How to Track Mileage for Your Short-Term Rental
Log every rental-related trip when it happens — date, start and destination, business purpose, the property it relates to, and miles driven. The IRS accepts any contemporaneous format: an app, a spreadsheet, or a paper log kept at trip time. Each 2026 business mile is worth $0.725 (January–June) or $0.76 (from July 1). Supply runs, property visits, and cleaner or contractor meetings qualify; ordinary commuting does not.
What an audit-ready mileage log contains:
- Entries made at trip time — dated the day of the drive, not reconstructed at year-end. Clustered December entries read as reconstruction.
- Route and purpose on every line — start, destination, and a specific business reason ("linen restock for the cabin turnover," not "errand").
- Miles per trip — odometer readings or calculated distance between the logged addresses.
- The property each trip serves — multi-property hosts need mileage allocated per activity.
- Business-use percentage for a shared vehicle — year-start and year-end odometer readings establish it for a car you also drive personally.
- Corroboration and retention — receipts from the destination, booking calendars, and contractor invoices back the log; keep it at least 6 years.
See the finished format: download a sample mileage log (PDF) — a fictional host's full-year log excerpt with the split-rate 2026 deduction math worked out.
DeductFlow keeps an IRS-compliant mileage log built for short-term rental hosts — no app to install, no background tracking. You log each trip in seconds and DeductFlow does the math. Every mile you drive for your rental is worth up to $0.76 at the 2026 IRS rates ($0.725 Jan–Jun; $0.76 from July 1), applied automatically. Mileage is included with Pro (start a 7-day Pro trial, no card required).
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What This Guide Covers
This guide covers six steps: opening the Mileage page, adding a trip, letting DeductFlow value it at the IRS rate, setting your business-use percentage, importing trips in bulk via CSV, and exporting a CPA-ready report.
How Mileage Tracking Works in DeductFlow
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1
Open the Mileage Page
Sign in at deductflow.com with Google and open Mileage from your dashboard.
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2
Add a Trip
Click Add Trip and enter the starting address, destination, business purpose (supply run, property inspection, cleaner handoff, contractor meeting, etc.), and the property it relates to. DeductFlow calculates the distance between the two addresses for you — tick round trip and it doubles it automatically.
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3
Deduction Is Calculated Automatically
Each trip is valued at the IRS standard mileage rate ($0.725/mile for Jan–Jun 2026; $0.76/mile from July 1, 2026), so your running deduction total is always current.
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4
Set Your Business-Use %
Save your odometer readings at the start and end of the year and DeductFlow computes the business-use percentage for a vehicle you also drive personally.
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5
Import in Bulk (Optional)
Already logging trips elsewhere? Use CSV import on the Mileage page — including exports from apps like Everlance — instead of entering trips one at a time.
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6
Export for Your CPA
Your full mileage log flows into the CPA Package PDF and CSV export alongside expenses, depreciation, and active hours.
What Trips Can Qualify as Deductible Business Mileage
The table shows which trip types can qualify. One limit applies across the board: IRS Publication 527 treats travel between your home and a rental as commuting unless your home is your principal place of business, so confirm with your CPA which of your trips qualify.
| Trip Type | Can Qualify? | Example Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Supply runs | Yes | "Costco – cleaning supplies and toiletries" |
| Repair / maintenance visit | Yes | "Property – HVAC repair supervision" |
| Contractor meeting at property | Yes | "Property – meet plumber for quote" |
| Guest issue / lockout | Yes | "Property – guest locked out, emergency visit" |
| Property inspection / showing | Yes | "New property – investor showing" |
| Banking for STR funds | Yes | "Bank – deposit STR revenue check" |
| CPA or tax advisor meeting | Yes | "CPA office – annual tax review" |
| Commuting from home to office | No | Personal commute, not STR-related |
| Personal errands with minor stop | No | Primary purpose not STR business |
Your Annual Mileage Deduction Estimate
Estimates only. Actual results depend on miles driven and your tax bracket.
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Adding a Trip You Forgot to Log
Forgot to log a trip on the day you drove it? You can still capture it:
- On the Mileage page, click Add Trip
- Enter the trip's date
- Enter your start address and destination address — DeductFlow calculates the distance
- Describe the business purpose
- Select the property
- Save the entry
Keep any supporting documentation for back-dated trips (receipts from the destination, calendar entries showing the appointment) in case of audit.
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Prove it.
Never Miss a Deductible Mile Again
DeductFlow makes mileage tracking a 10-second habit. Log each trip in seconds, review your annual total, and hand your CPA a complete report at tax time.
Start Free TrialFrequently Asked Questions
How do you track mileage for a short-term rental?
Log every rental-related trip when it happens — date, start and destination, business purpose, the property it relates to, and miles driven. The IRS accepts any contemporaneous format: an app, a spreadsheet, or a paper log. Each 2026 business mile is worth $0.725 (January–June) or $0.76 (from July 1). Qualifying trips include supply runs, property visits for repairs and turnovers, and meetings with cleaners or contractors; for a vehicle you also drive personally, record year-start and year-end odometer readings to establish the business-use percentage.
What is the IRS mileage rate for 2026?
The 2026 IRS standard mileage rate for business use is $0.725 per mile for January 1 through June 30, 2026, and $0.76 per mile from July 1, 2026 (per Notice 2026-10 and Announcement 2026-11). These rates are used to calculate the deduction value for each trip logged in DeductFlow.
What trips qualify as deductible mileage for STR hosts?
Trips that can qualify include: supply runs (cleaning products, toiletries, linens), trips to the property for repairs or maintenance, travel to meet contractors or inspectors, banking trips for STR funds, and visits to a hardware store for property improvements. Commuting does not qualify, and IRS Publication 527 treats travel between your home and a rental as commuting unless your home is your principal place of business, so decide with your CPA which of your trips qualify.
Can I add past trips I forgot to log?
Yes. On the Mileage page, click 'Add Trip' and enter the trip's date, start and destination addresses, and business purpose — DeductFlow calculates the distance for you. The IRS requires contemporaneous records, so logging trips the same day is best practice, but past trips you can document are fine to add.