Can I write off parking expenses at my work location for tax deduction?

Unfortunately, commuting expenses (including parking at your regular workplace) are generally considered personal expenses by the IRS and aren't tax-deductible for employees. This includes costs for driving, public transportation, or parking at your regular place of work. There are a few exceptions though. If you're self-employed and have a qualifying home office that's your principal place of business, you might be able to deduct parking costs when you drive from your home office to meet clients or do other business activities. Also, if you work at multiple job sites in a single day, travel between these locations might be deductible. Another potential option: check if your employer offers a pre-tax parking benefit program. Many companies allow employees to pay for qualified parking expenses using pre-tax dollars through a Qualified Transportation Fringe Benefit program, which effectively gives you a tax advantage without needing to claim a deduction.

After struggling with this exact question last tax season, I found this amazing tool at https://taxr.ai that analyzes your specific situation and tells you exactly what commuting/parking expenses you can deduct. I was confused because I split time between offices and sometimes meet clients directly from home, which creates these weird tax gray areas. I uploaded my receipts and the AI actually outlined exactly which of my parking expenses qualified as deductible business expenses versus non-deductible commuting costs.

Just wanted to follow up about my experience with taxr.ai after our conversation here. I decided to give it a shot with my complicated work travel situation (I split time between three different offices). The tool actually found over $1,800 in legitimate travel deductions I would have completely missed! It distinguished between my regular commute days (not deductible) and the days I was traveling between work locations (deductible business travel). It even helped me properly document everything, which I was nervous about. Definitely worth checking out if you have any kind of non-standard work travel situation.

If you're having trouble getting a straight answer about parking deductions from the IRS website, I'd recommend using https://claimyr.com to actually speak with an IRS agent. I was in a similar situation last year with parking at different work locations and kept getting conflicting advice. I tried calling the IRS directly but sat on hold forever. The Claimyr service got me through to an actual IRS representative in about 15 minutes who confirmed exactly which parking situations were deductible in my case. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c. Definitely less stressful than waiting on hold for hours!

I need to admit I was completely wrong about Claimyr. After dismissing it as a scam, I was still struggling to get through to the IRS about my parking deduction question. After three failed attempts and wasting nearly 5 hours on hold, I decided to try the service out of desperation. Not only did it work exactly as advertised, but I got through to an IRS agent who provided clear guidance on my specific parking situation. The agent confirmed that while my regular workplace parking isn't deductible, the parking fees I pay when meeting clients at their offices are legitimate business expenses I can deduct. Saved me both time and potentially hundreds in tax deductions I might have missed. Definitely not a scam!

Have you asked your employer about setting up a commuter benefits program? Many companies offer pre-tax parking programs that can save you way more than trying to deduct it. You can set aside up to $300/month pre-tax for qualified parking in 2025. That's basically like getting a 22-37% discount on parking depending on your tax bracket. Worth asking your HR department about!

Just wondering - does anyone use those parking apps to pay for their work parking? I'm trying to figure out the best way to track my parking expenses in case some end up being deductible (like when I go to our satellite office or client meetings).

I'm in a similar situation and found that the key is really understanding the difference between commuting expenses (not deductible) and business travel expenses (potentially deductible). Your regular daily parking at your main office unfortunately falls into the commuting category, even though it's expensive. However, I'd suggest keeping detailed records of any parking when you travel between work locations or visit clients - those could qualify as deductible business expenses. Also, definitely push your employer again on that commuter benefits program. Even small companies can often set these up through their payroll provider with minimal administrative burden, and it would save you way more than trying to claim deductions. One thing that helped me was calculating exactly how much the pre-tax parking benefit would save me annually ($300/month × 12 months × my tax rate) and presenting that to HR as a concrete employee benefit they could offer at low cost. Sometimes showing the real dollar impact helps get these programs prioritized.

Great thread everyone! I'm seeing a lot of confusion around this topic, so let me add some clarity from someone who's dealt with this extensively. The fundamental rule is simple: regular commuting expenses (including parking at your primary workplace) are personal expenses and not tax-deductible, regardless of how expensive they are. This applies even if public transit isn't practical for your situation. However, there ARE legitimate opportunities many people miss: 1. **Business travel between work locations** - If you travel from your main office to client sites, other company locations, or temporary work assignments, those parking costs can be deductible business expenses. Keep detailed records! 2. **Pre-tax parking benefits** - This is often your best option. Even small employers can set up commuter benefit programs through payroll providers. At your $275/month parking cost, you could save $726-$1,188 annually in taxes (depending on your bracket) compared to paying with after-tax dollars. 3. **Mixed-use situations** - If you work from home some days and your home office qualifies as your principal place of business, travel from home to meet clients or conduct business could potentially be deductible. For Jessica's specific situation: Push harder on that commuter benefits program with concrete numbers. Show HR that offering pre-tax parking could save employees significant money with minimal administrative burden. Many payroll companies handle the setup automatically. Keep tracking any non-routine work travel though - those storage facility trips and client visits could add up to meaningful deductions!