The California Division of Workers’ Compensation has increased the mileage reimbursement rate for medical and medical-legal travel to 76 cents per mile, effective July 1, 2026.
That is an increase of 3.5 cents from the previous rate of 72.5 cents per mile. The new rate applies to all qualifying travel occurring on or after July 1, 2026, regardless of when the worker was injured.
For injured workers throughout Los Angeles, the San Fernando Valley, Orange County, Riverside, San Bernardino, Ventura and the rest of Southern California, mileage reimbursement can be significant. A single medical appointment may require a long round trip, and repeated physical therapy or specialist appointments can add up to hundreds or thousands of dollars over the life of a workers’ compensation claim.
Unfortunately, many injured workers never request the money they are owed.
What Is the California Workers’ Comp Mileage Rate for 2026?
California used two workers’ compensation mileage rates during 2026:
- 72.5 cents per mile for qualifying travel from January 1 through June 30, 2026
- 76 cents per mile for qualifying travel on or after July 1, 2026
The date of travel controls the rate—not the date of injury, the date the claim was filed or the date the mileage form was submitted.
For example, an injured worker who drove 100 qualifying miles in August 2026 would be entitled to $76 in mileage reimbursement, plus any separately reimbursable parking or bridge tolls.
What Medical Trips Does Workers’ Compensation Pay For?
Under California workers’ compensation law, an employer or insurance company is responsible for reasonable transportation expenses associated with medical care for a work injury.
Qualifying travel can include trips to and from:
- Your primary treating physician
- Physical therapy or occupational therapy
- Chiropractic treatment
- Medical specialists
- Diagnostic testing, including MRI scans, X-rays and nerve studies
- Hospitals and surgical facilities
- The pharmacy to obtain medication for your work injury
- Qualified Medical Evaluator examinations
- Agreed Medical Evaluator examinations
- Other examinations requested by the insurance company, DWC or Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board
The DWC identifies reasonable travel to doctors, hospitals, therapy and pharmacies as reimbursable. Its mileage form also includes parking, bridge tolls, public transportation and other reasonable travel-related expenses.
Your ordinary commute between home and work is not medical mileage. The travel must be reasonably connected to treatment or evaluation of your work injury.
Are Parking and Tolls Reimbursable?
Mileage is not the only expense you can claim.
Reasonable expenses may also include:
- Parking fees
- Bridge tolls
- Public transportation
- Other necessary transportation expenses
Keep receipts whenever possible. The DWC mileage form specifically instructs injured workers to attach receipts and retain a copy of the completed claim.
Does Workers’ Comp Pay for Travel to a QME Examination?
Yes.
When an insurance company, judge, the Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board or the DWC requires an injured worker to attend a physician examination, Labor Code section 4600 provides for reasonable transportation, meals and lodging associated with attending the examination.
The law also requires the estimated mileage and bridge tolls to be paid when the worker receives notice of the time and location of the examination. In other words, for an insurance-company-requested examination, the mileage payment should generally be provided before the appointment—not months afterward.
Labor Code section 4621 provides similar protection for medical-legal examinations and permits reimbursement of reasonable transportation, meal and lodging expenses connected to the examination.
This can matter when an injured worker must travel a substantial distance for a QME or AME examination, particularly from areas such as Victorville, Palmdale, Lancaster, Riverside or San Bernardino to a doctor located in Los Angeles or Orange County.
How to Submit a California Workers’ Comp Mileage Claim
The process is straightforward, but accurate recordkeeping matters.
1. Track Every Medical Trip
For each trip, record:
- The date of travel
- The address you traveled from
- The doctor, pharmacy or facility you visited
- The destination address
- The total round-trip mileage
- Parking or toll expenses
Google Maps or a similar mapping service can help confirm the reasonable round-trip distance.
2. Use the Correct DWC Mileage Form
Use the updated DWC medical mileage expense form for travel on or after July 1, 2026. That form calculates reimbursement at 76 cents per mile.
Do not use the 72.5-cent form for travel after June 30, 2026.
3. Attach Receipts
Attach receipts for parking, bridge tolls, public transportation and other claimed expenses whenever available.
4. Send the Form to the Claims Administrator
Send the completed form and supporting documents to the insurance company or third-party claims administrator handling your workers’ compensation case.
The DWC form instructs workers to send the form to the insurance company—not to the local WCAB office—and to keep a copy.
5. Submit Mileage Regularly
Submitting mileage every month or two is usually easier than waiting until the end of the case. Regular submissions also create a clear paper trail and make it easier to identify missed or delayed payments.
Make Sure Your Mileage Matches Your Medical Records
The dates on your mileage form should correspond with actual medical appointments.
Claims administrators may compare the mileage request against treatment reports, appointment records and pharmacy documentation. Mileage claimed for a canceled or missed appointment may be denied.
Accurate records make the claim easier to verify and much harder for the insurance company to dispute.
What Happens If Workers’ Comp Refuses to Pay Mileage?
Mileage reimbursement is part of the workers’ compensation medical benefit. It is not a gift or courtesy from the adjuster.
When payment of compensation is unreasonably delayed or refused, Labor Code section 5814 permits a workers’ compensation judge to increase the delayed payment by as much as 25 percent, subject to a maximum penalty of $10,000 for the violation. Whether a penalty is appropriate depends on the facts and whether the delay was unreasonable. We aregue for penalties if it is not paid within 14 days of request.
A clean paper trail is critical. Keep:
- Every mileage form
- Medical appointment records
- Parking and toll receipts
- Emails or letters transmitting the claim
- Follow-up communications
- Copies of any payment checks or explanations
We have pursued penalties over unpaid mileage when insurance companies failed to process properly documented requests.
The Insurance Company May Not Remind You to Submit Mileage
Claims adjusters do not always remind injured workers that medical travel is reimbursable.
Consider a worker attending physical therapy twice per week for several months. Add appointments with a treating physician, an orthopedic specialist, diagnostic imaging and a QME, and the total reimbursable mileage can become substantial—especially in Southern California traffic.
That money belongs to the injured worker, but the worker usually must document the travel and request payment.
At Lee Injury Attorneys, David A. Lee and Michael Lee are California Certified Specialists in Workers’ Compensation Law who now represent injured workers exclusively.
They know how insurance companies handle mileage claims, delay benefits and evaluate cases—and they know when to push back.
If your mileage or another workers’ compensation benefit is being delayed or denied, call or text Lee Injury Attorneys for a free consultation.
