Free Mileage Log for Taxes (Google Sheets)

The Mileage Log for Taxes is a free Google Sheets log for freelancers, self-employed people, and 1099 earners who claim business miles on Schedule C. Enter the date, purpose, start, end, and miles for each trip. The sheet is set up for the two 2026 IRS business standard mileage rates — not a single annual cents-per-mile figure — and totals the deduction for tax prep. Keep this trip log alongside your expense records; bank transactions alone cannot substantiate business mileage. The sheet itself stays free.

Who it's for

• Freelancers and independent contractors who drive to clients and need a log they will actually keep.
• Self-employed people and 1099 earners claiming car and truck expenses on Schedule C.
• Anyone searching for a Google Sheets or Excel mileage log who wants dates, purpose, miles, and a dated IRS rate — not another mileage-tracker subscription.

What's inside

• Trip log — date, business purpose, starting point, ending point, and miles. Optional columns for odometer readings and client or project name.
• Two 2026 business rate periods — 72.5 cents per mile for January 1 through June 30, and 76 cents per mile for July 1 through December 31. Totals multiply each period's miles by that period's rate.
• Quarterly and annual summaries — so estimated taxes and year-end Schedule C prep start from the same log.
• Excel download — File → Download → Microsoft Excel if you need an .xlsx mileage log template.
• A place next to your other books — pair it with a Schedule C expense tracker when you want mileage and other deductions in one story.

2026 IRS standard mileage rates

Business use of a car does not have one rate for all of 2026. The IRS published a rate effective January 1, then raised it July 1 after a mid-year fuel revision. Use the rate for the date of the trip.

• January 1 – June 30, 2026: 72.5 cents per mile for business use. Source: Notice 2026-10, announced in IR-2025-128.
• July 1 – December 31, 2026: 76 cents per mile for business use. Source: Announcement 2026-11 in Internal Revenue Bulletin 2026-29 (IR-2026-29), also listed on the IRS standard mileage rates page.

Example, for illustration only: 1,000 business miles from January through June is 1,000 × $0.725 = $725. 1,000 business miles from July through December is 1,000 × $0.76 = $760. Adding those miles together and multiplying by either rate alone would be wrong.

Charitable use stays 14 cents per mile and is not the business rate. Medical and moving rates also changed in 2026; this log is for business miles on Schedule C.

This is general information, not tax advice. Confirm whether the standard mileage rate or actual expenses fits your vehicle, and confirm commuting versus business miles, with a qualified tax professional.

When to add Avery

A mileage log only works if the trips are in it. Write the entry the day you drive — date, purpose, start, end, and miles — so the record is contemporaneous. The sheet will not invent trips you forgot in April.

Avery Pro brings accounts, expenses, invoices and reports together in the mobile and web apps. Business adds recurring invoices, payment reminders and advanced bookkeeping tools. If you prefer a spreadsheet workflow, Avery for Google Sheets imports transactions from supported accounts, with categories and rules for you to review. Compare the plans. The free template also works with manual entry.

Keep going

Answers to the rate, Schedule C, and commuting questions are on the mileage log questions page.

Pair the log with the rest of the deduction stack:

• Schedule C expenses template and the Schedule C expenses guide for freelancers
• Freelancer Expense Tracker and the freelancer expense tracker guide
• Self-Employed Expense Tracker
• 1099 write-offs and deductions
• How much to set aside for 1099 taxes and quarterly taxes for the self-employed