Car logbook apps: what your accountant needs from your vehicle records
By Ben De Rosa, Managing Director, Aevum Accounting | October 2026
Key takeaways
A car logbook app is only as good as the logbook it produces. It must record everything the ATO requires, just like a paper logbook.
A logbook must cover at least 12 continuous weeks that represent your normal travel, and it can be used for up to five years.
For 2026–27, the cents per km rate is 91 cents, capped at 5,000 business km ($4,550 maximum). For 2025–26 returns, the rate is 88 cents ($4,400 maximum).
Keep your vehicle records for five years, and send your logbook, odometer readings and receipts to your accountant together.
Only cars qualify for the logbook and cents per km methods. Companies, trusts and vehicles that aren't cars use actual costs.
A car logbook app can save you hours at tax time, but only if it records what the ATO asks for. As accountants, the vehicle claims we can process quickest are the ones that arrive complete: the logbook, the odometer readings and the receipts, all in one place.
This guide is for sole traders and small business owners who use a car for work. It covers what your logbook must record, what to send us at tax time, and how to set up an app so your records are right from day one.
Why paper logbooks fall short
Paper logbooks fail for one simple reason: they rely on you stopping to write after every trip. On a busy day, that doesn't happen. Entries get filled in later from memory, odometer readings get guessed, and the purpose column says "work" for everything.
That creates two problems. Your business-use percentage may be lower than it should be, because trips were missed. Or it may be hard to support if the ATO asks how you worked it out.
A logbook app fixes most of this by recording trips in the background as you drive. You add the reason, and the app handles the dates and distances.
What must a car logbook app record?
An app is only a tool. The logbook it produces still has to meet the ATO's rules, which are the same whether you use paper, a spreadsheet or your phone (ATO: logbook method).
Table: what your logbook needs to show
Record | What it covers |
Logbook period | Start and end dates, at least 12 continuous weeks |
Odometer, whole period | Readings at the start and end, plus total km |
Each trip | Start and end date, start and end odometer, km travelled |
Trip purpose | The business reason for each trip (e.g. client visit), or that it was private |
Business-use % | Business km ÷ total km for the period |
Vehicle details | Make, model, engine capacity and rego |
Later years | Odometer readings at the start and end of each year the logbook covers |
Source: ATO logbook method page, checked October 2026.
A few points that catch people out:
The 12 weeks must be representative. Pick a period that reflects your normal travel, not a quiet patch or an unusually busy one.
One logbook lasts five years. You can rely on it for up to five years, but you still need odometer readings every year.
Two or more cars? Their logbooks must cover the same 12-week period.
Consecutive trips can be combined. Several business stops on the same day can be recorded as one journey.
Before choosing an app, check that it captures every item in the table above and can export it as a report you can send to your accountant.
What should you send your accountant at tax time?
For a logbook claim, send three things together: your logbook report, your odometer readings for the year, and your car expense records. Sending them as one package means fewer follow-up questions and a faster return.
Your tax-time vehicle checklist:
Logbook report showing the period, trips, total km and business-use percentage
Odometer readings at 1 July and 30 June for each vehicle
Fuel and oil costs (receipts, or odometer readings to estimate them)
Receipts and invoices for servicing, repairs, tyres, insurance and rego
Loan or lease documents if the vehicle is financed
Any vehicle bought or sold during the year, with the purchase or sale documents
The ATO requires you to keep these records for five years (ATO: motor vehicle expense records).
Logbook or cents per km?
If you're a sole trader or partnership (where at least one partner is an individual), you can choose between the logbook method and the cents per km method for each car. For 2026–27, the cents per km rate is 91 cents, capped at 5,000 business km, so the maximum claim is $4,550 (LI 2026/19; ATO: cents per kilometre method). If you're lodging a 2025–26 return, the rate is 88 cents, so the maximum is $4,400 (ATO: D1 work-related car expenses 2026).
If you drive more than that for work, or your car costs are high, the logbook method often gives a larger deduction. A logbook also keeps both options open: we can work out your claim both ways and use whichever is better. Companies and trusts must use the actual costs method (ATO: calculation methods).
One more check before you choose a method: is your vehicle a "car" for tax purposes? Vehicles with a carrying capacity of one tonne or more (such as some utes and vans) or a carrying capacity of nine or more passengers (including the driver) aren't cars, so they use actual costs instead (ATO: vehicles that aren't cars). A logbook-style record is still the easiest way to show your business use.
How to set up a logbook app for your 12-week period
The first week decides how useful the app will be. Ten minutes of setup now saves hours of fixing gaps later.
Add each vehicle with its make, model, engine capacity and rego.
Record your starting odometer reading on day one of the logbook period.
Turn on automatic trip tracking so trips are captured without you opening the app.
Set up purpose tags that match your work, such as "client visit", "supplier run" or "site inspection".
Review trips weekly. Confirm each one is business or private and add any missing reasons.
Snap receipts as you go for fuel, servicing and other car costs.
Record your closing odometer reading at the end of the 12 weeks, then export the report.
Set a calendar reminder for 30 June and 1 July each year to record your odometer readings, even when you aren't keeping a new logbook.
A logbook app to consider: CarSavvy
The CarSavvy logbook app is an Australian app built for sole traders, tradies and small businesses. It tracks trips automatically using your phone's GPS and motion sensors, and it can use your car's Bluetooth to tell which car you're in.
Features worth knowing about:
Automatic trip tracking: Drive Detection records every trip, business and personal, without you opening the app.
Auto-classification: set your work schedule, and trips during business hours are classified as business, so there's less manual sorting. Each trip still needs checking and its reason recorded, as the ATO needs the reason for every business trip.
Custom purpose tags to record why each trip was made.
AI-powered Quick Capture for fuel receipts and other car expenses, stored alongside your trips.
Exportable reports (CSV) with each trip's date, distance and reason, odometer readings where you've entered them, and your business-use percentage, ready to send to your accountant. Before you rely on it, check the report against the table above and add anything it doesn't cover, such as your odometer readings for the start and end of the logbook period.
Reminders for rego, insurance and servicing.
Nationwide fuel finder to help you find the cheapest fuel near you.
Until CarSavvy's reports include them, you can record the logbook period dates, the start and end odometer readings, the engine capacity and the odometer readings for later years in its free logbook template.
For examples of what to write as the reason for each trip, see CarSavvy's post on logbook trip purpose examples, which includes tips from us.
CarSavvy has a free plan that includes 15 trips a month and unlimited expense records. Paid plans with unlimited trips are listed on the CarSavvy pricing page. (CarSavvy pricing). The free plan suits light use, but most people keeping a full logbook will need unlimited trips.
Aevum client offer
Aevum clients get CarSavvy Basic for $50 (incl. GST) for the first year with code AEVUM50, normally $61.20 a year. The offer ends 23 April 2027, and the full terms are at the end of this article.
Your code: AEVUM50
How to redeem:
Download CarSavvy and create an account.
Start the free trial.
Subscribe on the web portal at portal.carsavvy.app with the same phone number or email, choose the annual Basic plan, and enter AEVUM50 before checkout.
The code can't be used in the phone app, so make sure you subscribe on the web portal.
Frequently asked questions
Does the ATO accept logbooks kept in an app?
Yes, if the logbook contains everything the ATO requires. The ATO's rules are about what the logbook records, not whether it's on paper or in an app. Check that your app captures every item in the table above, including odometer readings and vehicle details.
Is any logbook app "ATO approved"?
Be cautious of that label. The ATO sets out what a logbook must contain, and that's the test that counts. Whichever app you use, check the report it produces against the checklist above.
Can I start a logbook app partway through the year?
Yes, as long as you can fit 12 continuous weeks in the same income year and they represent your usual travel. The ATO only lets a logbook run into the next year if your business use started less than 12 weeks before 30 June. So if you're past early April, talk to your accountant first.
Do I need a new logbook every year?
No. A logbook is valid for five years, though you can start a new one at any time, for example if your work travel changes. You still need to record your odometer readings at the start and end of each year.
What if I forget to record some trips?
Add them as soon as you notice, with the best details you have. Automatic tracking reduces this risk, which is one of the main reasons to use an app rather than paper.
The bottom line
A logbook app makes good records easy, but it's the records that count. Make sure your app captures everything the ATO asks for, set it up properly on day one, and send us the full package at tax time.
Not sure whether the logbook or cents per km method will give you a better result? Contact the Aevum Accounting team in Perth and we'll work it out with you, or see our business accounting services.
This article is general information only and doesn't consider your personal circumstances. Speak to a registered tax agent about your situation. Information current as of October 2026.
Sources
ATO, Logbook method (accessed October 2026)
ATO, Cents per kilometre method (accessed October 2026)
ATO, D1 Work-related car expenses 2026 (accessed October 2026)
ATO, Motor vehicle expense calculation methods (accessed October 2026)
ATO, Motor vehicle expense records you need to keep (accessed October 2026)
ATO, Expenses for a vehicle that isn't yours or isn't a car (accessed October 2026)
ATO Legal Database, LI 2026/19 Cents per Kilometre Deduction Rate Determination 2026 (accessed October 2026)
AEVUM50 offer terms
This offer is exclusive to Aevum Accounting clients.
The code AEVUM50 gives you the CarSavvy Basic plan for $50 (incl. GST) for your first year when you pay annually. The usual annual price is $61.20 (incl. GST).
Valid for sign-ups from Friday 23 October 2026 to Friday 23 April 2027. You must enter the code before it expires.
To redeem, download the CarSavvy app, create your account and start your free trial, then head to portal.carsavvy.app to pay for an annual Basic subscription and enter the code at checkout. The code can't be entered in the CarSavvy app.
The code is for new subscribers only. It can't be used if you already have a paid CarSavvy plan, or on subscriptions bought through the iPhone App Store.
Applies to the annual Basic plan only. It can't be used with monthly billing or the Premium plan, and doesn't include additional team members.
After your first year, your plan renews at $61.20 a year (incl. GST) unless you cancel before your renewal date. Your checkout page may show a higher price for later years, but you'll be charged $61.20.
One code per account. It can't be combined with any other offer, transferred, or exchanged for cash.
The CarSavvy Forever Free plan remains available if you'd rather not upgrade.
CarSavvy's standard terms of service and privacy policy apply.
CarSavvy helps you keep vehicle records but doesn't provide tax advice. Speak to your accountant about your claim.
Keeping accurate vehicle records throughout the year can save a lot of hassle when tax time rolls around. A good car logbook app makes it easier to track business kilometres, fuel costs, servicing and other expenses without relying on scattered receipts or handwritten notes. Even details about selling an old vehicle, such as using cash for scrap cars dandenong, can be worth keeping alongside your financial records. Having everything organised gives your accountant a clearer picture of your vehicle expenses and helps avoid missing important deductions. It is much easier to stay on top of things when the information is recorded as you go rather than trying to piece it all together at the end of the financial year.