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What is the driving deduction?

Aske Buemann

CEO & Co-founder

Deduction for driving

The driving deduction is one of the most widely used deductions. Every year, more than DKK 25 billion is reported to SKAT in driving deductions, according to a study by the think tank Cepos, making it the largest single deduction that you can report yourself.

That's why it's a good idea to make sure you're getting everything and reporting it correctly. Because even though the deduction dates back to 1959, it changes every year.

In this article we will go through:

  • What the deduction is
  • What information you need to get it
  • Other conditions to be aware of

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The driving deduction is a deduction you can get if you have more than 12 km to your workplace

What is the driving deduction?

The driving deduction is a deduction you can get if you have more than 12 km to your workplace. It applies to all means of transport, so it doesn't matter if you drive, cycle, use public transport or something else entirely. It is also sometimes called the 'commuting allowance'.

It is introduced to help people with the expenses needed to have a job. So the longer you have to work, the bigger the deduction you can get. At the same time, there are different allowances if, for example, you cross certain bridges on the way to work, such as the Storebælt and Øresund bridges, or live in certain municipalities.

To calculate your deduction, use

  • The distance to his workplace
  • Number of days driven to work during the year
  • Whether you are entitled to an additional supplement

How do I calculate the distance to my work?

It sounds like a simple question. But there are actually several things to be aware of that might increase your deductions.

The most important thing is that you don't have to take the shortest route to work. That is, if you take a different route because it's faster or safer, for example, that's the distance you need to enter. This also means that the distance that SKAT's TastSelv calculates for you is only indicative and not necessarily the right one for you.

If you cycle or take public transport, you should also pay attention here. In that case, you should actually use the route you would use as a car driver. This can be to your advantage because, for example, on a bicycle you can use cycle paths, which often make the distance shorter. One way to find the distance by car is to use a mapping service such as Google Maps.

How do I calculate the number of days in a year?

Another question that should have a simple answer. But what if you work part-time, have had a period of illness, have worked from home or have changed jobs during the year?

You must indicate the number of days you actually drove to work. This means that if you have had days when you did not go to work because of illness, working from home, etc., you should not count these days.

To keep it simple, SKAT itself uses 216 days per year for normal full-time employees. This equates to 6 weeks holiday and 6-8 other days of sickness, training etc. If you have an agreement to work from home one day a week, have worked part-time or similar, you have to calculate the number of days yourself.

What else should you be aware of?

The driving deduction has several other conditions, the most important of which are:

  • You cannot get a deduction if your employer pays for your transport, for example if you have a company car at your disposal
  • You can't get a deduction if you drive to and from your studies
  • You can't get a deduction if you drive to and from unpaid work experience
  • If you live in a so-called "peripheral municipality", you may be able to get higher deductions

See if you can get a tax refund in just 15 minutes.

In TaxHelper, we help you find the deductions you're entitled to. You answer a few simple questions that take just 15 minutes to complete.

Then we report the deductions, and you get an extra DKK 2,704 back in tax. At the same time, you only pay if you get a tax saving.

Start here

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