Logbook method, CRA kilometre rates, capital cost allowance on your vehicle, and a full deduction calculator
Vehicle expenses are among the largest deductions available to self-employed Canadians — and among the most audited. The CRA requires strict documentation, but if you drive for business purposes, you may be able to deduct thousands of dollars in fuel, insurance, maintenance, loan interest, and depreciation annually. This guide covers every method and rule you need to know.
To claim vehicle expenses, you must maintain a logbook for every business trip. The CRA requires the following information for each business trip:
You must also record your odometer reading at the start and end of each year to establish total annual kilometres driven. The business-use percentage = total business km ÷ total km driven × 100.
| Expense | Deductible? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel and oil | Yes — business % | Keep receipts or use bank/credit card statements |
| Insurance | Yes — business % | Full annual premium × business % |
| Licence and registration | Yes — business % | Annual vehicle registration fee |
| Maintenance and repairs | Yes — business % | Oil changes, tires, mechanical repairs |
| Loan interest | Yes — business % (with cap) | Max $10/day for Class 10; capped for Class 10.1 |
| Lease payments | Yes — business % (with cap) | Monthly lease × business %; max $1,050/month (2026) |
| Parking | Yes — 100% if business purpose | Claimed as travel expense, not vehicle expense |
| Car washes | Yes — business % | Keep receipts |
| Capital Cost Allowance | Yes — business % of CCA | Depreciates vehicle cost over time |
| Principal loan payments | No | Capital repayment — covered by CCA instead |
When you purchase a vehicle for business use, you cannot deduct the full purchase price in year one. Instead, you claim Capital Cost Allowance (CCA) — essentially depreciation — over multiple years.
Class 10 applies at a 30% declining balance rate. In the year of purchase, the half-year rule means you only claim 15% in year one (50% of the 30% annual rate). In subsequent years, you claim 30% of the remaining UCC (Undepreciated Capital Cost). Multiple Class 10 vehicles share a pool — you don't track each vehicle separately.
Luxury and higher-cost vehicles (over $36,000 in 2026) fall into Class 10.1. The CCA rate is still 30%, but the capital cost is capped at $36,000 — you cannot claim CCA on the amount over the cap. Each Class 10.1 vehicle is tracked in its own separate pool. In the year of disposal, you can claim a full half-year CCA (unlike other classes).
The CRA allows a simplified logbook approach for established businesses. If you kept a full logbook for one complete base year and established your business-use percentage, you can use a three-month sample logbook in subsequent years to verify the percentage hasn't changed significantly (within 10%). This significantly reduces ongoing record-keeping burden while maintaining CRA compliance.
Eligible business trips include: travelling to client sites or meetings, picking up supplies or inventory, banking for the business, attending business-related conferences or training, and visiting government offices for business matters. Personal trips — including commuting, groceries, personal errands, and vacations — are never deductible even if you discuss business briefly during them.
If you are registered for GST/HST, you can claim ITCs on the business portion of vehicle expenses. Keep your receipts showing the GST/HST paid and apply your business-use percentage. For a vehicle costing $36,000 + 13% HST in Ontario, the HST of $4,680 can be claimed as an ITC proportional to business use. For Class 10.1 vehicles, the ITC is also capped proportionally.
Pay all business-related vehicle costs from your KOHO business account — fuel, repairs, insurance — so your logbook and receipts always match your bank statement.