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The Daily Insight

Does business travel include commuting?

Author

Henry Morales

Published Feb 11, 2026

Business mileage is defined as travel an individual is obliged to make in order to complete the duties of their employment. This does not include ordinary commuting from home to a permanent workplace or private travel.

Can you claim travel expenses if you work from home?

Travel costs Employees are able to claim tax relief on the full travelling cost incurred in the performance of their duties. Even if that condition is met, the cost of travel between the employee’s home and another permanent workplace is only deductible during those times when the home is a place of work.

Can I claim business mileage from home to work?

HMRC guidelines define travel between your home and your regular, permanent place of employment as a non-work journey, making it ineligible to be included as part of your business mileage claim. Any other private trips that you make cannot be counted within your business mileage allowance.

What is considered business travel SARS?

Interestingly, the term “travel”, whether for business or private, refers to travel by “an engine powered road going vehicle”, as contained in SARS Interpretation Note 14. “A travel allowance is any allowance paid or advance given to an employee in respect of travelling expenses for business purposes.

How much does SARS pay per km?

A reimbursive travel allowance is where an allowance or advance is based on the actual distance travelled for business purposes (that is excluding private use). 3.82 per kilometre (from 1 March 2021). kilometres AND the prescribed rate per kilometre AND no other compensation is paid to the employee.

What’s the difference between commuting and business travel?

The IRS makes a distinction between commuting and business travel; commuting expenses are allowed only in specific cases, while business travel expenses are usually allowed, within limits.

When to claim business travel as commuting expense?

Business travel, on the other hand, is not commuting, if it meets any of the following conditions: Regular Work Location. If you have at least one regular work location away from your home and your travel is to a temporary work location in the same trade or business, regardless of the distance.

What is ordinary commuting and private travel for tax purposes?

What qualifies as ordinary commuting and private travel for tax purposes. An employee cannot have tax relief for the cost of a journey which is ordinary commuting or private travel. The following paragraphs explain what these terms mean.

Can a employee turn a commuting journey into a business journey?

It makes no difference that Dermot’s employer needs him to make the journeys or that they’re made outside his normal working hours. An employee cannot turn an ordinary commuting journey into a business journey simply by arranging a business appointment somewhere on the way just to get tax relief.