Vehicle costs: choose one core method
The standard mileage method uses documented business miles and an official rate. The actual method allocates eligible vehicle costs to business use. You generally cannot claim both core methods for the same vehicle period.
Keep mileage records under either method. Business-use allocation remains relevant even when you total actual costs.
- Standard mileage based on substantiated business miles
- Actual fuel, maintenance, insurance, registration, lease or depreciation as applicable
- Business parking and tolls tracked separately when eligible
Delivery supplies and equipment
Items used to keep food safe, organize deliveries, or perform the work may be business expenses when ordinary, necessary, and not reimbursed.
Separate mixed personal use and retain receipts. The purchase date, cost, and business purpose help support treatment.
- Insulated delivery bags and drink carriers
- Phone mount, charging cable, and small safety equipment
- Cleaning supplies used for delivery-related spills
Phone, data, and platform costs
Deduct only the defensible business portion of mixed-use phone and data service. A simple written allocation based on actual use is better than an unexplained percentage.
Platform commissions and processing fees may already be reflected in statements; reconcile them so they are not deducted twice.
Records make the deduction usable
Maintain receipts, mileage logs, statements, and notes throughout the year. A year-end reconstruction is slower and less reliable.
Cloud storage and a weekly bookkeeping routine can be inexpensive business tools, but the records themselves matter more than the app brand.
Frequently asked questions
Can I deduct meals while dashing?
Your own everyday meal is generally personal, not deductible merely because you ate during a shift. Limited business-meal rules require a qualifying business purpose and documentation.
Can I deduct my whole phone bill?
Only when the phone is exclusively business, which is uncommon. Otherwise use a reasonable, supportable business-use allocation.
Are car washes deductible?
Treatment can depend on the vehicle-expense method and facts. Do not add ordinary vehicle operating costs on top of standard mileage without confirming current rules.
Can I deduct clothing?
Ordinary clothing suitable for everyday wear is generally personal even if worn while delivering. Specialized required gear may be different.
What record should I keep for each expense?
Keep amount, date, payee, category, business purpose, receipt or statement, and any business-use allocation. Mileage needs its own contemporaneous detail.
Official sources
- IRS 2026 inflation adjustments (Rev. Proc. 2025-32)
- IRS Topic 554: Self-employment tax
- IRS Announcement 2026-11: 2026 midyear mileage rate
- IRS Publication 463: car-expense records and substantiation
See methodology for formulas, source status, assumptions, and known limits.
Keep going
DoorDash mileage calculator
Turn documented miles into a modeled deduction.
Compare vehicle methods
Avoid double-counting gas and mileage.
DoorDash tax calculator
See how eligible expenses affect modeled profit.
By the GigTakeHome Editorial Team · Content last reviewed: August 13, 2026. Report an error.