Trip Fuel Cost Calculator 2026
Updated October 2026 · 2026 CRA rules
Find out what a trip costs in fuel before you quote a job or plan your week. Enter the distance, your vehicle's fuel use and today's pump price. No price handy? Use a recent Statistics Canada average for your city instead.
Check your dashboard or Natural Resources Canada's Fuel Consumption Guide. Use the combined figure.
Enter what you paid or see at the pump today.
Check the price: that's outside the usual range.
Enter the distance, fuel use and today's pump price.
Estimate for general information, not tax advice. Check with the CRA (or Revenu Québec) or a qualified professional before you file.
Real costs vs the 73¢ rate
If you work for yourself, you deduct the business share of what the vehicle actually cost: fuel, insurance, repairs, interest or a lease, licence fees, and capital cost allowance. A single trip's fuel cost is a planning figure. It is already inside the fuel receipts you total for the year. The vehicle expense calculator turns those totals into line 9281. The 73¢ and 67¢ rates are what an employer can pay an employee. They are not your deduction. See the mileage calculator for that allowance.
GST/HST on fuel
The price on the pump includes GST or HST. If you are registered, you can claim an input tax credit for the business share of that tax. The cost you deduct for income tax is the fuel after that credit, or the full pump price if you are not registered.
Keep a logbook
Write the date, where you went, why, and the kilometres. Record the odometer at the start of the year and at the end. That is the business-use percentage the CRA asks for, and it is what this trip cost sits inside.
Questions
How do I calculate fuel cost for a trip?
Multiply distance by litres per 100 km, divide by 100, then multiply by today's pump price.
What pump price should I use?
Use what you paid or see at the pump today. If you don't know, a recent Statistics Canada city average is a fallback, for example 173.8¢/L for Canada in August 2026, but prices change daily.
Can I claim 73 cents per km for my own business driving?
No. That rate is the CRA's reasonable allowance for an employer paying an employee. It isn't a deduction for self-employed people.
Should I use fuel cost or the full vehicle cost for my taxes?
Use the full vehicle cost. Fuel is one part of it. Claim the business share of fuel, insurance, repairs, interest or lease, licence and capital cost allowance.
Do I need a logbook for business trips?
Yes. Record the date, destination, purpose and kilometres, and the odometer at the start and end of the year.