What mileage rate should I enter?

Use the IRS standard mileage rate for the tax year you're tracking — 72.5 cents per mile for 2026 business driving, up from 70 cents in 2025. The template ships without a rate so it never goes stale; confirm the current figure at irs.gov, then type it once into cell B3.

Why is the Deduction column blank?

It stays blank on purpose until two things are true: the row has a Miles value and cell B3 has a rate. The formula =IF(OR(E6="",$B$3=""),"",E6*$B$3) hides $0.00 on empty rows so your log reads cleanly.

How many trips can I log?

There are 100 pre-formatted trip rows, from row 6 to row 105, with the deduction formula already copied down. If you need more, insert rows above the Totals row so the =SUM(E6:E105) range expands with them.

Does the IRS accept a spreadsheet mileage log?

Yes — the IRS requires a contemporaneous record showing the date, miles, and business purpose of each trip, which is exactly what this template captures. Log trips as they happen rather than reconstructing them later.

Can I track personal and business miles separately?

Keep this log for business trips only, since that's what the deduction is based on. To split personal mileage, duplicate the sheet tab (right-click it, choose Move or Copy with Create a copy ticked) and keep a second log.

Mileage Log Template (Excel)

Last updated June 2026

Every business mile you forget to log is deduction money gone. This free single-sheet .xlsx tracker stores your rate per mile in one cell, then takes each trip's date, start, destination, purpose, and miles driven; the Deduction column and totals row do the math for you. Built for freelancers, gig drivers, and anyone claiming vehicle expenses at tax time.

mileage-log.xlsx · free · no signup

Download free template

Works in Excel, LibreOffice Calc, and Google Sheets (File → Import).

SHA-256: f35939613d4f2cb17ae9fa5cd5c967f099569201d9334a551378ade0f978fec1

F6=IF(OR(E6="",$B$3=""),"",E6*$B$3)

	A	B	C	D	E	F
1	Date	From	To	Purpose	Miles	Deduction
2	1/6/2026	Office	Client site	Client meeting	18.4	$12.33
3	1/9/2026	Office	Supply store	Pick up supplies	6.2	$4.15
4	1/14/2026	Home	Airport	Conference travel	23.7	$15.88
5	1/16/2026	Airport	Home	Return from conference	23.7	$15.88

Trip rows from the Mileage Log sheet. The Deduction column stays blank until you enter a rate per mile in cell `B3`, then it fills down on its own.

What's inside

Sheets

Mileage LogOne sheet does everything: a Rate per mile input at the top, a 100-row trip table, and a Totals row that sums your miles and deduction. No second tab to manage.

Columns

DateWhen the trip happened — formatted m/d/yyyy, one row per drive.
FromWhere the trip started, e.g. Office or Home.
ToThe destination for that trip.
PurposeThe business reason for the drive. The IRS expects a purpose for every mile you claim, so this column is not optional.
MilesDistance driven, in the 0.0 decimal format so partial miles count.
DeductionMiles times your rate per mile. Calculated automatically and stays blank until both the rate and the miles are filled in.

Formulas that do the work

=IF(OR(E6="",$B$3=""),"",E6*$B$3)

Each Deduction cell multiplies that row's Miles by the rate in B3. The IF(OR(...)) wrapper keeps the cell blank until both values exist, so empty rows show nothing instead of $0.00. It is pre-copied from F6 to F105.

=SUM(E6:E105)

The Totals row in E106 adds every mile across all 100 trip rows — your year-to-date business mileage at a glance.

=IF($B$3="","",E106*$B$3)

The total deduction in F106 multiplies your total miles by the rate. It also stays blank until you set a rate, so the bottom line is never misleading.

How to use it

Set your rate per mile
In cell B3 (Rate per mile), type the current IRS standard mileage rate as a dollar amount — 0.725 for 2026 business miles. The note in C3 reminds you to verify the figure at irs.gov, since the rate changes each year.
Log each trip on its own row
Starting at row 6, enter the Date, From, To, Purpose, and Miles for every business drive. Replace the eight sample rows with your own — the Deduction column fills in the moment you add miles.
Keep the purpose specific
Write a real reason in the Purpose column — Client meeting, Pick up supplies — not just work. A vague log is the first thing disallowed in an audit, so specificity protects the deduction.
Read your totals
The Totals row at the bottom sums your Miles in E106 and your total Deduction in F106. That deduction figure is what you carry to your tax return or hand to your accountant.
Keep the header visible while you scroll
The sheet freezes everything above row 6, so the column headers and your rate stay on screen as the log grows. See How to Freeze Rows and Columns in Excel to adjust it.

Compatibility

Microsoft Excel. Excel for Microsoft 365, Excel 2016 and later (Windows and Mac).
LibreOffice Calc. Opens directly — formulas, validation lists, and formatting carry over.
Google Sheets. Upload via File → Import → Upload, or drag the file into Drive and open with Sheets.

The IF(OR(...)) deduction formula and the absolute reference to $B$3 import cleanly into Google Sheets — enter your rate after importing and the whole column recalculates.

Frequently asked questions

What mileage rate should I enter?: Use the IRS standard mileage rate for the tax year you're tracking — 72.5 cents per mile for 2026 business driving, up from 70 cents in 2025. The template ships without a rate so it never goes stale; confirm the current figure at irs.gov, then type it once into cell B3.
Why is the Deduction column blank?: It stays blank on purpose until two things are true: the row has a Miles value and cell B3 has a rate. The formula =IF(OR(E6="",$B$3=""),"",E6*$B$3) hides $0.00 on empty rows so your log reads cleanly.
How many trips can I log?: There are 100 pre-formatted trip rows, from row 6 to row 105, with the deduction formula already copied down. If you need more, insert rows above the Totals row so the =SUM(E6:E105) range expands with them.
Does the IRS accept a spreadsheet mileage log?: Yes — the IRS requires a contemporaneous record showing the date, miles, and business purpose of each trip, which is exactly what this template captures. Log trips as they happen rather than reconstructing them later.
Can I track personal and business miles separately?: Keep this log for business trips only, since that's what the deduction is based on. To split personal mileage, duplicate the sheet tab (right-click it, choose Move or Copy with Create a copy ticked) and keep a second log.

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