Yes, you can deduct a work truck if you use it for business purposes. The question is which deduction method saves you the most money and what records you need to back it up.

You have two options for deducting vehicle expenses. The standard mileage rate gives you a set amount per business mile driven. For 2024, that rate is 67 cents per mile. The actual expense method lets you deduct gas, insurance, repairs, tires, registration, and depreciation based on the percentage of business use. You calculate both methods and use whichever gives you the larger deduction.

For construction and trades businesses with dedicated work trucks, the actual expense method usually wins. Heavy trucks burn more fuel, cost more to maintain, and depreciate faster than sedans. A truck that runs all day between job sites racks up expenses that exceed what the mileage rate would give you.

Section 179 depreciation is where trucks get interesting. Vehicles over 6,000 pounds gross vehicle weight rating qualify for higher deduction limits. Most full-size pickups like the Ford F-250, Chevy 2500, and Ram 2500 meet this threshold. You can potentially deduct the full purchase price in the year you buy it, up to the Section 179 limit. This turns a major truck purchase into a significant tax write-off.

Business use percentage matters. If the truck is 100% business use, you deduct 100% of expenses. If you use it 80% for business and 20% personal, you deduct 80%. A truck that sits at the shop overnight and only goes to job sites is easier to justify as 100% business than one you also drive to the grocery store on weekends.

Track your mileage regardless of which method you choose. The IRS expects a contemporaneous log showing date, destination, business purpose, and miles driven. Apps like MileIQ make this easier than paper logs. Without documentation, you have no defense if the deduction gets questioned.

Keep receipts for repairs, fuel, insurance, and any other vehicle expenses. If you claim actual expenses, you need records to prove what you spent. A shoebox of faded receipts from two years ago does not count as proper documentation.

The decision between mileage and actual expenses should be made strategically. In the first year you own a truck, actual expenses with Section 179 often produces a much larger deduction. In later years when depreciation runs out, standard mileage might catch up. A Boise area enrolled agent can run the numbers both ways and tell you which method puts more money back in your pocket.

One thing to watch for is consistency. Once you start using actual expenses on a vehicle you own, you can switch to standard mileage later. But if you lease, you have to stick with whatever method you chose in the first year. Make the right call upfront so you don’t lock yourself into a worse option.