Bridge tolls and parking: what IRS Publication 463 says
Updated October 19, 2026. Educational, not tax advice.
Bay Area driving comes with bridge tolls and city parking. IRS Publication 463 covers both.
On top of the standard mileage rate
“In addition to using the standard mileage rate, you can deduct any business-related parking fees and tolls. (Parking fees you pay to park your car at your place of work are nondeductible commuting expenses.)”
If you use actual expenses instead, Publication 463 lists tolls and parking fees among actual car expenses, so you don’t count them twice.
Which parking counts
Publication 463: “Fees you pay to park your car at your place of business are nondeductible commuting expenses. You can, however, deduct business-related parking fees when visiting a customer or client.” Tickets are a different thing: Publication 463 says “You can’t deduct fines you pay or collateral you forfeit for traffic violations,” so keep them out of your toll and parking total.
Records
A toll is only as good as the trip it belongs to. Keep the FasTrak statement or receipt, and make sure the same trip is in your mileage log with its business purpose (see mileage records). A bridge toll on a drive from home to your first pickup may follow the commuting rule, not the business one — see business vs. commuting.
Want this on paper? The $12 Tax & Mileage Kit has a 2026 rate table and a monthly summary that handle the July 1 rate change, a printable weekly mileage log, a receipt checklist, and questions to bring to your tax pro. Buy it on Gumroad.
IRS sources
- IRS Publication 463 (2025), chapter 4: Parking fees and tolls; Commuting expenses; Actual Car Expenses — https://www.irs.gov/publications/p463
- Publication 463 (PDF) — https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p463.pdf
Educational, not tax advice. Rules depend on your facts. Confirm with a CPA or enrolled agent and with the IRS sources below.