Mileage and taxes for dog walkers and pet sitters in 2026

For the 2026 tax year, the IRS standard mileage rate is 72.5 cents per business mile from January 1 to June 30, 2026, and 76 cents per mile from July 1 to December 31, 2026. That makes a dated log the biggest deduction most dog walkers and pet sitters have, and all of their income is taxable, 1099-K or not.

I'm a bookkeeper, not a tax preparer. I work alongside your CPA.

Which miles count for a dog walker or pet sitter?

Driving from one client's home to the next, to the vet with a client's dog or to buy supplies for the business generally counts as business driving. Driving from home to your first client of the day can be treated differently depending on how your business is set up. That question belongs to your tax preparer. The log is what lets them answer it.

Why do the two 2026 mileage rates matter?

Because one annual total is no longer enough. Miles driven before July and miles driven after it are multiplied by different rates, so a log without dates cannot be calculated correctly. A log kept as you go solves that automatically.

What should my mileage log include?

The IRS explains in Publication 463 what records support car expenses. In practice, each trip needs:

• The date
• Where you started and where you went
• The business purpose, such as "walk, Smith dog"
• The miles driven

A mileage app works, and so does a simple sheet with those four columns. Whichever you use, fill it in the same day.

Will I get a 1099-K from Rover or another app?

For 2026, platforms send a 1099-K for more than $20,000 and more than 200 transactions in the year. Many dog walkers and pet sitters will not cross that line, so many will get no form at all. The income is still taxable. Your own records are what your tax preparer works from.

How do I track cash, Venmo and app payments together?

Mixed payments are the most common tangle in pet care. One pet sitter's spouse asked on a public forum about "all cash and Venmo/Paypal payments. How do you even log that?" The answer is one list, kept weekly: every payment, with the date, the client, the amount and how it was paid. App payouts are recorded at the full amount clients paid, with the app's fees as an expense.

When are estimated taxes due in 2026?

The IRS due dates for estimated tax are April 15, June 15 and September 15 of the tax year, and January 15 of the next year (a date on a weekend or holiday moves to the next business day). Your tax preparer sets the amounts. Current books mean the estimate is based on what you actually earned.

Does New Hampshire tax a pet care business?

New Hampshire's Business Profits Tax has a filing threshold: gross business income over $109,000 means a New Hampshire Business Profits Tax return is due. Most solo pet care businesses are below it. A growing business with several walkers can get there, and because the test is gross income, not profit, it is worth watching.

What does an organized pet care business track each month?

• Every payment, by client and by how it was paid
• App payouts matched to payments and fees
• Mileage with dates, for the two 2026 rates
• Payments to any helper or fill-in walker, by person
• Supplies, insurance and phone costs

A custom Google Sheet handles all of that for a solo walker. As the business grows, QuickBooks Online takes over. Either way, the first step is the same: start the log today.