The DoorDash mileage deduction

The standard mileage deduction

The IRS lets self-employed drivers deduct business miles using a standard mileage rate — a set number of cents per mile that's meant to cover gas, maintenance, insurance, and depreciation in one figure. As of 2026 the rate is in the neighborhood of $0.65–0.70 per mile; verify the exact current IRS rate, since it's updated regularly. You multiply your business miles by the rate to get the deduction.

There's also an actual expense method where you deduct the real costs of operating your car. Most delivery drivers find the standard mileage method simpler and often more favorable, but you can compare both.

Which miles count

Deductible business miles generally include driving while you're online and available, driving to pick up an order, and driving to drop it off. The key is documentation: you need a record showing the date, the miles, and the business purpose. Commuting and personal trips don't count.

Tracking your miles

The IRS expects a contemporaneous log, not an end-of-year guess. The easiest approach is a mileage-tracking app that runs in the background and logs each trip automatically; a written logbook works too if you're disciplined. Whatever you use, capture odometer readings or app exports so you can substantiate the number if asked.

Why it protects your net earnings

Every business mile lowers your taxable profit, which lowers both your income tax and your self-employment tax. Just as importantly, thinking in cents-per-mile reframes how you judge offers: a long, low-paying delivery doesn't just earn little — it burns miles that cost real money in gas and wear. Tracking miles is both a tax win and a sharper way to see which orders are actually worth taking.