Canada vehicle logbook · updated 14 October 2026
Free Canada mileage log template
Keep your vehicle logbook in kilometres with a simple spreadsheet. Start with a blank trip sheet, see six fictional Canadian journeys, and keep a separate record of your vehicle’s odometer readings for the fiscal period. These are manual-entry CSV files for Excel, Numbers or Google Sheets. No email required.
Tracking US journeys in miles? Use the separate US mileage log template. To compare layouts, view the app report example — a US miles/USD sample.
Start a log for each vehicle
Open the blank trip CSV. Keep the column headings. Replace the instructional row beginning YYYY-MM-DD with your first journey, or delete it before adding entries. Save a separate file for each vehicle and fiscal period.
Record journeys as you go. Add the date, starting place, destination, specific purpose and kilometres. Use separate rows for outward and return trips. Keep personal journeys clearly labelled instead of including them in the business-distance total.
Keep the period record alongside the trip sheet. Enter the actual fiscal-period dates and the vehicle’s opening and closing odometer readings. Review your complete records before adding total and business kilometres; a few example trips cannot establish an annual total.
What the Canadian recordkeeping guidance asks for
The Canada Revenue Agency’s motor vehicle records guidance describes an accurate logbook of business travel for the year. For each business trip, record the date, destination, purpose and kilometres. Keep total kilometres and business kilometres for each vehicle, plus odometer readings at the start and end of the fiscal period. If you buy, sell or trade a vehicle during the period, record the dates and odometer readings. Keep separate records for each vehicle and retain the receipts supporting vehicle expenses.
These sheets organize entries; they do not establish whether a trip or expense is eligible for a deduction. Follow the guidance that applies to your circumstances and check uncertain classifications with your tax adviser.
The seven trip-sheet columns
- date — journey date in YYYY-MM-DD format.
- start — a starting place you can identify later.
- end — the destination, including enough detail to identify the visit.
- business_purpose — the specific reason for travel, such as a named project visit. For a personal journey, describe the personal purpose.
- km — journey distance in kilometres, such as 18.5. Do not enter a miles figure without converting it first.
- classification — business or personal, based on your own records and circumstances.
- notes — optional supporting context, such as odometer readings or a job reference.
A fictional Canadian example: 74.0 km
All six rows below are in the downloadable example: 62.0 business km + 12.0 personal km = 74.0 total km. The places, work visits and distances are invented to demonstrate the layout. They cover three days, not a complete fiscal period, and the business labels are not a ruling on tax eligibility.
| Date | Route | Purpose | Kilometres | Class |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-09-14 | Kingston office → client workshop | Project Cedar site measurements | 18.5 | business |
| 2026-09-14 | Client workshop → Kingston office | Return from Project Cedar visit | 18.7 | business |
| 2026-09-15 | Kingston office → supplier | Collect Project Maple materials | 12.4 | business |
| 2026-09-15 | Supplier → Kingston office | Return with Project Maple materials | 12.4 | business |
| 2026-09-16 | Home → grocery shop | Personal shopping | 6.0 | personal |
| 2026-09-16 | Grocery shop → home | Return from personal shopping | 6.0 | personal |
Fictional spreadsheet entries, not customer records or an app-generated export. Keep the example separate from your own log.
Keep the fiscal-period odometer record too
The separate odometer CSV has fields for your vehicle identifier, fiscal-period start and end dates, opening and closing odometer readings in kilometres, total kilometres and business kilometres for that period. Its numeric fields are intentionally blank. Replace the instructional text with your own records; your fiscal period may differ from the calendar year.
Use one record per vehicle. The notes field lets you record acquisition or disposal dates and readings if a vehicle changes during the period. The short trip example above is not a substitute for this complete-period record, and the odometer sheet does not calculate distances, expense amounts or deductions.
Spot-check your kilometres trip CSV
Choose a trip sheet using the seven-column layout above. The check runs in your browser; it does not upload the file.
The check looks for missing columns or entries, invalid dates or distances, duplicate-looking rows and unit hints. It cannot verify the journey, its classification or tax eligibility. Use the blank trip template after replacing its instructional row, or the fictional example. The fiscal-period odometer sheet and app report CSV use different layouts and are not supported by this trip check.
Prefer to keep your log on an iPhone?
Use these spreadsheets on their own, or explore FlatMile. Automatic logging, manual entry and CSV export are free. An annual subscription or eligible trial unlocks captured-drive details and PDF reports. CSV export excludes drives whose details are still locked; typed manual entries and imports stay available.
Trial eligibility and subscription terms appear in the App Store. The Canadian CSV sheets on this page are manual spreadsheet resources, separate from FlatMile’s app exports. The sample app report uses US miles and USD.