Mileage Reimbursement Calculator (IRS)

The estimate follows the IRS standard mileage method. First choose the tax year and category. Then enter miles or kilometers. The tool normalizes the unit to miles, applies the matching IRS rate, and returns the total amount with the source link used for the calculation.

For the selected tax year, the formula is direct: reimbursable amount = eligible miles x selected IRS rate. The main risk is not the arithmetic. It is choosing the wrong category or keeping weak records for the trip.

• Use business for ordinary work travel, client visits, site visits, and other job-related driving in a personal vehicle.
• Use self-employed business when you are estimating the same IRS mileage method from the taxpayer side rather than from an employer reimbursement policy.
• Do not treat ordinary commuting as reimbursable business mileage.

• Trip date, destination, and business purpose for each drive.
• Mileage total and the distance source used for the trip.
• Tax year and category selection that match the rate used in the calculation.
• Any parking or toll expenses tracked separately from the mileage amount.

Self-employed taxpayers and gig workers (Uber, Lyft, DoorDash, Instacart, etc.) use the business mileage rate on Schedule C. The key difference from employee reimbursement is that there is no employer to approve the claim — the taxpayer is responsible for substantiating every mile.

For gig drivers, all miles driven while logged into the platform and available for trips count as business miles. This includes miles between trips, not just miles with a passenger or active delivery. Many drivers undercount because they only track trip-distance from the platform's summary, missing the deadhead miles that are also deductible.

• Track all miles from the moment you log in to the moment you log out. Include miles between trips.
• The platform's trip log is a good cross-check, but it typically undercounts deductible miles.
• Use a dedicated mileage tracking app or a contemporaneous written log. Reconstructed logs from platform data alone are not adequate.
• Separate business miles from personal and commuting miles. The drive from home to the first pickup and from the last drop-off back home may be commuting, not business mileage.

Medical mileage covers travel to and from medical appointments for the taxpayer, spouse, or dependents. The rate is lower than business mileage because the IRS applies only variable vehicle costs (fuel, oil, maintenance) rather than the full fixed-plus-variable cost used for the business rate.

• Eligible trips: doctor appointments, dentist, hospital visits, pharmacy pickups, therapy sessions, and other qualified medical care.
• Include mileage for picking up prescriptions and traveling to medical supply providers.
• Medical mileage is an itemized deduction on Schedule A, subject to the 7.5% AGI floor. Most taxpayers who take the standard deduction cannot claim medical mileage.
• Keep appointment confirmation, date, provider name, and round-trip distance for each medical trip.

Charitable mileage uses a flat rate of 14 cents per mile, set by statute rather than the annual IRS cost study. This rate has not changed in decades. The lower rate reflects that charitable driving is a donated service, not a reimbursed business expense.

• Eligible only for services provided to a qualified 501(c)(3) organization. Driving to a charity event as a participant does not qualify.
• The organization must be a qualified charity. Political campaigns, lobbying groups, and most civic leagues do not qualify.
• Charitable mileage is an itemized deduction on Schedule A. It is not subject to the 7.5% medical floor but is subject to the 60% AGI limit for charitable contributions.
• Keep a log of the date, organization served, service provided, and round-trip distance. A written acknowledgment from the charity is recommended for any single trip over $250 in value.