Free tool
Trucker per diem calculator
Days away from home add up to a deduction only if you count them. Enter your days and see the estimate, with the rate, the partial-day share and the limit all visible so you can check each against the source.
Result
Runs in your browser. Nothing you type is sent anywhere. Example numbers are invented (EXAMPLE VALUES). This is a calculator, not financial, tax or legal advice.
Formula table
| Quantity | Formula | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Full-day amount | full days x daily rate | Rate is an input. |
| Partial-day amount | partial days x rate x partial share | First and last day of a trip. |
| Before limit | full-day amount + partial-day amount | |
| Deductible | before limit x deductible share | Share is an input. |
| Tax saved | deductible x tax rate | Only if you enter a rate. |
Worked example (invented numbers)
180 full days and 12 partial days at $80 with a 75% partial share and an 80% deductible share: $14,400.00 + $720.00 = $15,120.00 before the limit, $12,096.00 deductible. At a 25% combined tax rate that is $3,024.00 of tax. The rates are the defaults on this page, not a statement about your tax situation.
What this means for you
The hidden number is the tax you leave unclaimed if you do not log the days. The estimate only helps if you are eligible, and eligibility depends on how you are paid. Ask a tax professional.
Keep a simple log: date left, date back, where. That is the record the deduction rests on.
Source and status of the rates verify
Daily rate: IRS Notice 2026-60, special transportation-industry meals and incidentals rate, $80 (continental U.S.) and $86 (outside), for travel on or after 1 Oct 2026 (the 2026-2027 special per diem rates). Source: irs.gov/pub/irs-drop/n-26-60.pdf, section 3, checked against the notice text on 2026-10-09. The 75% partial-day share and the 80% limit for drivers under DOT hours-of-service rules are widely used conventions that we have not checked in this session. Mark them verified only after you read the IRS text or ask your tax professional.
Related tools
Questions
Where does $80 come from?
IRS Notice 2026-60, section 3, lists $80 a day for the special transportation-industry meals and incidentals rate within the continental U.S. and $86 outside it, for travel on or after 1 October 2026. Checked against the notice text on 2026-10-09. Rates change each year, so confirm on irs.gov before you rely on them.
Does everyone get this deduction?
No. Rules differ for owner-operators and company drivers, and for reimbursed days. This page is not tax advice.
Related: trucker per diem guide, IFTA records.
See what your last 20 loads show.
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