1 July 2026 · affects the Mileage Log
The IRS raised the business mileage rate mid-year, from 72.5 to 76 cents.
If you use the standard mileage method for 2026, calculate eligible mileage separately for each half-year using the applicable rate:
- 1 January to 30 June 2026 — 72.5 cents per mile. Set in IRS Notice 2026-10.
- 1 July to 31 December 2026 — 76 cents per mile. Raised in IRS Announcement 2026-11, Internal Revenue Bulletin 2026-29, published 13 July 2026. The IRS cited fuel price increases.
What we did about it. The Rental Property Record Book prints both rates on every mileage page and carries a year-total band that keeps the two halves apart, so the split is done where you write, not reconstructed in April. The free checklist carries the same figures with the same citations.
If you already keep a log elsewhere: check that trips before and after 1 July are totaled separately. Applying one rate to eligible mileage spanning both halves gives an incorrect total. For rental activities reported on Schedule E, deductible auto and travel expenses generally go on line 6.