What if you deduct more than the usual 10%? Discover how the actual expenses method can turn your daily commute into a real lever to reduce your taxes.
In France, the legislator assumes that a person earning a salary does not fully benefit from it, as they must cover work-related expenses (fuel, food, clothing, etc.). That is why annual income is granted a 10% allowance.
However, there is another calculation method that can be more advantageous for the taxpayer: the so-called actual expenses method. This involves deducting from taxable income the professional expenses incurred.
These amounts must actually be spent, and the taxpayer must keep all receipts. Note that if you are married or in a civil partnership (PACS), one partner can choose the actual expenses method while the other takes the 10% allowance.
Since 2012, taxpayers are no longer required to submit all receipts (invoices, mileage logs, etc.) when filing their tax return. However, you must be able to present them if the tax authorities request them.
Tip: make sure to keep all receipts for at least three full years after the declaration year, as the tax authorities have the right to audit your return up to the end of the third year following the year in which the tax is due (3 years + 1 year of the tax year).
Non-exhaustive list of deductible actual expenses
All professional expenses related to your work activity can be deducted:
- Clothing specific to the profession (lawyer’s robes, work shoes, lab coats, white shirts in the hospitality sector, etc.)
- Office expenses, IT equipment (check limits)
- Parking fees, tolls related to work (receipts required for deduction)
- Travel expenses by taxi, plane, or train if undertaken for professional purposes
- Purchase of a bicycle
- Documentation expenses related to your activity (books, subscriptions to professional journals, etc.)
- Moving expenses
- Dry cleaning
- Training costs
Note that actual expenses must be paid between January 1 and December 31 of the tax year. An invoice issued in late December but paid in January counts for the following year.
Mileage expenses: rules and limits
There is a mileage allowance scale that takes into account fuel costs, vehicle depreciation, and the vehicle’s fiscal horsepower.
You can deduct the full distance traveled, up to a limit of 40 km each way (80 km round-trip). For example, if you live 60 km from work, the tax authorities will only consider 40 km; the remaining 20 km are at your own expense.
Additionally, the tax authorities generally allow one round-trip per day, but may accept other trips if you can justify special circumstances:
- Urgent health or family reasons (children’s schooling, disabled child, etc.)
- Difficulty finding a job closer to home
- Precarious employment (temporary work, fixed-term contract)
- Your spouse’s employment if they work in the opposite direction
How to calculate the deduction using the mileage scale
Mileage expense calculation:
Number of working days per year × number of kilometers traveled for your annual round-trip commute (home/work) = Result.
You then apply the mileage scale published each year by the tax authorities. This scale depends on the vehicle’s fiscal horsepower (capped at 7 CV) and the total annual distance traveled.
Mileage scale applicable to cars (in €)
| Fiscal horsepower (CV) | Distance (d) up to 5,000 km | Distance (d) 5,001–20,000 km | Distance (d) beyond 20,000 km |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 CV or less | d × 0.529 | (d × 0.316) + 1,065 | d × 0.370 |
| 4 CV | d × 0.606 | (d × 0.340) + 1,330 | d × 0.407 |
| 5 CV | d × 0.636 | (d × 0.357) + 1,395 | d × 0.427 |
| 6 CV | d × 0.665 | (d × 0.374) + 1,457 | d × 0.447 |
| 7 CV or more | d × 0.697 | (d × 0.394) + 1,515 | d × 0.470 |
Moreover, if you use an electric vehicle, travel expenses are increased by 20%.
