The 3 Types of Mileage
For IRS purposes, there are three different mileage categories:
- Personal - Driving not related to any business endeavors (e.g., going to the grocery store, taking your kids to school, etc.)
- Commute - Traveling between your place of residence and your primary place of work
- Business - Any other travel related to doing business (e.g., visiting a customer, attending a conference, etc.)
If you have a separate office where you perform most of your work, going from your home to your office is your commute. If your office is in your home, then any traveling you do for business would be considered business mileage.
What Can You Deduct?
For the purposes of deducting your mileage, only miles accrued under the “business” category, as described above, would qualify for a deduction on your business tax return. Miles driven for your commute or for personal purposes do not qualify.
If you want to learn more about how to track and claim these miles on your return, read our blog on claiming your mileage as a deduction, or contact us for help filing a business tax return in Provo.