California Workers’ Comp Mileage Calculator 2026
Estimate medical and medical-legal travel reimbursement using the official rate for the travel date. Total identical trips and add parking or bridge toll expenses while keeping the mileage calculation private in your browser.
Calculate California workers’ comp mileage
How the California medical mileage calculation works
California DWC states that an injured worker is entitled to reimbursement of reasonable transportation expenses when travel is required to obtain treatment for a work injury. Eligible transportation expenses can include mileage, parking, and bridge tolls. The mileage rate is selected by the date of travel, not the date of injury.
The calculator rounds the mileage subtotal to cents, adds the parking and toll figures entered, and shows each component separately. It does not decide whether the claims administrator accepts the trip, route, mileage, or supporting evidence.
California workers’ comp mileage rates for 2026
| Eligible travel date | Official rate | 50-mile example |
|---|---|---|
| On or after July 1, 2026 | 76¢ per mile | $38.00 |
| January 1–June 30, 2026 | 72.5¢ per mile | $36.25 |
| January 1–December 31, 2025 | 70¢ per mile | $35.00 |
| January 1–December 31, 2024 | 67¢ per mile | $33.50 |
| January 1–December 31, 2023 | 65.5¢ per mile | $32.75 |
Travel and expenses that may qualify
DWC’s benefits page identifies reasonable travel to and from doctors, hospitals, therapy, and pharmacies. DWC rate announcements also identify medical-legal travel. The connection to the work injury and the reasonableness of the transportation expense still matter.
Examples to document
- Treating-doctor and specialist appointments
- Hospital or authorized therapy visits
- Pharmacy trips connected to treatment
- Qualifying medical-legal evaluations
- Parking charges and bridge tolls for eligible travel
Examples using the 2026 rates
32 miles in August
32 miles × $0.76 produces $24.32 in mileage reimbursement before any eligible parking or bridge toll.
12 trips of 18 miles
216 total miles × $0.76 produces $164.16 for otherwise eligible travel after July 1.
50 miles and $14.50 extra
$38.00 mileage + $10 parking + $4.50 bridge toll produces an estimated $52.50.
What to record before submitting a request
A useful mileage log should allow the claims administrator to connect every entry to the treatment or evaluation. Record each date, origin, destination, travel purpose, and round-trip mileage. Keep appointment evidence and any parking or bridge-toll receipts.
- Choose the official form for the travel period. DWC provides separate forms when rates change.
- List trips rather than submitting only a total. Preserve dates, destinations, purposes, and miles.
- Check the arithmetic. Separate mileage from parking and bridge tolls.
- Keep a complete copy. Retain the completed form, attachments, and evidence showing when and where it was sent.
Frequently asked questions
What is the California workers’ comp mileage rate from July 1, 2026?
The official rate is 76 cents per mile for otherwise eligible medical and medical-legal travel on or after July 1, 2026.
What rate applies from January through June 2026?
The official rate is 72.5 cents per mile for eligible travel from January 1 through June 30, 2026.
Does the injury date control the mileage rate?
No. DWC states that the travel date controls, regardless of the injury date.
Should the mileage field include the return trip?
Enter the total reimbursable miles for the trip. If the eligible travel includes going to and returning from the destination, include both directions once; do not double a distance that already represents the round trip.
Can I add parking and tolls?
DWC identifies parking and bridge tolls as reasonable transportation expenses that can be reimbursable. Enter the actual amounts separately and preserve receipts. The calculator does not decide eligibility.
Can I combine June and July trips in one calculation?
Not accurately under one rate. Calculate each rate period separately and use the official form appropriate to each travel date.
Is the calculator an official reimbursement request?
No. It is an independent worksheet. Download and complete the current DWC medical mileage expense form and follow the claim’s submission instructions.
Official sources
- California DWC workers’ compensation benefits — eligible transportation categories and historical mileage rates.
- DWC July 2026 mileage announcement — 76 cents per mile from July 1, 2026, regardless of injury date.
- DWC January 2026 mileage announcement — 72.5 cents per mile from January 1, 2026.
- DWC medical mileage expense forms — current and historical English/Spanish forms by travel period.
Method last reviewed: August 25, 2026. Report a possible rate, source, or calculation issue through the contact page.