Tax season: Travel logbook

Firstly, record your motor vehicle’s odometer reading on March 1, the first day of a tax year.

Secondly, make sure that you keep a logbook throughout the year. It is not necessary to record details of private travel.

Without a logbook you won’t be able to claim the cost of business travel against your travel allowance.

Thirdly, record your motor vehicle’s closing odometer reading on the last day of February of the next year, the last day of the applicable tax year.

Next calculate your total kilometres for the full year (closing kilometres less opening kilometres), then calculate your total business kilometres for the year (sum of all business kilometres).

Also Read: What if I don’t agree?

In respect of every business trip you record the following:

• The date of travel.
• The kilometres travelled.
• Business travel details (where you started your trip, where you went and the reason for the trip)
• Your travel between home and your place of work cannot be claimed for business purposes, as this is regarded as private travel. A separate logbook must be kept for each motor vehicle where more than one motor vehicle has been used for business travel during the year of assessment.

There are two ways to work out how much you can claim:

• Calculate your claim based on the cost scale table which SARS supplies (you’ll find this table in the introduction section to the travel eLogbook).
• Calculate your claim based on actual costs. To do this, you’ll have to keep an accurate record of all your expenses during the year, in addition to keeping a log book. These expenses include fuel, oil, repairs and maintenance, car licence, insurance, wear-and-tear and finance charges or lease costs.
• You must keep your logbook for a period of at least five years from the date of the submission of your return, as you may be required to submit it to SARS to back up your claim.
• Information obtained from www.sars.gov.za