Self-employed mileage - can I deduct mileage to get gas

[Stephanie59]

I'm self-employed. I can deduct mileage for business and gas. But can I deduct the mileage to buy the gas? For some reason, I never thought about that until now.

Thanks,

Stephanie

[rjs · Accepted solution]

You cannot deduct mileage and gas. The standard mileage rate includes the cost of gas.

With some restrictions, you generally have a choice of deducting either the standard mileage rate or your actual car expenses. To deduct actual expenses you would have to keep records of all your car expenses: gas, maintenance and repairs, loan payments, depreciation, etc. The standard mileage rate includes all costs of operating the car.

[Stephanie59]

I didn't think so. Probably why I never thought about it.

[Critter-3]

If you leave your place of business to go to a client's place of business  and you happen to get gas along the way then that mileage is included in the business miles.  Same goes if this is 100% a business use vehicle since it is only used for business.    But if you use the vehicle personally and  you get gas on the way to the office then that is personal miles not business miles.