topic I work as a full time school teacher and travel to tutor students after school each day. Can I claim the mileage from my school to my first student of the evening? in Education

I work as a full time school teacher and travel to tutor students after school each day. Can I claim the mileage from my school to my first student of the evening?

AndyAMG — Tue, 03 Feb 2026 10:10:04 GMT

Can I also claim mileage from the last student back home?

Re: I work as a full time school teacher and travel to tutor students after school each day. Can I claim the mileage from my school to my first student of the evening?

Bsch4477 — Tue, 18 Feb 2025 03:36:22 GMT

Is tutoring your business from which you get self employment inc?

Re: I work as a full time school teacher and travel to tutor students after school each day. Can ...

DawnC — Tue, 18 Feb 2025 03:49:18 GMT

W-2 employees can't deduct mileage on their federal return. Some state do allow a deduction for unreimbursed job expenses.

If your tutoring activities are a side job that you receive self-employment income for, you can claim mileage for that work on Schedule C. Commuting miles are never deductible.

The IRS classifies the following trips as tax-deductible:

Driving between two different workplaces
Driving from your home to a temporary workplace (a workplace is generally defined as temporary if you expect to work there for less than one year)
Meeting clients and visiting customers
Running business-related errands

The types of trips that aren’t considered business and are not deductible:

Commuting to and from your home to your permanent workplace
Commuting to and from your home to a second workplace

See the IRS Infographic in Figure B - When Are Transportation Expenses Deductible?

Auto-Related Tax Deductions

Re: I work as a full time school teacher and travel to tutor students after school each day. Can ...

herha8 — Fri, 27 Mar 2026 14:32:26 GMT

Hi, so if I’m traveling from work (W2 job) or home office to client’s homes and back for tutoring (for over a year), they would still be deductible, correct? Since it would be traveling from one workplace to another

Re: I work as a full time school teacher and travel to tutor students after school each day. Can ...

Vanessa A — Fri, 27 Mar 2026 14:51:26 GMT

No. Since you are an employee (assuming not a non-statutory employee or a specifically allowed employee class), the mileage is never deductible on your federal return even if you are running errands or meeting with clients for work unless you are one of the following:

Armed Forces reservists
qualified performing artists,
fee-basis state or local government officials,
and employees with impairment-related work expenses

In order to deduct the mileage on your federal return, you would have to be self-employed, not an employee.

If your employer reimburses you, and you meet that criteria, then they do not have to include it in box 1 of your W-2. So, in those situations, reimbursement is not taxable income, but if you are not reimbursed, then you cannot deduct the expense.

Your state rules may differ, but it depends on which state you live in. Which state?

Re: I work as a full time school teacher and travel to tutor students after school each day. Can ...

herha8 — Fri, 27 Mar 2026 20:26:56 GMT

Hi, I meant driving from my W2 job or home office to my self-employed jobs (tutoring client)

Re: I work as a full time school teacher and travel to tutor students after school each day. Can ...

MarilynG1 — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 17:10:11 GMT

If you report Self Employment income, you can claim mileage from your Home Office to your client's location and back. If you visited a client after leaving your W-2 job, use the mileage from your home to the client location to figure business mileage for that day. TurboTax asks for your 'total business miles' to calculate a vehicle expense deduction.

Here's more info Business Mileage and Using a Vehicle for Business.

@herha8