Mileage and Business Travel Log

Who this is for

A travel log that turns into a claim. Each journey takes the date, where from and to, why, and the odometer at both ends; the distance is worked out, multiplied by the rate you enter, and any parking, tolls or fares are added alongside.

Self-employed people and employees who claim for business travel, and small businesses that reimburse staff for using their own vehicle.

What this helps you track

• Distance per journey and in total, from two odometer readings
• A mileage claim at whatever rate applies to you, worked out per journey
• Parking, tolls, fares and other travel costs recorded on the same line
• One total for the period that goes straight on a claim form

How to use it

1. Write your name, the vehicle and the period at the top, and the rate per kilometre or mile you are entitled to claim.
2. For each journey record the date, from, to, the purpose and the odometer at the start and end.
3. Add any parking, toll, train fare or other cost for that trip in the last money column.
4. The browser and workbook versions work out the distance, the claim at your rate and the totals. On paper, total the columns at the foot.
5. Keep receipts for the other costs with the log — the mileage rate covers the vehicle, not the car park.

Formats

• Printable PDF (A4 and US Letter)
• Fillable PDF with form fields
• Fill in online, saved in your browser
• Excel / Google Sheets workbook

The printable is laid out inside a box that fits both A4 and US Letter, so the two files are identical and neither one is scaled. The fillable PDF has real form fields. The workbook uses plain formulas only — SUM, IF, COUNTIF and the like — so it opens in Excel, LibreOffice and Google Sheets without anything breaking, and every calculated cell is grey so you can see which figures it worked out.

How to print

Download the A4 or US Letter file to match the paper in your printer, open it in a PDF reader and print at 100% — not "fit to page", which shrinks the writing space. Both files leave a 14 mm margin, which clears the unprintable edge on home printers. To print the online version with your entries in it, use the Print this sheet button, which prints only the sheet and none of the page around it. More on printing.

Questions

What is the mileage rate?

Whatever your tax authority allows or your employer pays. It differs by country, vehicle type and sometimes distance in the year, and it changes. You enter it in the field at the top and the sheet multiplies; nothing is supplied.

Do I need both odometer readings?

Two readings are stronger evidence than a distance written from memory, because they can be checked against service and fuel records. If you only have the distance, enter the start as 0 and the end as the distance.

Can I mix business and private journeys?

Keep this log for the journeys you are claiming. Private trips are not claimable and clutter the total; the vehicle mileage log has a business/private column if you need both.

How is this different from the vehicle mileage log?

That one records distance and purpose for any driver. This one adds the rate, the claim and the other travel costs, for people who are reimbursed.