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IRS Mileage Deduction for Notaries in 2026: $0.67/Mile

February 28, 2026

The IRS standard mileage rate for 2026 is $0.67 per mile for business use. For loan signing agents who drive to signings, this is one of the largest tax deductions available.

What Qualifies

Business mileage for LSAs includes:

  • ·Driving to and from signing locations
  • ·Driving to the UPS/FedEx store to ship docs
  • ·Driving to pick up or drop off documents
  • ·Driving to notary-related business meetings
  • Commuting from your home to a regular office does not qualify — but if your home is your principal place of business (which it is for most LSAs), driving from home to any signing location counts.

    The Calculation

    At $0.67/mile:

    | Miles | Deduction |

    |-------|-----------|

    | 10 miles | $6.70 |

    | 30 miles | $20.10 |

    | 50 miles | $33.50 |

    | 100 miles | $67.00 |

    | 1,000 miles/month | $670.00/month |

    An LSA doing 40 signings/month at 20 miles average round trip = 800 miles = $536/month in deductions = $6,432/year.

    What Records the IRS Expects

    The IRS requires a contemporaneous mileage log — recorded at or near the time of each trip — including:

  • ·Date of the trip
  • ·Business purpose (e.g., "signing at 123 Main St, borrower J. Smith")
  • ·Starting location and destination
  • ·Miles driven
  • SigningOS logs the signing address per order. You add the mileage manually — the deduction is calculated automatically.

    Standard Mileage vs. Actual Expenses

    You can deduct either:

  • 1.Standard mileage rate ($0.67/mile) — simpler, no receipts for gas/maintenance needed
  • 2.Actual expenses — gas, insurance, depreciation, maintenance, prorated for business use
  • Most LSAs benefit from the standard mileage rate. If you drive a very expensive vehicle or have unusually high vehicle costs, run both calculations with your accountant.

    Note: If you use actual expenses in year one for a vehicle, you generally must continue with actual expenses for that vehicle. Standard mileage is more flexible.

    Self-Employment Tax Context

    As a self-employed LSA, mileage deductions reduce your net self-employment income — which reduces both income tax and self-employment tax (15.3%). Every $1,000 in deductions saves you roughly $150-350 depending on your tax bracket.

    SigningOS YTD Summary

    In SigningOS Settings, the YTD Tax Summary shows your total mileage logged, calculated deduction at $0.67/mile, total income from paid orders, and total expenses — a snapshot for your accountant at tax time.

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