Owner-Operator Truck Driver Tax Deductions

Per diem is worth getting right

Drivers away from home overnight may deduct meal costs using a per-diem allowance rather than tracking every receipt, and transport workers have their own deductible percentage. Rates change, so confirm the current figures for the tax year before you file.

Actual expenses, not standard mileage

The standard mileage rate is generally unavailable for heavy vehicles, so owner-operators track actual costs. That makes fuel and repair receipt discipline directly worth money.

What the IRS expects you to keep

For every expense you deduct, you need to be able to show the date, the amount, who you paid, and the business purpose. For travel, meals, and vehicle use the rules are stricter — those are 'listed' expenses where a bank statement alone is not considered adequate proof.

• A dated receipt or invoice showing the vendor and amount.
• A short note on why the expense was for the business.
• For mileage: date, starting point, destination, purpose, and miles driven.
• Records kept for at least three years after you file (six if income was significantly under-reported).

DocuSpending stores the original photo alongside the extracted date, vendor, total, tax, and category — so every number on your return traces back to a document you can show.