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Free vehicle log book template

Free vehicle log book template (PDF). Record date, driver, odometer, kilometres, business or private use and fuel for the ATO 12-week logbook.

Updated 4 June 2026

Vehicle Log Book

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Trip log: odometer, kilometres, purpose and fuel

#DateDriverOdo startOdo endKmB / PFuel (L / $)Purpose / destination
e.g.12/03/2024S. Carter3,1203,1203,120---
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The PDF includes all 28 numbered rows, ready to print or fill on screen.

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These templates are free general guides provided as-is. They do not constitute legal, safety or compliance advice. You are responsible for ensuring any form meets your specific workplace obligations, industry standards and applicable regulations.

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Jarrod Milford

Jarrod Milford

Co-Founder & Commercial Director

Updated 4 June 2026
Also see:Ute and Van Tracking →GPS and fleet tracking →Best fleet management software (AU) →MapTrack vs Fleetio →

Short answer

A vehicle log book records each trip: date, driver, odometer at start and end, kilometres, business or private purpose and fuel added, with a period total of business use. Sole traders and fleet managers record every trip at the time of travel. For the ATO logbook method, a logbook usually covers 12 continuous weeks and generally lasts five years, with business use estimated yearly; employer cars follow FBT rules.

Checked against ATO: logbook method (Web guidance, last updated 19 June 2024) on by the MapTrack templates team. How we check templates

Key takeaways

  • The MapTrack vehicle log book template has 8 columns and room for 28 entries. Columns: Date, Driver, Odo start, Odo end, Km, B / P, Fuel (L / $), Purpose / destination.
  • A vehicle log book records each trip: date, driver, odometer start and end, kilometres, business or private purpose and fuel added.
  • For the ATO 12-week logbook method, keep the book continuously for 12 weeks to set a business-use percentage usable for up to 5 years.
  • Recording fuel alongside trips lets the same book double as a usage and running-cost record, not just an FBT document.
  • Enter each trip at the time of travel from the actual odometer reading; reconstructing a log book from memory will not survive an ATO review.

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Used by construction, mining and field service teams

Saunders InternationalMineral ResourcesSupagasHacer GroupMetro TunnelUltrabuilt

What is a vehicle log book template?

A vehicle log book is a trip-by-trip record of how a vehicle is used. For each journey it captures the date, the driver, the odometer reading at the start and end, the kilometres travelled, whether the trip was for business or private purpose, and the fuel added. A period summary totals business and private kilometres and calculates the business-use percentage. It is the canonical 'log book' that supports the ATO logbook method for vehicle deductions and Fringe Benefits Tax, while doubling as a plain record of who used a vehicle, when and how far.

Fleet managers, sole traders and tradespeople use a vehicle log book to substantiate business use, monitor utilisation and keep an honest record of driver activity, fuel and distance. In Australia, the ATO logbook method requires a continuous 12-week log book that establishes a representative business-use percentage, which can then be applied for up to five years if the pattern of use does not change. The WHS Act 2011 also expects work vehicles to be kept safe, and odometer records from the log book support distance-based service scheduling. In MapTrack, trips and odometer readings can be captured against each vehicle on a phone, so the log book builds itself and a business-use report can be produced for any date range without rekeying paper.

Learn more about GPS and fleet tracking in MapTrack.

Keeping log books for a whole fleet? Our guide to fleet management software in Australia compares the main options for vehicles and plant.

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Benefits of using this vehicle log book template

  • ATO logbook ready: a continuous 12-week record substantiates the business-use percentage for the logbook method and FBT.
  • Trip-level accountability: date, driver and purpose against every journey show exactly who used a vehicle and why.
  • Usage and cost in one place: recording fuel alongside kilometres turns the book into a running-cost and efficiency record.
  • Accurate distance: start and end odometer per trip gives a defensible kilometre figure rather than an estimate.
  • Service planning: odometer readings captured in the log feed distance-based service intervals for the vehicle.
  • Audit confidence: a contemporaneous, signed log book stands up to an ATO review where a reconstructed one will not.
  • Private-use visibility: classifying each trip exposes unauthorised private use and supports fair cost recovery.

Benefits of digitising forms in MapTrack

When you move your logs from paper to MapTrack, you get:

  • Field users can easily scan a QR code to complete a form on mobile. Unlimited users.
  • Email the right people when a form is submitted, with an automation you set up.
  • File every completed form against the asset, location or person it covers.
  • Download any completed form as a PDF, with failed answers listed at the top.
  • Fill in forms offline; they upload when the device is back online.
  • Build conditional logic (show or hide questions based on answers).
  • Take pictures or attach photos. Not possible with a paper-based form.
  • Electronic signatures.
  • Edit forms later without reprinting.
  • Set who can view, fill in or edit forms with user roles.
  • Upload a paper form (PDF, Word, Excel or a photo) and MapTrack's AI builds a digital version for you to check.
  • Schedule services by odometer, engine hours or date for every vehicle.
  • Keep fuel receipts and service records with each vehicle's inspections.
  • Record repair costs on each work order against the vehicle.

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Intuitive for field crews

“MapTrack's a great platform - intuitive for the guys out in the field and also has fantastic support.”
Supagas

Matthew Anderson

Maintenance Planning Supervisor, Supagas

What to include in a vehicle log book template

This vehicle log book template covers 11 key areas:

  • Vehicle details: registration, make and model, fleet number and the assigned driver.
  • Log book period: the start and end dates of the continuous period being recorded.
  • Trip date: the date each journey took place.
  • Driver: the name of the person who drove the vehicle for that trip.
  • Odometer start: the reading taken before the trip begins.
  • Odometer end: the reading taken on arrival, used to derive the distance.
  • Kilometres: the distance for the trip, calculated as end minus start.
  • Purpose: the destination or reason for the trip, in enough detail to justify it.
  • Business or private: a classification of each trip for the business-use calculation.
  • Fuel added: litres and cost where fuel was purchased during or for the trip.
  • Period summary: total kilometres, business kilometres, private kilometres and the business-use percentage.

How to use this vehicle log book template

  1. Record the vehicle details and the start of the log book period.: Enter the registration, make, model, fleet number and assigned driver, then note the date and opening odometer reading that begins the period. For the ATO logbook method this is the start of the continuous 12-week record, so set it deliberately.
  2. Read the odometer before each trip and record the start figure.: Take the odometer reading from the dashboard before the vehicle moves and write the exact figure in the start column. Doing this at the time of travel, rather than reconstructing it later, is what makes the log book defensible if the ATO reviews it.
  3. On arrival, record the end odometer and calculate the kilometres.: Enter the odometer reading at the end of the trip and subtract the start figure to get the distance travelled. Record it in the kilometres column straight away while the reading is in front of you rather than estimating it from memory afterwards.
  4. Note the purpose and classify the trip as business or private.: Write the destination or a clear reason for the journey, such as client site visit or depot to job, and mark it business or private. The ATO requires this classification for every trip to support the business-use percentage under the logbook method.
  5. Record any fuel added against the trip.: When fuel is purchased, record the litres and the cost in the fuel column. Keeping fuel in the same book means the log doubles as a running-cost and efficiency record, useful well beyond the FBT calculation it was started for.
  6. At the end of the period, total the kilometres and calculate business use.: Sum all trip distances for the period, separate business from private kilometres, and divide business kilometres by the total to get the business-use percentage. The driver signs the completed book, the fleet manager reviews and countersigns, and the record is retained for the required period.

In MapTrack, you can track your fleet with GPS and digital pre-starts. Each submission is stored as a timestamped PDF against the asset record.

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How often should you complete this log?

Record every trip at the time of travel, not from memory afterwards. For the ATO logbook method, keep the log book continuously for a representative 12-week period; that percentage then applies for up to five years unless the vehicle changes driver, primary use or location, in which case a new 12-week period is needed. Total the period and calculate business use at the end of each logbook period, and retain the record for at least five years from the relevant return. In MapTrack, trips and odometer readings are captured against the vehicle automatically, so a logbook report for any date range is available without rekeying.

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Frequently asked questions

A vehicle log book is a trip-by-trip record of how a vehicle is used. For each journey it captures the date, the driver, the odometer reading at the start and end, the kilometres travelled, whether the trip was business or private, and any fuel added. A period summary totals the kilometres and calculates the business-use percentage. It is the document that supports the ATO logbook method while also serving as a plain record of vehicle usage, driver activity and fuel.

The two overlap, but the emphasis differs. A vehicle mileage log focuses on distance, recording odometer readings and kilometres trip by trip. A vehicle log book is the named ATO artefact for the logbook method: it adds explicit business or private classification and a fuel column, and it is built to establish and substantiate a business-use percentage over a continuous 12-week period. If your goal is FBT or the logbook method, use the log book; if you only need distance tracking, the mileage log is lighter.

Under the ATO logbook method, you keep a vehicle log book continuously for a representative 12-week period, recording each trip with odometer readings, purpose and a business or private classification. From that period you calculate a business-use percentage. That percentage can then be applied for up to five years, provided the vehicle pattern of use does not change materially. If the driver, primary use or location changes, a new 12-week log book period must be started, and records are retained for at least five years.

Record an entry for every trip, at the time of travel, taking the odometer readings from the dashboard rather than reconstructing them later. For the ATO logbook method the recording must be continuous across the full 12-week period. Many operators keep the log book running beyond the minimum for ongoing usage, fuel and cost analysis. Total the period and calculate the business-use percentage at the end of each logbook period, and retain the completed book for at least five years.

Yes. Download and use the vehicle log book template for free: it downloads as a PDF you can print to complete by hand in the vehicle. No account is required, and it works for a single ute or a whole fleet. If you would rather capture trips and odometer readings automatically and generate a logbook report for any date range, MapTrack can do that. Book a demo to see how it replaces the paper book.

Each logbook is valid for five years, and you can start a new one at any time. If you set your business-use percentage from a logbook kept in an earlier year, the ATO requires you to keep that logbook and to keep recording odometer readings in the following years. Start a new logbook sooner if your circumstances change; the ATO's own example is a change in the type of work your business does. If you use the method for two or more cars, each car's logbook must cover the same 12-week period, chosen to be representative of how all of them are used.

For each journey: the reason for it, described as the business purpose or noted as private use; the start and end date; the odometer reading at the start and at the end; and the kilometres travelled. The logbook as a whole also records the car's make, model, engine capacity and registration number, the business-use percentage for the logbook period, and the odometer readings at the start and end of each later income year the logbook is used for. Keep it in the vehicle so the readings come straight off the dashboard at the time, not from memory afterwards.

No. The ATO states the logbook method is only for sole traders or partnerships claiming expenses for a car. A car an employer provides to an employee is dealt with under fringe benefits tax instead, and the ATO's FBT guide for employers describes its own logbook records: maintained by or on behalf of the employee, usually over a 12-week period, with odometer records covering that same 12 weeks and the total distance travelled in the year, plus the car's make, model, registration number and business-use percentage. Whichever regime applies, the trip-level record looks much the same, which is why one log book format serves both.

Yes. The columns suit any registered vehicle, including a car, ute, van or motorbike: date, driver, odometer start and end, kilometres, business or private use, fuel in litres or dollars, and purpose or destination. Keep one log book per vehicle so the odometer readings run in sequence. If you are using it for the ATO logbook method, check the ATO's current rules for your vehicle before you start.

Applicable regulatory standards

This template is a starting point. Check the current requirements that apply to your equipment, work and location. The template alone does not establish compliance.

  • Logbook method (deductions for motor vehicle expenses)

    Edition: Web guidance, last updated 19 June 2024

    Explains the usual 12-week logbook, its general five-year reuse and the exceptions, for sole traders and some partnerships claiming car expenses.

    Australian Taxation Office

  • Income Tax Assessment Act 1997

    Edition: Compilation C2026C00471, effective 2026-10-01, registered 2026-10-20; current as at 2026-10-26 (Federal Register of Legislation)

    The log book method of working out car expense deductions, and the rules for keeping the log book.

    • Subdiv 28-F: The log book method of working out car expense deductions.
    • Subdiv 28-G: Rules for keeping a log book, including choosing the 12 week period.

    Commonwealth of Australia (Federal Register of Legislation)

  • Fringe Benefits Tax Assessment Act 1986

    Edition: Compilation C2026C00332, effective 2026-07-01, registered 2026-07-24; current as at 2026-10-26 (Federal Register of Legislation)

    For cars provided to employees: log book and odometer records for business use, and the log book period.

    • s 10A: Operating cost reduces for business use in a log book year only if log book and odometer records are kept.
    • s 162H: Sets the applicable log book period for a car.

    Commonwealth of Australia (Federal Register of Legislation)

  • Taxable value of a car fringe benefit

    Edition: Web guidance, last updated 6 March 2025

    ATO guidance on the statutory formula and operating cost methods for car fringe benefits.

    Australian Taxation Office

Each source was read at its publisher and the page checked on 26 October 2026. The publisher's current text is the authority.

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Vehicle log book template preview

Vehicle log book template template preview showing fields and layout

The numbers behind this vehicle log book template

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Run an industry blog, trade association site, or training resource? Drop a preview of this free vehicle log book template straight into your page. The snippet is self-contained, needs no scripts, and links readers back to the full free template.

<div style="max-width:480px;font-family:system-ui,-apple-system,'Segoe UI',Roboto,sans-serif;border:1px solid #E5E7EB;border-radius:12px;padding:20px;background:#ffffff;">
  <p style="font-size:12px;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0.05em;text-transform:uppercase;color:#071D49;margin:0;">Free template</p>
  <p style="font-size:18px;font-weight:700;color:#071D49;margin:6px 0 0;">Vehicle log book template</p>
  <ul style="margin:12px 0 0;padding-left:18px;color:#374151;font-size:14px;line-height:1.6;">
    <li style="margin:4px 0;">Vehicle details: registration, make and model, fleet number and the assigned driver.</li>
    <li style="margin:4px 0;">Log book period: the start and end dates of the continuous period being recorded.</li>
    <li style="margin:4px 0;">Trip date: the date each journey took place.</li>
    <li style="margin:4px 0;">Driver: the name of the person who drove the vehicle for that trip.</li>
    <li style="margin:4px 0;">Odometer start: the reading taken before the trip begins.</li>
    <li style="margin:4px 0;">Odometer end: the reading taken on arrival, used to derive the distance.</li>
  </ul>
  <p style="font-size:13px;color:#6B7280;margin:14px 0 0;padding-top:12px;border-top:1px solid #E5E7EB;">Free <a href="https://www.maptrack.com/templates/vehicle-log-book-template" style="color:#071D49;font-weight:600;text-decoration:none;">Vehicle log book template</a> by MapTrack</p>
</div>

Free to reuse, including commercially. This template is published under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. Copy it, adapt it, put it on your own site or in your own docs. All we ask is that you credit MapTrack with a link back to this page. The snippet above already includes that credit, so if you use it as-is you’re covered.

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The MapTrack vehicle log book template has 8 columns and room for 28 entries.

Short attribution
MapTrack Vehicle log book template, https://www.maptrack.com/templates/vehicle-log-book-template
Reference list
MapTrack. (2026). Vehicle log book template [Checklist template]. Retrieved from https://www.maptrack.com/templates/vehicle-log-book-template

Free to reuse with credit under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. If you’d rather link straight to it, the page is https://www.maptrack.com/templates/vehicle-log-book-template.

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