Mileage Tracking for Traveling Salespeople
Many traveling salespeople drive 20,000 to 40,000 business miles a year. At the 2026 IRS standard rate of 72.5 cents per mile, that is a deduction range of $14,500 to $29,000 for the workers who can claim it.
Who can deduct
1099 manufacturer's reps and independent contractors deduct mileage on Schedule C at 72.5 cents per mile. W-2 traveling salespeople cannot deduct on the federal return but typically have employer mileage-reimbursement programs; CA, IL, MA, NY mandate that reimbursement.
How traveling salespeople actually drive
A territory rep covering a multi-state region commonly logs 30,000 to 40,000 miles a year. Smaller-territory reps log 18,000 to 25,000.
Typical deductible trips
The trips below are the ones traveling salespeople most commonly forget to log, plus the obvious ones. Auto-tracking catches all of them, including the small ones that add up.
- Driving to scheduled client meetings across the territory
- Driving to industry trade shows and demos
- Driving to internal sales meetings (regional or HQ)
- Driving to product training sessions and certifications
- Driving to delivery sites for samples, demos, or contract signings
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 traveling salespeople
I'm a W-2 outside salesperson with a $600 monthly car allowance. Can I deduct anything beyond that?
Not on the federal return. Unaccountable car allowances are taxed as wages. Your remedy is at the state level if you are in a mandated-reimbursement state, or by negotiating an accountable plan with your employer.
I'm an independent rep covering five states. Am I deducting overnight-trip miles correctly?
All driving for the rep business is deductible at 72.5 cents per mile. Lodging, meals (50%), and tolls are separate deductions on Schedule C. Per-diems for meals and incidentals are an option for travel away from your tax home.
What if I sell for two unrelated companies?
Both are part of your sales business if you carry both lines as an independent rep. One Schedule C, total mileage for both lines combined.
Start tracking your traveling salespeople miles for free.
40 auto trips a month, free forever. Switch from any tracker with a one-tap CSV import.
Download free on the App Store