Vehicle logbook records — what many freelancers track

If you use a car for work in South Africa, you may need to show how much driving was business versus private — especially for travel allowances, company cars, or sole-proprietor vehicle expenses. This article describes common record-keeping habits. It is not tax advice, and AuraStudioZa tools are not endorsed by SARS. Allowance rules and employer policies differ. Confirm what applies to you on sars.gov.za or with a registered tax practitioner.

Why records matter

Vehicle costs are often reviewed because one car serves both work and personal life. Good records reduce guesswork at year-end and help you or your accountant explain a business-use percentage. Poor records can mean a reduced claim or more questions during an assessment.

What many people log per trip

For each business-related trip, consider capturing:

• Date
• Odometer reading (start and/or end, or total km for the trip)
• Destination — suburb, client, or site name is often enough
• Purpose — short note on why the trip was for work

Private trips matter too — either logged separately or reflected in your total km for the period. Business use is often expressed as business km ÷ total km. Inflating business km creates risk.

Home-to-work commuting is often treated as private in many arrangements — but your setup may differ. Do not assume every trip counts as business without checking your scenario.

Representative periods

Some arrangements call for a continuous period of records that represents your travel pattern (for example twelve months). Gaps and back-filled spreadsheets are weak evidence. Starting when you park — not months later — is the habit that saves pain.

Tools that can help

Spreadsheets work for some people; apps reduce friction. Vehicle Logbook focuses on odometer stops, business vs private km, and exports for your own records — see the product page for trial and pricing. Pair travel records with clean invoicing so income and km stories align.

Before you rely on a percentage

Company cars, allowances, reimbursements, and sole-proprietor deductions follow different rules. If you are unsure whether a trip qualifies, note it honestly and ask a practitioner at year-end rather than optimising in the logbook.

Structured records are boring in the moment and valuable when someone asks questions. This checklist is a starting point — not a guarantee of any particular tax outcome.