Date
When the business trip took place.
CANADA MILEAGE RECORDS
CRA Mileage Log:What Records Should You Keep?
A useful vehicle log should support how and when your vehicle was used for business, not just show a yearly kilometre total.
BUSINESS TRIPS
What should you record for each business drive?
CRA guidance lists four core pieces of information for each business trip.
Destination
Where the business trip went.
Purpose
Why the trip was made for business.
Kilometres driven
The distance driven for that business trip.
VEHICLE TOTALS
The individual trips are only part of the record.
For each vehicle, CRA guidance also refers to the overall distance driven and odometer information used to support the business-use calculation.
✓
Total kilometres driven
Keep the vehicle's total distance for the relevant fiscal period.
✓
Business kilometres driven
Keep the portion driven to earn business income.
✓
Start and end odometer readings
Record the odometer at the beginning and end of the fiscal period.
✓
Vehicle changes
If you change vehicles during the period, CRA says to record the date and odometer reading when the vehicle is bought, sold or traded.
SIMPLIFIED LOGBOOK
A full-year logbook is the strongest record.
If you keep an accurate logbook for the entire year, you do not need to use the simplified three-month method. CRA describes a full-year logbook as the best evidence of business use of a vehicle.
The simplified method is optional. After keeping a complete 12-month logbook to establish a base year, you may be able to use a representative three-month sample in a later year to estimate annual business use.
If the estimated annual business-use percentage is more than 10 percentage points above or below the base-year percentage, the three-month sample cannot reliably represent the whole year. Actual travel records are then needed for the remaining period, or you can establish a new 12-month base year.
Read the official CRA Motor vehicle records guidance ↗WHAT HONESTMILE DOES
Track the driving record.Keep the tax decision separate.
HonestMile can help build a history of your drives and business kilometres.
Depending on your situation, you may still need other supporting records such as odometer readings, receipts and expense documentation.
HonestMile is a mileage tracking and record-keeping tool. It does not determine whether an expense is deductible or calculate your final tax claim.
MANUAL OR AUTOMATIC
Choose how you keep the record.
FREE TEMPLATE2026 CRA mileage rates →AUTOMATIC TRACKING
Use a mileage log template
Enter trip details manually into a downloadable mileage log.
Open template →CRA Mileage Rate 2026
See the 2026 prescribed per-kilometre automobile allowance rates and how they differ for employees and self-employed drivers.
Track drives automatically
Let HonestMile build a driving history while you drive.
Canada Mileage Tracker →OFFICIAL SOURCECheck current CRA guidance
Tax rules and guidance can change. Verify the latest information directly with the Canada Revenue Agency.
Canada Revenue Agency ↗General information only. This page summarizes selected CRA guidance and is not tax, legal or accounting advice.