Where does mileage go on Schedule C?
Line 9 — Car and truck expenses
Business mileage goes on Schedule C Line 9, 'Car and truck expenses'. If you use the standard mileage rate, multiply your business miles for the year by the IRS rate for that year and enter the result on Line 9. You also complete Part IV of Schedule C (or Form 4562 in some cases) with your total, business, and commuting miles. The standard rate already covers fuel, maintenance, insurance, and depreciation, so those are not deducted again — but tolls and parking are deducted separately.
Examples
- Driving between two job sites in one day.
- A trip from your home office to a client meeting.
- Repositioning between rideshare or delivery requests.
Watch out for
- You need a log with the date, destination, business purpose, and miles for each trip.
- Commuting from home to one regular workplace is not deductible.
- Choose the standard mileage rate in the first business year of a vehicle if you want the option to switch methods later.
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General information, not tax advice. Amounts, limits, and percentages change between tax years — check the current IRS Schedule C instructions or ask a tax professional about your situation.
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