Pick one travel fee model and put it in writing before the client books: a free radius with a per mile charge past the radius, a per mile charge from the first mile, or flat fees by zone. Price the fee from what driving costs, car and time, and state it the same way in your quote and contract.
Worked example: one florist, one 50 mile wedding
A florist is quoting a wedding 50 miles from the studio, so the round trip is 100 miles. The same 50 mile job works out differently under each model.
Free radius. The first 20 miles each way are included, and every mile driven beyond that costs $1.20. Billable miles: 50 minus 20 is 30 each way, 60 in all. Fee: 60 × $1.20 = $72.
Per mile from the first mile. Every mile driven costs $1.00. Fee: 100 × $1.00 = $100.
Zones. Under 20 miles is free, 20 to 40 miles is $50, and 40 to 60 miles is $85. The venue sits in the third zone. Fee: $85.
Now compare each travel fee with the car's cost. The IRS business rate for miles driven after July 1, 2026 is 76 cents (IRS standard mileage rates page), and the IRS bases the rate on "an annual study of the fixed and variable costs of operating an automobile" (IRS news release, December 29, 2025). The 100 miles cost about $76 by that measure. The free radius fee of $72 does not quite cover the car, and none of the three pays for the two hours behind the wheel. To cover that time, add what an hour of your work is worth for each hour on the road, then divide by the miles.
Which travel fee model should you use?
Use the travel fee model that matches where your clients are: a free radius when they cluster near you, a per mile charge from the first mile when clients are spread out, and zones when you know your area well.
The free radius model feels generous to local clients and is easy to explain. The free radius model's weak spots are the edge of the radius, where a client 21 miles out pays and one 19 miles out does not, and the cost of the free miles, which you absorb on every job. A free radius suits a vendor whose clients cluster near the studio.
The per mile from the first mile model charges every client for every mile, so no job subsidizes another. Clients close by may find a travel line on a short trip fussy. Charging from the first mile suits a doula or a coach serving a spread out metro area.
The zone model is the fastest to quote: look up the zone, read the price. Some clients pay a little more than their exact distance would cost and some a little less. Zone pricing suits a vendor who knows a service area well.
Whichever travel fee model you choose, say whether the miles are counted one way or round trip, and name the starting point, such as your studio address.
When should a client pay for an overnight stay?
A client should pay for lodging when the job is far enough away that driving home the same night is unsafe or impossible, and the contract should name the threshold in hours or miles. Get the client's approval of the hotel and its price before you book the room, bill the actual cost with the receipt, and state any daily allowance for meals or parking as a fixed figure in the contract rather than leaving the allowance open.
Putting travel terms in the contract
Vague travel terms are where disputes start. Five clauses cover most travel terms; adapt the wording with your own figures, and have the clauses reviewed for your state.
- The calculation: "Travel is charged at $1.20 per mile driven, round trip, beyond 20 miles from the Vendor's studio, using the shortest driving route."
- What it covers: "The travel fee covers transportation to and from the event. Parking and tolls are billed at cost."
- Location changes: "Travel is quoted for the venue named at signing. A change of venue may change the travel fee at the rate above."
- Overnight stays: "Events more than three hours' drive from the studio require lodging, approved by the Client in advance and billed at cost."
- Cancellation: say whether travel already booked, such as a nonrefundable hotel night, is refunded if the event is cancelled.
The florist contract guide shows how florists write delivery radius and travel into the agreement, and the contract templates have the clause structure for other trades. In BookNox, you enter a free radius and a per mile rate in your settings, and the contract BookNox generates carries a Travel section stating both, with the rate calculated round trip beyond the free miles.
Clients then see that travel term in the contract they sign, and a BookNox booking link collects their deposit into your own Stripe account right after they sign.
Quoting travel so it does not surprise anyone
Itemize travel on its own line, below the service:
- Floral package: $2,400
- Travel, 60 billable miles at $1.20: $72
- Total: $2,472
A separate travel line shows the client what they are paying for and makes the fee easy to waive or adjust on purpose, rather than by accident. The invoice generator keeps the same line on the final bill.
Can you deduct whichever is higher, mileage or actual costs?
No, you cannot deduct whichever is higher: for each car you choose one method under rules that limit switching, and the travel fee you charge is a separate matter. A travel fee is business income: IRS Publication 334 has you include in gross income all items of income you actually or constructively receive, and a travel line is one of them. The miles you drive are the deduction side, allowed under 26 U.S.C. 162 as an ordinary and necessary business expense. IRS Publication 463 gives two methods for a car, the standard mileage rate or actual expenses, with strict rules about switching:
- For a car you own, Publication 463 says of the standard mileage rate that you "must choose to use it in the first year the car is available for use in your business." In later years you can choose either method. Take actual expenses in the first year and the standard rate is no longer available for that car.
- For a leased car, if you use the standard rate you "must use it for the entire lease period."
- You can’t use the standard rate on a car after claiming accelerated depreciation (MACRS) or a section 179 deduction on it, among other cases the publication lists.
- With the standard rate, business parking fees and tolls are deductible in addition.
For 2026 the IRS standard mileage rate itself is split: 72.5 cents for January 1 to June 30 and 76 cents from July 1, per the IRS rates page. The post on the 2026 mileage rate change shows how to log both halves. Travel fees also raise your income, so they belong in your quarterly estimated tax planning.
FAQ
Is the IRS mileage rate the same as a travel fee?
No. The IRS rate, 76 cents a mile from July 1, 2026, is a deduction figure built from what a car costs to run. It leaves out your time behind the wheel, so treat it as a floor for a per mile fee, not the fee itself.
Should I charge travel per mile or as a flat fee?
Use a free radius when clients cluster near you, a per mile charge from the first mile when they are spread out, and flat zones when you know your area well. Whichever you pick, state it the same way in the quote and the contract.
Do I count travel miles one way or round trip?
Either works if the contract says which and names the starting point, such as your studio address. The worked example above counts round trip miles beyond a 20 mile free radius.
Is a travel fee taxable income?
Yes. IRS Publication 334 has you include all income you receive, and a travel line is part of it. The miles you drive are the deduction side, covered above.
Next steps
- Pull your last ten jobs and note the one way distance of each. The distances tell you which model fits your real geography.
- Work out your per mile cost: the 76 cent rate or your own actual cost, plus your time.
- Choose the model and the numbers, and run them against your three longest recent jobs to see whether each would have paid for itself.
- Write the five contract clauses with your figures, and put the same terms on your quote and booking page.
- Start a dated mileage log today, split at June 30 for 2026, so the deduction side is ready when you file.
- Revisit the numbers each January, or sooner if the IRS changes the rate midyear again.