IRS Raises Standard Mileage Rate To 72.5 Cents for 2026

The IRS just released their standard mileage rates for 2026. There was an increase of 2.5 cents from 2025 for the standard business rate, while medical rates decreased slightly

Each year, the IRS publishes new standard mileage rates in a Notice in December for the new year. There are separate mileage rates for operating an automobile for business, charitable, medical or moving purposes. 

For 2026, the IRS Mileage rates changed across the board, where legally allowed. The business mileage rate is the highest its ever been. 

This will impact many areas, including employer reimbursement rates, college cost of attendance, and more.

Here’s what to know about the new 2026 IRS Standard Mileage Rates.

IRS Mileage Rates For 2026

The new IRS mileage rates for 2026 are 72.5 cents per mile for business purposes (up from 70 cents per mile in 2025), 20.5 cents per mile for medical or moving purposes and 14 cents per mile for charitable purposes.

The new mileage rates for business and medical/moving purposes are set annually by the IRS based on the cost of gasoline, and changes in fuel economy and insurance.

The rate for charitable purposes is set by law and does not change. [26 USC 170(i)] 

You cannot deduct personal use of a vehicle. 

You can deduct the actual cost of business mileage instead of the mileage rate if you document the expenses. The cost might be higher if you drive a low-mileage vehicle and/or a vehicle with higher insurance costs. 

What Is Included In The IRS Mileage Rate?

The IRS mileage rates are the same for all types of cars, including internal combustion engine (ICE), hybrid and electric vehicles (EV). The mileage rates are the same for cars, vans, pickup trucks and small delivery trucks. 

This benefits drivers of EVs and hybrid vehicles, since the cost of “fuel” for an EV is lower than the cost of fuel for a hybrid or ICE vehicle, and hybrid vehicles get better mileage than ICE vehicles.

The mileage rate includes all incremental costs of operating a vehicle. This includes the cost of gas, maintenance (including oil and tires), and repairs. It also includes the cost of insurance, registration fees, lease payments and depreciation. It does not include the cost of parking and tolls.

The mileage rates are the same throughout the country. 

Reimbursement Rates For Employees

There is no obligation for a business to use the IRS mileage rates to reimburse employees for business travel by car. But, most businesses do use the IRS mileage rates.

As a result, many employees will see higher reimbursement rates next year.

College Cost Of Attendance

The college cost of attendance includes an allowance for transportation that is supposed to cover the cost of traveling between home, school and work. 

It can also include other costs for transportation that are part of the student’s program, such as transportation to conferences and practicums. 

The transportation allowance cannot include the cost of purchasing a vehicle.

Many colleges use a standard transportation allowance for all students. However, if a student documents the distance from home to school and work is greater than the standard allowance, some colleges will use the IRS business mileage rate for calculating the transportation allowance, especially for commuter students.

However, if public transportation is available, the college may use the cost of a bus or train pass, since it is usually lower. Some colleges provide free bus passes to all their students, sometimes built into the student ID.

Historical IRS Mileage Rates

Here are the historical IRS mileage rates for context, broken out by business mileage, charity mileage, and medical or moving mileage.