Statement Sorter | General categorizing guide | Etsy/online seller guide

Uber, Lyft, and DoorDash: Tax Deduction Categories for Drivers

A plain-English guide for rideshare and delivery drivers doing their own first-pass expense tracking.

Gig driving comes with real deductible expenses, but the deductions only help if your bank and card transactions are actually sorted into categories you (or your tax software) can use. Most drivers either do this by hand once a year under deadline pressure, or don't do it at all and leave deductions on the table.

Common deductible categories for drivers

CategoryTypical transactions
Vehicle/FuelGas stations, EV charging, tolls, parking while driving for platform
Vehicle maintenanceOil changes, tires, car washes, repairs (keep separate from fuel)
Phone/InternetYour phone bill, the portion used for the driver/delivery app
SuppliesPhone mounts, chargers, delivery bags, cleaning supplies for the car
InsuranceAny added rideshare/delivery insurance rider on your policy
MealsUsually NOT deductible for the driver's own food, do not miscategorize personal meals
Income/PayrollDeposits from Uber, Lyft, DoorDash, Instacart, etc, track separately from expenses
TaxesEstimated quarterly payments, gig income has no withholding so this one matters
TransfersVenmo/Cash App/PayPal moves between your own accounts, not expenses

The mileage deduction is separate

The standard mileage deduction (tracked per mile driven, not per transaction) is usually the biggest deduction for drivers and isn't something a bank statement can reconstruct on its own, it needs a mileage log or app. This guide and the linked tool only handle the transaction side (fuel, supplies, insurance, etc); pair it with your mileage records for the full picture.

Why this gets messy fast

Platform deposits, gas station charges, app subscriptions, and personal spending all land in the same account for most drivers. Sorting a full year of that by hand, one line at a time, is exactly the kind of task worth automating.

Skip the manual sort.

Statement Sorter takes the CSV export from your bank or card account and sorts it into these categories automatically, with an AI pass for transactions plain rules miss. No bank login, no signup, free while in beta.

Try it on your statement

A note on accuracy

This is a general guide, not tax advice for your specific situation, deduction rules vary and change. Review any automated categorization before you file, and check current IRS guidance or a tax preparer for anything you're unsure about.