Instacart Shopper Guide
Instacart mileage
and taxes, explained.
Instacart doesn't give full-service shoppers a mileage log at all, so every deductible mile is on you to record. Here's which miles count in 2026 and the tax form you'll get.
2026 IRS rate: 72.5¢ per business mile
72.5¢
Per business mile (2026)
1099-NEC
Form Instacart sends
$2,000
1099 threshold (2026)
No mileage log
What the app gives you
Which miles can an Instacart shopper deduct?
Full-service shoppers are independent contractors and deduct business miles on Schedule C using the standard mileage rate. Your deductible miles cover the driving a batch requires.
Deductible business miles
- Driving to the store to start a batch
- Driving from the store to the customer's home
- Miles between back-to-back batches while online
Not deductible (commuting & personal)
- Your commute from home to the first store
- The drive home after your last delivery
- Personal errands with the app closed
Instacart keeps no mileage log for you
Instacart uses your location to run batches, but it doesn't give you a year-end mileage report you can deduct from. That means there's no on-app number to fall back on at tax time, and no record of the miles between the store and each customer. Without your own log, those deductible miles, worth 72.5 cents each in 2026, simply go unclaimed.
What tax forms Instacart sends you
Instacart pays full-service shoppers directly, so your earnings are reported on a 1099-NEC.
You'll receive one if you earned $2,000 or more in 2026. That threshold rose from $600 under the 2025 tax law. Below it you may not get a form, but you still report all of your shopper income.
Thresholds reflect the 2026 tax year under the 2025 federal tax law. You must report all income, even if a platform doesn't send you a form. This is general information, not tax advice.
How much can you deduct?
The standard mileage method is simple: multiply your business miles by the IRS rate.
Business miles × 2026 IRS rate
15,000 × 72.5¢ = $10,875
A realistic year for a part-time driver, deducted straight off your self-employment income.
You report this on Schedule C, and your net profit flows to Schedule SE, where self-employment tax (15.3%) is calculated. Every business mile you log lowers both. Want your own number? Try the 1099 tax calculator, or read how the mileage deduction works.
Common mistakes to avoid
Assuming the app tracks miles
Instacart provides no mileage log, so there's nothing to fall back on. Your record is the only record.
Counting only delivery miles
The drive to the store and between batches is deductible too, not just the store-to-customer leg.
Estimating at tax time
The IRS wants a contemporaneous log kept as you shop, not numbers reconstructed in April.
Mixing personal trips
Only business miles count, so your own grocery runs and errands have to stay separate.
Instacart driver tax FAQ
No. Instacart uses your location to assign and route batches, but it doesn't give you a deductible year-end mileage report. There's no on-app number at tax time, so keeping your own log is the only way to claim your miles.
Thinking about signing up? See the Instacart driver requirements. See all gig driver mileage guides, or read how gig workers track mileage for taxes.
Stop leaving money on the road.
Every mile you don't track is a deduction you don't claim. Start tracking automatically today.