Industries
Bookkeeping for car rental businesses
Fleet-level books for independent car rental companies and peer-to-peer hosts. Every vehicle tracked: rental income, platform fees, financing, insurance, repairs and depreciation, so you know which cars earn their keep.
Monthly bookkeeping starting at $97 a month.
Car rental bookkeeping problems I see
- Platform payouts recorded net, hiding fees
- Car loan payments recorded fully as expenses
- No profit number per vehicle
- Vehicles bought and sold with no depreciation records
- Damage claims and insurance payouts recorded wrong
- Rental taxes collected but not tracked
Who I work with
Independent car rental companies, peer-to-peer hosts on platforms such as Turo, and small fleets of vans, trucks or specialty vehicles.
What's included
- Each vehicle tracked as its own class, with its own profit and loss
- Platform payouts recorded gross, with fees as expenses
- Loan payments split into interest and principal
- Insurance, repairs, cleaning, tolls and parking assigned to vehicles
- Vehicle purchases and sales recorded for depreciation and gain or loss
- Damage claims and reimbursements tracked
- Rental-related taxes you collect tracked separately
Depreciation
Cars and light trucks are generally 5-year property, and passenger vehicles can have special limits. Good records for each vehicle make the return right.
Local rental taxes
Many states and cities add taxes or fees on vehicle rentals. Rules vary, so I flag what applies.
Profit for one vehicle
One SUV for a year.
| Rental income (gross) | $24,000 |
| Platform and processing fees | -$4,800 |
| Insurance, repairs, cleaning | -$6,200 |
| Loan interest | -$1,300 |
| Profit before depreciation | $11,700 |
Made-up numbers. Loan principal isn't an expense; depreciation is figured separately.
How it works
- 1
Free call
We go over your fleet, platforms and financing.
- 2
Setup
Each vehicle set up as a class; platform reports matched to payouts.
- 3
Monthly close
Books closed by the 7th, with profit by vehicle.
- 4
Year end
Vehicle records and a tax-ready package.
What I need from you
- A vehicle list with purchase dates, prices and loans
- Platform earnings reports and payout statements
- Insurance and financing statements
- Access to your accounting software and bank feeds
Documents go through my secure client portal, never email.
Car rental questions
Is peer-to-peer car sharing a business?
It usually is when you rent regularly to make a profit. Income and expenses are then reported as a business, which is why per-vehicle books matter.
Do I record the platform payout or the trip price?
The trip price, as gross income, with the platform's fees as an expense. Your platform's annual tax summary should match.
What happens when I sell a car?
The sale price is compared with the car's adjusted basis (cost minus depreciation), which can create a taxable gain. Good records make that easy.
Can you help with rental taxes?
I track what you collect and flag the filings that apply. Rules depend on your state and city.
See which cars earn their keep
Book a free call, or send a message about your business.