Can you write off mileage for DoorDash?

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Wondering, what can I write off as a DoorDash Driver? Read to learn how you can write off mileage for DoorDash.

Learn about writing off mileage for DoorDash. read on to learn.

Driving your personal vehicle as a DoorDash Driver is expensive. You have probably realized how expensive it is as a result of doing your job.
The expenses just keep growing, and they grow more the more your drive (i.e. work).
After a while you’re probably asking yourself, can I write off mileage for DoorDash? Can I write-off gas for DoorDash?

The good news is you can write off your DoorDash mileage from your taxes. The IRS provides a few ways to deduct mileage expenses. Keep reading to learn which one is best for you. 

In this article, we explain what DoorDash mileage is tax-deductible, and the different methods the IRS provides for business use car write-offs. Read to learn.

Can I claim mileage on my taxes?

Yes!

How do I write off mileage on my taxes?

The IRS provides two ways to write off mileage on taxes: 

  1. Actual Car Expense Method
    This IRS mileage write off method requires you to itemize each vehicle expense for the year. For example, to keep track of gas, maintenance, insurance fees, etc.
  2. Standard Mileage Rate (most common)
    The Standard Mileage Rate is most convenient. Annually the IRS annually specifies a per mile rate for this method. In this rate all itemized expenses based on the economic environment of each year are accounted for. Therefore, the standard rate accounts for cost of gas, depreciation, etc.

    Most DoorDash drivers use the Standard Mileage Rate method. And they use an auto GPS mileage tracker app automaticlaly track their mileage at that drive. This way they never miss a mileage write off. A GPS tracker app like Falcon Expenses saves you a lot of time by automatically tracking your miles as you drive. After Falcon Expense captures your miles you can easily create mileage reports, which meet IRS record keeping requirements.
    Download Falcon Expenses, Free 

What vehicle expenses can you write off on taxes?

You can write off many itemized car expenses as a DoorDash driver.*

Such as:

Auto insurance

You can write off car insurance fees.

Maintenance

Car maintenance includes tire rotations, oil changes, brake pad replacements, etc.

Gasoline

Can I write off gas for DoorDash? Yes! Gas is expensive, so please write it off.

New tire purchases

Buy those new tires. You can deduct new tire purchases.

Title, license, registration fees

This is not deductible in all states so check with your state.

Vehicle depreciation

The best way to calculate vehicle depreciation is to use a depreciation table or a car depreciation calculator. Only deduct the portion that applies to the business use of your vehicle after you determine your vehicle depreciation amount. 

*The itemization of car expenses for tax write-offs is what is used as part of the Actual Car Expense Method. Read more details about this IRS vehicle write-off method above.

Can I write off gas for DoorDash?

Yes. You can write off gas from your taxes. To do this you need to use the actual expense method.

Can you write off gas and mileage for DoorDash?

No.
When you write off mileage, you are using the IRS Standard Mileage Rate method. When you use this method you calculate your vehicle expenses using the standard mileage rate published annually by the IRS. In the standard mileage rate, the IRS accounts for all itemized vehicle expenses, including gas, and incorporates these expenses into one per mile rate.

Which is better, Standard Mileage Rate or Actual Car Expenses?

This depends on your situation. For some DoorDash drivers, the Actual Car Expense method might result in a larger tax write-off. However, it might also be time-consuming. Which method you choose depends on many factors, such as your time, total vehicle expenses, and preferences. 

Conclusion

The answer to the question, can you write off mileage as a DoorDash driver, is yes. However, you just need to decide which IRS method, the standard rate vs the actual car expense method, you want to use.

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