claiming the rate and the fuel receipt.
It depends on the car and the price of fuel. A gas-only payment leaves the driver to absorb wear, insurance and depreciation, which the official rate is meant to cover. On a fuel-efficient car the fuel cost is usually well below the rate, and on a thirsty one it sits closer. The comparison above shows which is higher for your trip; the employer's policy decides which one applies.
Not for the same trip. The official rate already includes fuel, so adding fuel receipts would pay the same cost twice. Tolls and parking are the exception: they are reimbursed separately, in addition to the rate.
Use the combined figure for the vehicle, and match the gallon to the price: US MPG with a price per US gallon, imperial MPG with a price per imperial gallon. If the vehicle shows L/100km, use that with a price per liter instead.
Yes. HMRC's 10,000 miles, the CRA's 5,000 kilometres and the ATO's 5,000 kilometres are annual. If the trip continues a year's claims, enter the distance already claimed this year so the bands start where the year left off. The ATO method stops paying after 5,000 kilometres, so the result says how much of the entered distance it priced.
No. A gas card pays for fuel purchases only, while mileage reimbursement pays a per-mile rate that already includes fuel, wear, maintenance, insurance and depreciation. Using a gas card and claiming the mileage rate for the same trip pays the fuel twice, which is the double-dipping problem described above.
Yes. Choose the country and the rate period. The official side applies that country's business rate, pence per mile for HMRC or cents per kilometre for the CRA and the ATO, and the fuel side works in gallons or liters. Canada also asks for the province or territory, because the northern limits are higher.
Most employers and tax rules use the official rate for business mileage. Move to the calculator that applies the rate for the country and year, or check the policy wording before agreeing to a gas-only arrangement.
Price the trip at the official rate, check the distance, or keep the record the claim needs.