Mileage Tracking for Home Inspectors
Many home inspectors drive 8,000 to 18,000 business miles a year. At the 2026 IRS standard rate of 72.5 cents per mile, that is a deduction range of $5,800 to $13,050 for the workers who can claim it.
Who can deduct
Most home inspectors are self-employed (Schedule C, deductible at 72.5 cents per mile). Some commercial and government inspectors are W-2 employees and cannot deduct mileage on the federal return; W-2 inspectors should pursue employer reimbursement, especially in CA, IL, MA, NY where it is mandated.
How home inspectors actually drive
A solo home inspector doing 2 to 3 inspections a day commonly logs 12,000 to 18,000 miles a year.
Typical deductible trips
The trips below are the ones home inspectors most commonly forget to log, plus the obvious ones. Auto-tracking catches all of them, including the small ones that add up.
- Driving to inspection appointments at residential and commercial properties
- Driving back to the office or home office to write reports
- Driving to client meetings or buyer walk-throughs
- Driving to required CE classes and licensing events
- Driving to specialized inspections (radon, termite, pool) when offered as add-on services
How TruMile helps
TruMile auto-detects every drive using motion plus location, so the trips above get logged whether you remember them or not. Smart classification learns your repeat routes (between regular client homes, between job sites, to your supply store) and starts tagging them automatically after a few trips.
At year-end, one tap turns your trip log into an IRS-compliant CSV or PDF you can hand to your accountant or paste into Schedule C. The math is already done.
Free for 40 auto trips a month, every month. If you are anywhere near the high end of the typical mileage range, the unlimited Pro tier at $7.99 a month or $59.99 a year usually pays for itself in the first week of tax season.
FAQ for home inspectors
Are second visits to a property (radon retest, re-inspection) deductible?
Yes. Each business-purpose visit to a property is its own deductible trip.
Can I deduct mileage to my licensing exam or ASHI/InterNACHI events?
Yes for 1099 inspectors. Required CE, certifications, and industry events are business expenses, including the mileage to attend.
I am a W-2 commercial inspector. Anything?
Not on the federal return. Pursue employer reimbursement, especially if you work in California, Illinois, Massachusetts, or New York where state law mandates it.
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