What rate should I use per mile?

Use your employer's agreed rate, or the tax authority's approved rate if you claim relief yourself. As a guide, HMRC's approved mileage allowance is 45p per mile for the first 10,000 business miles in a year and 25p thereafter; the IRS sets a standard mileage rate annually. Enter whichever rate applies to you.

Does the two-tier HMRC rate change anything?

Yes. In the UK the first 10,000 business miles in a tax year are reimbursed at the higher rate and miles above that at the lower rate. If your annual total crosses 10,000, log the bands separately with their own rates, or split the year so each period uses the correct rate.

What makes a mileage log valid for tax?

Tax authorities want a contemporaneous record: the date, the journey's start and end points, the business reason, and the distance. A vague total at year end is easily challenged. This log captures each trip with its purpose so the claim stands up to scrutiny.

Can I claim commuting to my normal workplace?

Generally no. Ordinary commuting between home and a permanent workplace is not a claimable business journey. Travel to a temporary workplace, a client site, or between work locations usually qualifies. Record the purpose so it is clear each trip is genuine business travel.

Does it work in kilometres?

Yes. Switch the unit to kilometres and enter your per-kilometre rate. The log totals distance and reimbursement in whichever unit you choose, so it suits countries that reimburse by the kilometre as well as by the mile.

Business Mileage Log Builder

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A defensible record of every business mile

Mileage relief is easy money left on the table when the log is missing — and easy to lose when the log is vague. Tax authorities expect a contemporaneous, trip-by-trip record: date, where you went and why, and how far. This builder captures each journey and multiplies distance by your per-mile (or per-kilometre) rate, totalling the reimbursement for the period so the figure on your claim is backed by evidence.

How it works

Each trip is priced and the period is summed:

Trip reimbursement = distance × rate per unit
Total distance     = Σ trip distances
Total reimbursement = Σ trip reimbursements

You choose miles or kilometres and set the rate — for example 0.45 per mile under HMRC’s higher band, or the IRS standard mileage rate, or your employer’s agreed figure. Every trip records its date, start and end location, and business purpose, so the log reads as a genuine record rather than a round-number estimate. The output is a printable mileage log ready to attach to an expense claim or self-assessment.

Tips and notes

Log trips as you take them — a contemporaneous record is far harder to challenge than one reconstructed at year end. Always state a real purpose (“site visit, Acme Leeds”) and skip ordinary home-to-permanent-workplace commuting, which is not claimable. In the UK, remember the two-tier rate: the first 10,000 business miles in a tax year are reimbursed at the higher rate and the rest at the lower rate — split your log into bands if your annual total crosses the threshold so each uses the correct rate. Keep the start and end locations specific enough that the distance is plausible if queried.