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Guide · Standard mileage method
IRS standard mileage log in Excel for 2026
If you use the standard mileage rate instead of actual vehicle expenses, your log has one job: prove business miles with enough detail to support the cents-per-mile claim. In 2026 that also means date-aware rates — the business rate rises mid-year.
What “standard mileage” records usually need
- Date of each business trip (drives which 2026 rate applies)
- Business purpose — who / what / why in plain language
- Miles for that trip (odometer difference or a map estimate you trust)
- Optional but useful: from/to, start/end odometer, vehicle identifier
- A running total of business miles (and dollars, if the sheet estimates deduction)
This is record-keeping education, not tax advice. Confirm current IRS rules and rates on IRS.gov before you file.
2026 rates the log must respect
- Jan 1 – Jun 30, 2026: business standard mileage rate 72.5¢ per mile
- Jul 1 – Dec 31, 2026: business rate 76¢ per mile
- A flat “use 74¢ all year” sheet will misstate second-half trips
Excel layout that stays audit-friendly
- One row per trip — never lump a whole week into one “misc miles” line
- Yellow input cells for date, purpose, miles; gray formula cells for rate × miles
- Purpose drop-down if you also track medical or charitable miles at different rates
- Leave sample rows until you replace them with real trips
Standard mileage vs actual expenses (high level)
Standard mileage uses IRS cents × business miles. Actual expenses means gas, repairs, depreciation (or lease), insurance, and a business-use percentage. You generally pick a method with rules about switching later — do not treat this page as permission to switch casually. The log still helps either way if you need business-use %.
Free template
Yellowcell’s free 2026 IRS mileage log is built for the July 1 split and standard-mileage style trip rows. Download it, delete sample data, and log as you drive.