Mileage Tracking for Real Estate Agents
Many real estate agents drive 12,000 to 25,000 business miles a year. At the 2026 IRS standard rate of 72.5 cents per mile, that is a deduction range of $8,700 to $18,125 for the workers who can claim it.
Who can deduct
Most real estate agents are independent contractors under a brokerage. You file Schedule C and deduct business mileage at the 2026 IRS rate of 72.5 cents per mile. Confirm your specific arrangement with your broker.
How real estate agents actually drive
An active agent showing properties and meeting clients commonly logs 15,000 to 22,000 business miles a year. Part-time agents handling a smaller pipeline log 8,000 to 14,000.
Typical deductible trips
The trips below are the ones real estate agents most commonly forget to log, plus the obvious ones. Auto-tracking catches all of them, including the small ones that add up.
- Driving to property showings and open houses
- Driving to listing presentations
- Driving to inspections, appraisals, and closings
- Driving to broker meetings, training, and continuing education
- Driving to a sign installation, lockbox swap, or property check-in
- Driving to networking events for real estate (NAR, BNI, local boards)
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 real estate agents
Are open-house Sunday miles deductible?
Yes. Driving to host an open house, replenish flyers, or check on the property is a business trip. The drive home is also deductible if your home is your principal place of business.
What if I stop for groceries on the way home from a showing?
The personal stop breaks the business-trip continuity. The leg of the drive that is for personal errands is not deductible. Auto-tracking handles this by treating each segment separately.
Can I deduct mileage to my brokerage office?
If you have a qualifying home office, yes. The drive from home to the brokerage office is a business trip when home is your principal place of business. Without a qualifying home office, that drive is generally treated as a commute.
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