A mileage log for real estate agents

The short answer

Most agents are independent contractors, so drives to showings, listing appointments, open houses and closings are usually business miles on Schedule C. The deduction is the business miles times the IRS rate, and it is far easier to support with a log made at the time: the date, miles, the address and why you went.

Own Miles is a private mileage log for iPhone that records business drives automatically and keeps them on your device. Logging is free with no monthly limit; Pro, with the IRS-ready PDF log, is $29.99 a year after a 14-day trial.

Miles that usually count

• Showings, listing appointments and open houses.
• Inspections, appraisals, walk-throughs and closings.
• Previewing properties and driving a neighborhood for a client.
• Between properties on a busy day, and to the brokerage from a showing.
• Placing and picking up signs and lockboxes.

Miles that usually don't

• Driving from home to your brokerage office and back, unless your home office is your main place of business.
• Personal stops on the way, even between showings.

The 2026 rate

• 72.5¢ a mile for business drives from January 1 to June 30, 2026
• 76¢ a mile for business drives from July 1 to December 31, 2026

Source: IRS standard mileage rates. Parking fees and tolls for business drives are deductible on top of the rate.

Each drive needs its date, miles, where you went and why, recorded at the time. The full guide covers the rest of the rules from IRS Publication 463.

How Own Miles helps

• Records every drive. Each showing and appointment is logged on its own, with the start and end places, so you don't write addresses down.
• Rules by place (Pro). Mark drives to your brokerage or a title office as business automatically.
• Commute rules built in. Drives between your saved home and office are suggested as commuting, with the home office exception explained.
• A log your accountant can use. The PDF log (Pro) lists every drive with its purpose, with monthly subtotals and each vehicle's odometer. Every edit is kept with when it was made.

Questions

Are miles to showings deductible for real estate agents?

Usually yes, if you are self-employed. Showings, listing appointments, open houses and closings are business drives. Keep a log made at the time with the date, miles, place and purpose of each.

Is the drive from home to my brokerage deductible?

Usually not; that's commuting. It can be business if your home office is your main place of business. Check your case with a tax professional.

Where do my client addresses go?

Nowhere but your devices. Own Miles has no account and no servers, so your routes and the places you visit are never sent to us.