While taxes are unavoidable, taking advantage of eligible deductions ensures you’re not leaving free money on the table. This article explains the IRS mileage rate in detail—how it works, how to use it for deductions, and how to track your expenses correctly to stay compliant.
What Is the IRS Mileage Rate?
The IRS mileage rate is essentially free money for business drivers, allowing you to reduce your taxable income for every work-related mile driven. If you use your personal vehicle for business purposes—such as client meetings, deliveries, or job site visits—you can claim a standardized deduction per mile instead of tracking individual expenses like gas, maintenance, and insurance. This per-mile deduction is the IRS mileage rate. It simplifies tax deductions by bundling all vehicle-related costs into a single, easy-to-calculate figure, helping you maximize savings without the hassle of itemizing every expense.
Show Me the Money: Current IRS Mileage Rates for 2025
In 2025, the IRS will allow you to deduct 70 cents per business mile—but only if you claim it correctly. That’s a 3-cent boost from 2024’s 67 cents per mile. This steady upward trend (from 65.5 cents in 2023) reflects rising vehicle costs and inflation, making it even more valuable for those who drive for work.
Here are some key mileage rates to keep in mind:
- Business mileage (70 cents per mile): the basic rate used by most entrepreneurs and self-employed individuals
- Charitable service mileage (14 cents per mile): used for volunteering with IRS-recognized charities
- Medical and moving mileage (21 cents per mile): restricted to only active-duty military personnel relocating to a new duty station
Why the different rates?
The business rate is higher because it accounts for all vehicle-related expenses: depreciation, maintenance, repairs, gas, insurance, and more. Meanwhile, the charitable rate has remained unchanged since 1998, as it’s set by law rather than adjusted for inflation.
Who can claim these sweet tax deductions?
I know you’re excited about claiming 70 cents per mile, but before you get ahead of yourself, remember—not everyone qualifies.
Thanks to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), passed in 2017, the rules have shifted significantly.
If you’re an employee who uses your car for work, you’re out of luck. Gone are the days of writing off unreimbursed employee business expenses, with the exception of folks who are in the military.
Before you start counting your tax savings, here’s a breakdown of who actually qualifies for this deduction:
- Self-employed entrepreneurs (sole proprietors and single-member LLCs): If you run your own business, you can deduct miles driven for client meetings, supply runs, and other work-related trips.
- Independent contractors: Whether you’re a consultant, designer, or service provider, any driving you do for business purposes is deductible.
- Small business owners: If you own a business, even a side hustle, you can write off mileage for errands, deliveries, and business travel.
- Gig workers (Uber drivers, DoorDash deliverers, etc.): Every mile driven while working for a rideshare or delivery service counts as a deductible business expense.
- Freelancers of all kinds: Writers, photographers, and other freelancers can deduct miles for client meetings, research trips, and work-related errands.
Let’s be crystal clear about what counts as business mileage:
- Driving from your office to meet a client? Yes.
- Driving to the bank to make a business deposit? Yes.
- Driving from your home to your regular workplace? No; unfortunately, that’s considered a commute and doesn’t count.
- If you work from home and have a legit home office, driving from your home to meet clients or suppliers can count as business mileage from the moment you back out of your driveway.
Remember, you can’t claim 100% of your vehicle use unless you have a separate vehicle exclusively for business. If you use the same car for personal and business purposes, you’ll need to track and calculate the percentage used for business.
Two Ways to Calculate Your Mileage Deduction (Choose Wisely!)
It’s now time for the million-dollar question: how should you calculate your mileage deduction?
The IRS offers you two options, and picking the right one could mean hundreds or even thousands of dollars’ difference in your tax savings.
1. The Standard Mileage Rate Method
This is the simplest, most hassle-free way to deduct vehicle expenses, which is why most entrepreneurs swear by it.
Instead of tracking every individual car-related cost, you simply multiply your total business miles by the IRS mileage rate—70 cents per mile in 2025
