---
title: "Mileage Log 2026 – Free PDF & Excel | DriveQuery"
description: "Create a free US mileage log without signing in. Calculate road miles, record business purpose, apply the correct 2026 IRS business rate by trip date, and export PDF or Excel."
canonical: "https://drivequery.com/us/mileage-log/"
language: "en-US"
last_modified: "2026-09-07"
content_signal: "search=yes, ai-input=yes, ai-train=yes, use=full"
ai_priority: "tier-1"
primary_intent: "free-mileage-log"
commercial_stage: "utility"
query_targets: "mileage log; mileage log 2026; free mileage log; business mileage log; IRS mileage log; mileage log PDF; mileage log Excel"
---
# Free mileage log 2026: IRS rates, PDF & Excel

## Quick answer

DriveQuery's **free US mileage log** works in the browser without an account or Tesla connection. Enter a start and destination, calculate the driving route and road miles, add the business purpose or trip classification, then export the finished record as **PDF or Excel**.

For Business rows dated in 2026, DriveQuery applies the IRS business standard mileage rate from the trip date:

| Trip date | 2026 IRS business standard mileage rate |
| --- | ---: |
| Jan. 1–Jun. 30, 2026 | **72.5¢/mile** |
| Jul. 1–Dec. 31, 2026 | **76¢/mile** |

The July 1 change matters because the same number of annual business miles can produce a different federal benchmark depending on when the miles were driven.

## What the free mileage log does

- Address search for the start and destination
- Automatic driving-route calculation
- Road miles shown before the trip is added
- Route preview on a map
- Business, commute and personal trip labels
- Business-purpose notes
- Automatic 2026 IRS business-rate calculation by trip date
- PDF export
- Excel XLSX export with separate Journeys and Summary sheets
- No account required
- No browser storage of the journeys after the page is closed

## What should a US business mileage log record?

IRS Publication 463 identifies the date of use, business destination, business purpose and mileage for each business use as important substantiation elements for car expenses. It also points to total vehicle mileage for the year as part of the vehicle-use record.

A practical record should therefore preserve at least:

| Field | Why it matters |
| --- | --- |
| Date | Shows when the business use occurred. |
| Start / destination | Preserves the route context and business destination. |
| Business purpose | Explains why the trip was business-related. |
| Business miles | Supports the mileage amount tied to that trip. |
| Total vehicle mileage / supporting records | Helps support the broader vehicle-use record when required. |

DriveQuery's manual tool helps organize trip-level records, but it does **not** automatically certify that a trip is deductible, reimbursable or IRS-compliant in every situation.

## 2026 IRS mileage rate: why the trip date matters

The IRS initially set the 2026 business standard mileage rate at **72.5 cents per mile**. The IRS later revised the rate to **76 cents per mile** for qualifying transportation expenses paid or incurred on or after **July 1, 2026**.

DriveQuery therefore calculates Business rows by date instead of applying one rate to the whole year.

Examples:

- 100 business miles on June 30 → **$72.50** federal standard-mileage benchmark
- 100 business miles on July 1 → **$76.00** federal standard-mileage benchmark

The IRS standard mileage rate is optional. It is not a universal federal rule requiring every employer to reimburse exactly that amount, and it does not by itself determine whether a trip is deductible.

## Business, commute and personal

The trip classification in this tool is a reporting aid.

- **Business**: use when the trip is being recorded as qualifying business transportation for your workflow.
- **Commute**: useful for ordinary home-to-regular-workplace travel, which is generally treated as nonbusiness commuting for federal tax purposes.
- **Personal**: use for other nonbusiness driving.

The driver or business is responsible for the final classification and business purpose.

## Does DriveQuery save the mileage log?

No. In this free browser tool, the journeys exist only on the open page. DriveQuery does not create an account or persist the manual log for later retrieval.

**Download the PDF or Excel report before closing the page** if you want to keep the record.

## PDF and Excel exports

The PDF is designed for sharing or archiving. The Excel report contains separate **Journeys** and **Summary** sheets and includes the trip date, route, purpose, type, miles, IRS rate used for Business rows and the calculated federal benchmark amount.

Optional report fields include the driver, company, vehicle and vehicle ID / plate.

## Relationship to Tesla trip history

The manual mileage log works now without a Tesla connection. DriveQuery's Tesla trip-history product is designed for a different workflow: capture completed drives automatically from authorized vehicle data, keep a retained journey timeline, and let the driver review business vs. personal context later.

- [Tesla trip history →](/us/tesla-trip-history/)
- [Automatic business mileage tracker for Tesla →](/us/business-mileage-tracker/)
- [Mileage reimbursement calculator →](/us/mileage-reimbursement-calculator/)
- [IRS mileage rate 2026 →](/us/irs-mileage-rate/)
- [Mileage log for taxes →](/us/mileage-log-for-taxes/)

## FAQ

### Is the mileage log free?

Yes. The browser tool, PDF export and Excel export are available without signing in.

### Does it calculate road miles automatically?

Yes. Choose the start and destination addresses and DriveQuery calculates a driving route and mileage. You can correct the miles when the actual journey differed.

### What IRS rate does the tool use in 2026?

Business trips dated Jan. 1 through Jun. 30 use **72.5¢/mile**. Business trips dated Jul. 1 through Dec. 31 use **76¢/mile**.

### Does using this mileage log make the mileage tax deductible?

No. The tool organizes records and calculates the federal standard-mileage benchmark. Eligibility depends on the facts and applicable tax rules.

### Does every employer have to reimburse at the IRS rate?

No. The IRS standard mileage rate is a federal tax benchmark, not a universal federal reimbursement mandate. Employer policies and state reimbursement rules can differ.

## Primary sources

- IRS Standard Mileage Rates: https://www.irs.gov/tax-professionals/standard-mileage-rates
- IRS Announcement 2026-11 / 2026 midyear mileage-rate revision: https://www.irs.gov/irb/2026-29_irb
- IRS Publication 463, Travel, Gift, and Car Expenses: https://www.irs.gov/publications/p463