Qualified work-related moving expenses are limited to transportation costs for your family and belongings, packing costs, certain lodging costs, and certain storage costs. You can either deduct your actual automobile expense (gas and oil) or the standard mileage deduction of 23 cents a mile. For lodging costs, you can deduct the lodging expense for the night before you moved, the nights during the move, and the night after you arrive at your new city. For storage costs, you can deduct the first 30 days of storage expense. Other expenses such as meals, temporary living costs, and house hunting trips are not deductible.

To qualify as moving expenses, the move must be job related, meet the 50 mile test, and meet the time test. The 50 mile test is met if the distance from your old home to your new workplace minus the distance from your old home to your old workplace is greater than 50 miles. The time test is met if you work full-time for 39 weeks in your new hometown during the first 12 months after your move.