Mileage Reimbursement Calculator
Turning Odometer Miles Into a Reimbursement Amount
When you drive a personal vehicle for work, most employers reimburse you per mile rather than tracking actual fuel and wear costs for every trip. The math behind that reimbursement is deliberately simple — it's the rate that takes the real work, since it's meant to approximate fuel, depreciation, insurance, and maintenance all in one number.
The Formula
Where Reimbursement Rates Come From
In the United States, the IRS publishes a standard business mileage rate each year that many employers adopt as their default, though any company is free to set its own rate above or below it. The rate is meant to bundle fuel, depreciation, insurance, and maintenance into a single per-mile figure, and it has generally trended upward over the past decade as vehicle and fuel costs have risen. Because the published rate changes annually, always confirm the current figure with your employer or the relevant tax authority rather than assuming a fixed number.
Worked Examples
| Miles driven | Rate per mile | Reimbursement |
|---|---|---|
| 50 miles | $0.67 | $33.50 |
| 200 miles | $0.67 | $134.00 |
| 200 miles | $0.21 | $42.00 |
| 200 miles | $0.14 | $28.00 |
The rates above are illustrative examples only; enter your employer's or tax authority's actual current rate for a figure you can submit on an expense report.
Where This Calculation Matters
- Expense reports — documenting exactly what a business trip in a personal vehicle is owed.
- Freelance and contractor invoicing — billing a client for driving between job sites.
- Comparing reimbursement offers — checking whether a flat per-mile rate covers your actual driving costs before agreeing to use your own vehicle for work.
How to Use This Calculator
- Enter the Miles Driven for the trip or reporting period.
- Enter the Rate per Mile your employer, client, or tax authority applies.
- Select Calculate to see the total reimbursement owed.
Related Calculations
If you're comparing the true cost of driving rather than a flat reimbursement rate, see the Travel Cost Per Mile Calculator or the Road Trip Fuel Cost Calculator.