Mileage Deduction for Photographers: How to Claim 70 Cents Per Mile (Stop Leaving money on the Table)
2025 Mileage Deduction for Photographers: How to Claim 70 Cents Per Mile (Stop Leaving money on the Table)
Hey photographer, let's talk about something that could literally pay for your next lens upgrade—your business mileage.
In 2025, every single mile you drive for your photography business is worth 70 cents in tax deductions. (Note: The IRS adjusts this rate annually based on fuel costs and other factors. Click here to check the current standard mileage rate.) Yet most of our photographer clients are missing at least half their deductible miles. That's like leaving cash on your camera bag and driving away.
Let me show you exactly what you're missing and how to fix it with minimal effort.
The Shots You're Missing (And It's Not Through Your Viewfinder)
When you think "business mileage," you usually remember the obvious trips—driving to weddings, portrait sessions, or commercial shoots. But here's what's really happening: you're probably driving for business way more than you realize, and every forgotten mile is costing you money.
Client-Related Miles You're Forgetting:
That engagement session location scout last Tuesday? Business miles.
Meeting the bride at the coffee shop to review shot lists? Business miles.
Driving to a client's home for a boudoir consultation? Business miles.
The maternity session at the park across town? Business miles.
Meeting high school seniors at multiple locations for outfit changes? Business miles.
Driving to the football field for Friday night sports coverage? Business miles.
The second (or third) trip back to the venue because the coordinator wasn't there the first time? Yep, business miles.
The Supply Run Gold Mine: Think about your last month. How many times did you:
Drive to pick up that vintage couch from Facebook Marketplace for your boudoir studio
Run to Target for props for that newborn session
Hit up the craft store for styling materials for family sessions
Stop at Best Buy for a new memory card
Drive to the camera store for that "emergency" battery before the big game
Pick up fresh flowers for maternity portraits
Grab snacks and drinks for your studio IPS sessions
Every. Single. Trip. Counts.
The Boring Stuff That's Actually Worth Money: Here's what blows my clients' minds when we review their books—these mundane drives are all deductible:
Checking your PO Box (yes, even if it's empty)
Bank deposits (mobile deposit doesn't work for everything)
Meeting your second shooter to hand off equipment
Driving to the florist to coordinate bouquet details for styled shoots
Driving to that photographer meetup or networking event
Let's Talk Real Numbers (Because Your Art Deserves to Be Profitable)
The average photographer client at Bastian Accounting drives about 5,000 business miles per year. That's everything—weddings, family sessions, senior portraits, maternity shoots, sports events, consultations, supply runs, the works.
At 70 cents per mile, that's $3,500 in tax deductions.
But here's the painful truth: when photographers come to us without a tracking system, they can usually only prove about 2,000 miles. They remember the big wedding venues and major shoots, but forget everything else.
That means you're losing $2,100 in deductions. Every. Single. Year.
Over five years? You've essentially paid an extra $10,500 in taxes you didn't owe. That's a new lens, a dream workshop in Italy, or that studio lighting setup you've been eyeing. That's real money that should be in YOUR pocket.
The Set-It-and-Forget-It Solution That Pays for Itself
Listen, I know you're not getting into photography to track mileage. You're an artist, not an accountant (that's why you have Bastian Accounting). This is where MileIQ becomes your silent business partner.
Here's why I recommend it to every photographer in our education program:
It Works Like Auto-Focus for Your Mileage: MileIQ runs in the background, automatically detecting every drive. No manual logging, no spreadsheets, no trying to remember where you went three Tuesdays ago. It just works.
One Swipe Classification: After each drive, swipe right for business, left for personal. It's literally easier than culling photos. You can even do it while waiting for the next quarter to start at the basketball game or between family portrait sessions.
IRS-Proof Documentation: When tax season rolls around (or if you ever get audited), you'll have detailed, IRS-compliant logs that would make any tax preparer smile. Date, time, miles, route—everything the IRS wants to see.
Start Free, Upgrade When You Need It: MileIQ offers a completely free version that tracks up to 40 drives per month—perfect if you're just starting out, during your slower seasons, or if you want to try it risk-free before committing. Once your business picks up (and trust me, 40 drives goes fast during wedding season or senior portrait season), the unlimited version is just $7.50 per month. That upgrade pays for itself if you track just 11 business miles per month. For most photographers, it pays for itself in the first week.
Common Photographer Mileage Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them)
Mistake #1: "My Home Studio Doesn't Count" Wrong! If you have a legitimate home studio where you edit, meet clients for boudoir reveals, or run your business, your business miles start the moment you leave your driveway. Don't shortchange yourself.
Mistake #2: Not Tracking "Failed" Opportunities Drove to meet a potential wedding client who ghosted you? Scouted a location for senior portraits that didn't work out? Went to a venue tour for a wedding you didn't book? These are ALL business miles. The IRS doesn't care if you booked the gig—they care that you were trying to run your business.
Mistake #3: Forgetting Multi-Stop Trips Saturday errands where you grab props for newborn sessions at Target, deposit checks at the bank, and pick up that Facebook Marketplace find for your boudoir studio? The entire trip can be deductible if the primary purpose was business. Document it properly and claim those miles.
Mistake #4: Season Amnesia During your busy season, you're driving constantly and tracking nothing. Wedding photographer? Those six weddings in October? Each one could be 50-100 miles round trip. Sports photographer? Those weekly games across the county? Senior photographer? All those location sessions? Family photographer? Those beach sessions an hour away? Add in consultations, venue visits, and equipment runs, and you're looking at serious deductions going unclaimed.
Your 2025 Action Plan (Do This TODAY)
1. Sign up for MileIQ right now. Not after wedding season. Not when senior season slows down. Today. Every day you wait is literally money lost. Start with the completely free version (40 drives/month) to try it out—no credit card required. Upgrade to unlimited for $7.50/month when you need it.
2. Set up your frequent drives. Add your regular venues, high schools, sports facilities, parks for family sessions, and meeting spots as frequent destinations. This makes classification even faster.
3. Make it a habit. Classify your drives when you're importing photos, waiting for uploads, or during those few minutes before a session. It becomes second nature quickly.
4. Track EVERYTHING for one month. You'll be shocked at how many business miles you actually drive. That awareness alone will change how you think about deductions.
5. Keep supporting notes. For unusual trips, add a quick note in MileIQ about the business purpose. "Location scout for Smith maternity session" or "Props for holiday mini sessions" is plenty.
The Bottom Line for Your Bottom Line
At 70 cents per mile, the 2025 mileage deduction is one of the most valuable tax breaks available to you. It's literally money sitting there waiting for you to claim it. But it only works if you track it.
Think about it this way: you'd never deliver a gallery without editing. You'd never quote a wedding without a contract. So why are you running your business without tracking one of your most valuable tax deductions? It's like shooting in manual mode but ignoring your camera's meter—you're missing critical information that directly impacts your bottom line.
For less than the cost of a Starbucks run before your morning session, you can have automatic, IRS-compliant mileage tracking that ensures you never miss another deductible mile. And hey, you can even start free to test it out!
Let's Keep Your Photography Business Profitable
Mileage tracking is just one piece of building a profitable photography business. Want to dive deeper? Check out our guide on Travel Deductions for Photographers to learn about deducting hotels, meals, and destination wedding expenses. You might also want to explore our insights on Meal Deductions for Photographers and Sales Tax for Traveling Photographers.
At Bastian Accounting, we're not your parents' accountant. We speak photographer, not corporate tax code. Whether you're shooting weddings, capturing seniors, documenting families, or anything in between—and whether you're just starting out and need our education program, or you're ready for full-service accounting so you can focus on your art, we're here to transform your passion into sustainable wealth.
Curious about how we're different? Learn more about our approach and why photographers trust us with their finances. As an IRS Enrolled Agent, I bring both expertise and a photographer-friendly approach to every client relationship.
Ready to stop leaving money in your camera bag? Let's make sure 2025 is the year your photography business becomes as profitable as it is creative.
Join our Financially Focused Photographers Facebook community where I go live weekly answering your tax and business questions. Because you shouldn't have to choose between being an artist and being profitable.
Disclaimer: . This post contains affiliate links for MileIQ. We only recommend tools we personally use and trust in our own practice and with our photography clients. Your trust matters more to us than any commission.
Tiffany Bastian is an Enrolled Agent and founder of Bastian Accounting, providing specialized accounting services exclusively for photographers nationwide. With over two decades of experience and an MBA in accounting, she's passionate about helping photographers understand their finances and focus on their craft.