A work van or truck belongs on Form 4562, form 4562, carried to schedule c line 13.
Why form 4562
A vehicle you bought is depreciated on Form 4562, in the listed property section, and only the total reaches Schedule C line 13; the running costs are a different line. The fork that matters is your method: if you use the standard mileage rate, there is no separate depreciation at all, because the rate already includes it and the whole vehicle deduction goes on line 9. If you use actual expenses, fuel, insurance and repairs go on line 9 and the capital cost comes through Form 4562 to line 13, limited by business use percentage and, for passenger vehicles, by the annual depreciation caps.
Stop looking up lines one at a time. ClaryBook totals your year into an IRS Schedule C worksheet in form order, Part I and Part II line by line, so a work van or truck lands on Line 4562 without you sorting it.
Start for freeWhat a work van or truck is confused with
- Line 9, car and truck expenses
- Choose once: the standard mileage rate puts everything on line 9 with no depreciation, while the actual expense method splits running costs to line 9 and capital cost to line 13.
- Line 13, depreciation and section 179 expense deduction
- Line 13 carries the total, but a vehicle is listed property, so Form 4562 Part V has to be completed with mileage and business use percentage.
- Line 20a, rent or lease of vehicles, machinery and equipment
- A leased van is rent on line 20a, subject to the lease inclusion rules, and is never depreciated by you.
Examples that belong on form 4562
- A 38,000 dollar cargo van used 100 percent for a plumbing business
- A pickup used 75 percent for business, giving a 75 percent share of basis
- A van with a permanent shelving fit-out and no seating behind the driver
- A used box truck bought for 22,000 dollars and placed in service in July
- A second vehicle kept exclusively for job-site runs
What does not belong here
- Depreciating a vehicle while also claiming the standard mileage rate
- Fuel, insurance, tyres and repairs, which are line 9 under the actual expense method
- Commuting miles between home and a regular workplace
- The loan payments, since the deduction follows basis and not cash flow
The limit that applies
Vehicles are listed property: Form 4562 Part V is required, luxury auto depreciation caps apply to passenger vehicles and are indexed annually, and some heavier or purpose-built work vehicles fall outside those caps.
What to keep
Keep a contemporaneous mileage log with business and total miles, the purchase documents, and the date placed in service. Listed property without a mileage log is the deduction most often lost on examination.
Other expenses on form 4562
| Expense | Line |
|---|---|
| a new roof on a business building | Form 4562 |
| a used machine bought second hand | Form 4562 |
| a website build | Form 4562 |
| buying a business vehicle | Form 4562 |
| expensing or capitalising a purchase | Form 4562 |
| improvements to a rented studio | Form 4562 |
| legal fees to buy property or defend title | Form 4562 |
| sales tax paid on a capital asset | Form 4562 |
| workshop machinery such as a 3D printer | Form 4562 |
Related lookups
- Where does business mileage go on Schedule C?
- Where does capex go on Schedule C?
- Where do car lease payments go on Schedule C?
Sources
This page explains how Schedule C lines work. It is general information, not tax advice for your situation. If an expense is large or the answer turns on a fact about your business, confirm it with your tax preparer.
Looking for a different expense? The full Schedule C line lookup has every line from 8 to 27 with the expenses that belong on each, and Schedule C expense categories walks the whole form in order.
Stop looking up lines one at a time. ClaryBook totals your year into an IRS Schedule C worksheet in form order, Part I and Part II line by line, so a work van or truck lands on Line 4562 without you sorting it.
Start for free