2018 Standard Mileage Rates for Business up from Last Year

12.18.2017
Small Business

The IRS on Dec. 14 issued the 2018 optional standard mileage rates used to calculate the deductible costs of operating an automobile for business, charitable, medical, or moving purposes.
Beginning on Jan. 1, 2018, the standard mileage rates for the use of a car (also vans and pickups or panel trucks) will be:

  • 54.5 cents for every mile of business travel driven, up 1 cent from 2017.
  • 18 cents per mile driven for medical or moving purposes, up 1 cent from 2017.
  • 14 cents per mile driven in service of charitable organizations. Set by statute, this rate is unchanged from 2017.

The standard mileage rate for business is based on an annual study of the fixed and variable costs of operating an automobile. The rate for medical and moving purposes is based on the variable costs.

Taxpayers always have the option of calculating the actual costs of using their vehicle rather than using the standard mileage rates.

Taxpayers always have the option of calculating the actual costs of using their vehicle rather than using the standard mileage rates.
A taxpayer may not use the business standard mileage rate for a vehicle after using any depreciation method under the Modified Accelerated Cost Recovery System or after claiming a Section 179 deduction for that vehicle.
In addition, the business standard mileage rate cannot be used for more than four vehicles used simultaneously. These and other requirements are described in Rev. Proc. 2010-51.
Notice 2018-03, posted today on IRS.gov, contains the standard mileage rates, the amount a taxpayer must use in calculating reductions to basis for depreciation taken under the business standard mileage rate, and the maximum standard automobile cost that a taxpayer may use in computing the allowance under a fixed and variable rate plan.

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