What the IRS wants in it
Shipt doesn't keep a mileage record you can hand the IRS, so the log is yours to keep. IRS Publication 463 lists what it needs for car expenses, and both templates have a spot for each:
- The miles for each business drive, from odometer readings or a tracking app, not an estimate. The IRS says you can't deduct amounts you approximate.
- The date of each drive.
- Where you went, the business destination.
- Why, the business purpose. "Shipt order" usually covers it.
- Total miles for the year, from your odometer on January 1 and December 31, and the date you started using the car for business.
Write it down as you go. The IRS treats a log you keep weekly as a timely record. A year rebuilt from memory in April is the kind of record that doesn't hold up.
What counts as a Shipt mile
The drive to the store, the store to the customer, and the drive back toward the next order all count, and the drive back is the one most shoppers forget. Driving between stores or zones for the next order counts too. Whether the first drive from home counts depends on your situation, so that one is worth asking a tax preparer about. Mileage tracking for tax season goes through it in more detail.
The rate matters as much as the miles. In 2026 it was 72.5 cents a mile through June 30 and 76 cents from July 1, which is why the year summary totals miles by month. The rest of the dates are on the Shipt shopper tax calendar, and the order calculator shows what those miles cost you on a single order.
Quick answers
What does the IRS require in a mileage log? Miles, date, destination and purpose for each business drive, plus total miles for the year and the date you started using the car for business.
How often do I have to update it? At least weekly. Daily is better.
Does Shipt track my mileage for taxes? No. You need your own log, on paper, in a spreadsheet, or in an app.
This is a template, not tax advice.
Auto Tip Map is an Android app for Shipt shoppers that logs every mile automatically while you work, next to each order and tip, so there's nothing to fill in by hand.