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PREPARATION GUIDE / UNITED STATES

Business mileage: building a usable trip record

Keep a trip-level record that explains the business purpose rather than providing only a year-end mileage estimate. Identify commuting and personal travel separately before reviewing the treatment of vehicle costs.

Preparation resource. Editorial review: November 3, 2026. This guide helps organize records and questions; it does not determine your tax position. Use the agency instructions for the relevant year and obtain advice for your circumstances.

Records to organize

Prepare the records that relate to your situation and keep the original supporting statements. Use the same filing year or clearly labelled periods so the reviewer can follow the history.

  • Dated trip log with destination and purpose
  • Vehicle ownership or lease information
  • Annual mileage totals and related expense records

How to use these records

A usable log identifies the trip date, purpose and distance, with annual totals that can be reconciled. Keep commuting and personal journeys separate. Ask which method applies to the vehicle and year before mixing mileage and actual-expense calculations.

The question to resolve before filing

Can business trips be supported and distinguished from commuting or personal travel?

Start with the facts you can support. Identify missing statements, corrections and earlier filings instead of filling a gap with an estimate that has not been discussed. Tell the team which countries, tax years and agencies are involved so the engagement can cover the right work.

A mistake to avoid

Do not turn a rounded annual mileage estimate into a detailed log after the fact.

A clear handoff to your preparer

  1. Label the evidence. Keep each record with its relevant year, account or activity.
  2. List open questions. Share missing information and anything that differs from the prior return.
  3. Confirm the scope. Ask which returns, disclosures and follow-up work are included before preparation begins.

Do not enter identity numbers, account numbers, verification codes or tax-document copies in a public enquiry. Use your private client portal for requested records after onboarding.

Official starting points

Use the current agency guidance and the instructions for the applicable filing year. A source link is not confirmation that a particular rule, election or claim applies to your circumstances.

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