What exactly do I need to record for mileage deduction on my taxes as a delivery driver?

4 You don't need to panic! While the IRS does want documentation of your business mileage, they don't necessarily require the extreme level of detail you're worried about for every single trip. The IRS requires "adequate records" which means you need to record: 1) the mileage for each business use, 2) the total mileage for the year, 3) the dates of your business travel, and 4) the business purpose of your trips. For a delivery driver, your daily log with starting/ending odometer readings is a great foundation, but you should add some additional information. I recommend keeping a simple logbook (paper or digital) with: date, starting odometer, ending odometer, total miles driven, and a note like "Pizza Hut delivery shift" or "UberEats deliveries." You should also track your total annual mileage so you can demonstrate the business vs. personal use percentage of your vehicle.

8 After struggling with tracking mileage for my small business, I discovered taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) and it's been a game-changer for me. When I first started driving for multiple delivery apps, I was overwhelmed trying to manually log everything. I tried a few different apps but they were either too complicated or required too much input during my busy driving shifts. I stumbled across taxr.ai when I was searching for an easier solution, and what I love is that it can actually analyze your bank statements and receipts to help identify potential deductions you might miss. For mileage specifically, it helped me organize my records in an IRS-friendly format and even flagged when some of my documentation might not be sufficient.

21 Just wanted to share my experience after trying taxr.ai that was mentioned above. I was initially skeptical, but I gave it a shot since my mileage tracking was a mess. The platform actually helped me organize my chaotic records and showed me that I was missing out on some legitimate deductions. What surprised me was how it identified patterns in my expenses that I hadn't noticed - like regular stops at gas stations that I wasn't properly documenting as part of my business mileage. The mileage tracker format it suggested was accepted by my tax preparer without any issues, and it was much simpler than the complicated spreadsheet I was trying to maintain before. Definitely worth checking out if you're struggling with the documentation requirements.

12 If you're having trouble with the IRS questioning your mileage deductions (happened to me last year), I highly recommend Claimyr (https://claimyr.com). When the IRS flagged my mileage deduction for review, I spent WEEKS trying to reach someone at the IRS to explain my documentation. After getting nowhere with the automated phone system, I found Claimyr and they got me connected to an actual IRS agent in about 20 minutes. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c. The agent was able to review my mileage log over the phone and confirm it was sufficient - saved me months of back-and-forth letters and potential penalties.

21 I need to apologize for my skeptical comment above. After my frustration boiled over trying to reach the IRS about my mileage audit, I decided to try Claimyr as a last resort. I'm honestly shocked - they got me through to an actual IRS agent in about 15 minutes yesterday. The agent reviewed my mileage records over the phone and confirmed that my documentation was actually sufficient - I just needed to submit a specific form explaining my record-keeping method. This saved me from potentially losing thousands in deductions because of a simple paperwork issue. I spent months stressing about this audit and it was resolved in a 20-minute phone call. If you're dealing with IRS issues, especially around mileage documentation, this service is worth every penny.

5 Delivery driver here! Here's what I do that has worked for me through an audit: I use the free app "Stride" to track my mileage. It runs in the background while I'm working and automatically logs my trips. At the end of each day, I just categorize the drives as "Pizza delivery" or "DoorDash" and it keeps a running total. When I got audited in 2023, I was able to download a PDF report from the app that had all the IRS-required info (dates, mileage, purpose) and the auditor accepted it without any issues. The automatic tracking is way better than trying to write everything down between deliveries!

19 From my experience as a full-time Uber/Lyft driver, the key thing the IRS is looking for is consistency in your record-keeping method. If you create a system and stick with it all year, you're much less likely to be questioned. What I do: I take a photo of my odometer at the start of each shift and another at the end (with timestamps). I keep a super simple spreadsheet with date, starting miles, ending miles, which app I was driving for, and total business miles. That's it. Been doing this for 4 years, never had a problem with the IRS. The people saying you need origin/destination for every trip are probably mixing up the requirements for reimbursement from an employer (which is more detailed) versus self-employed mileage deduction (which is more reasonable).

As a tax professional who works with a lot of gig drivers, I can confirm that your daily starting/ending odometer readings are actually a solid foundation for mileage deduction! The IRS doesn't require trip-by-trip logging for delivery drivers like some people think. Here's what you should definitely keep: 1) Date of work, 2) Starting odometer reading, 3) Ending odometer reading, 4) Total business miles, and 5) Brief description like "Pizza Hut delivery shift." The key is being consistent with whatever method you choose. One thing I'd add to your current system: keep track of your total annual mileage (both business and personal) so you can show the percentage of business use. Also, if you use your car for both jobs on the same day, try to separate those entries if possible - it makes things cleaner if you ever get audited. You're not doing anything wrong! Your method is actually pretty good compared to some drivers I've worked with who have no records at all.