How to fill an IRS mileage log in Excel

A usable mileage log is a habit, not a tax form. Enter each trip once with date, purpose, and miles. Let formulas pick the cents-per-mile — especially in 2026, when the business rate changes on July 1.

What you need before you start

Excel or a compatible spreadsheet app (no macros required)
Trip date (drives which 2026 rate applies)
Business purpose or a short note (client visit, supply run, etc.)
Miles driven (odometer difference or a map estimate you trust)
Purpose type: Business, Medical, or Charitable

Optional columns — start/end location — help if you ever need to reconstruct a trip. They are not a substitute for date + miles + purpose.

Step-by-step in the free Yellowcell log

Download the free 2026 IRS mileage log and open it in Excel.
Leave gray cells alone. Yellow cells are inputs.
On a new row, enter the trip date.
Add start/end if you use them, then enter miles.
Choose purpose from the drop-down (Business, Medical, Charitable).
Check that rate and amount filled in from the date and purpose. For business trips, expect 72.5¢ through June 30 and 76¢ from July 1.
Add a short note if the purpose label alone is not enough.
Replace the sample rows before you rely on year-to-date totals.

Yellow = your numbers. Gray = formulas. No macros.

Common mistakes to avoid

Using one hardcoded rate for every 2026 trip (wrong after June 30)
Overwriting formula cells instead of yellow inputs
Logging personal commuting as business without a clear purpose
Waiting until December and reconstructing miles from memory

Optional standard mileage rates come from IRS Notice 2026-10 and Announcement 2026-11; the charitable rate is statutory. This page is for record-keeping only — not tax advice. Confirm figures on IRS.gov before you file.

Free download

Yellowcell’s free Excel mileage log looks up rate from trip date and purpose, including the July 1 business and medical increases.

Free 2026 IRS mileage log