Built for STR hosts pursuing the §469 exception — not general bookkeeping
Log your STR hours and expenses once a day — your CPA handles the rest.
The §469 STR exception applies when your average guest stay is 7 days or less; keeping that activity non-passive then turns on material participation — both best supported by contemporaneous records. Capture guest stays, hours, trips, and expenses as you go, so your CPA gets clean records in March, not a January receipt hunt.
7-day free trial, no credit card required. Renews monthly or annually at the plan price you select until canceled. Cancel anytime in Manage Billing. Plus applicable US sales tax.
Built for hosts who want contemporaneous, organized records without spreadsheet chaos.
Amazon, towels and bedding, 120.50, supplies, Amex
IKEA, kitchen utensils, 240.00, supplies, Visa
Trips and expenses use guided forms that assemble the structured line for you.
The §469 STR exception
The opportunity is tax strategy. The challenge is documentation.
Under IRC §469, short-term rental activity is treated differently from a typical passive rental — and treatment depends on being able to show material participation in the business. Whether any given host qualifies is a fact-specific IRS determination; the records the strategy requires are not.
Hosts usually do not fail because they do not work hard enough. They fail because they cannot show the work clearly at tax time. That means documenting what was done, when it happened, how long it took, and how it relates to the property.
Material participation
Track hours, tasks, and participation progress in one place.
Trips and mileage
Capture per-property trips and mileage with a quick guided form.
Transactions and expenses
Log supply purchases and operating costs through a quick expense form — no receipt guesswork.
Contemporaneous records
Original notes and structured records stay connected for review.
How it works
Log activities in prose. Capture trips, mileage, and expenses with guided forms.
Field Ledger uses a two-mode capture workflow. Participation activities log in plain language — describe the work you did and the parser structures it. Trips, mileage, and expenses use quick guided forms so nothing is lost or guessed. Every entry is reviewed before it is saved.
Capture the work once
Log participation activities in plain language ("Cleaning at Brooklyn 2.5h"); trips, mileage, and expenses use quick guided forms.
Generate structured records
The rule-based parser structures activities from your prose. Trips, mileage, and expenses arrive as structured records from the guided forms — no free-form guesswork.
Review with confidence
Keep original entries and derived records aligned for year end review, tax prep, and accountant handoff.
Features
Not a bookkeeping tool. A documentation system for hosts who need to prove material participation.
Field Ledger is not general bookkeeping software. It is focused on the records short term rental hosts actually need to support the strategy.
Material participation tracking
Keep a running record of host activity and participation hours across the year.
- Hours and task descriptions
- Activity categories and participation context
- Progress toward participation requirements
Trip and mileage tracking
Capture each trip with a quick guided form — property, date, distance, business purpose, direction.
- Origin and destination captured
- Miles and business purpose recorded
- Linked to the supporting note
Expense and transaction logging
Log each expense with a quick guided form — vendor, amount, suggested category (for your review), payment method, notes.
- Vendor, amount, category, and payment method
- Guided entry form or structured line
- Clean records ready for export
Two-mode capture
Log activities in plain language ("Cleaning at Brooklyn 2.5h") — the rule-based parser structures them. Trips, mileage, and expenses use quick guided forms. Every entry is reviewed before it is saved.
- Free-form text entry
- Structured records extracted on parse
- Review step before records land in the ledger
Built for real teams
Your co-host logs the hours. You see them in the same record.
Invite partners or managers, keep one source of truth, and control who can capture or review documentation.
- Admin and manager roles
- Email based invites and account verification
- Organization and property level access
Pricing
Try it free for 7 days. Pick a plan when you're convinced.
Pricing scales by property count and team size. Every plan starts with a 7-day free trial — full access, no credit card required to start. Renews at the listed monthly or annual price you select until canceled. Cancel anytime in Manage Billing. Plus applicable US sales tax. Available to US residents only.
Owner
Best for a single STR owner who wants full recordkeeping.
- 1 property
- Up to 2 users
- Admin and manager roles
- Unlimited entry capture
- Review & normalize entries
- Material participation report
- CSV export
7-day free trial, no credit card required. Renews at $19/mo or $190/yr until canceled. Cancel anytime in Manage Billing. Plus applicable US sales tax.
Operator
Best for hosts managing several properties or working with a manager.
- Includes everything in Owner
- Up to 5 properties
- Up to 5 users
- Advanced export
- User invites
- Team management
7-day free trial, no credit card required. Renews at $39/mo or $390/yr until canceled. Cancel anytime in Manage Billing. Plus applicable US sales tax.
Portfolio
Best for serious operators and small portfolios.
- Includes everything in Operator
- Unlimited properties
- Unlimited users
- Priority support
7-day free trial, no credit card required. Renews at $79/mo or $790/yr until canceled. Cancel anytime in Manage Billing. Plus applicable US sales tax.
FAQ
Common questions
What does Field Ledger help document?
Field Ledger helps document material participation, mileage, property trips, management work, and expenses from the same host entry.
Is Field Ledger only for Airbnb hosts?
No. Field Ledger works for any short term rental host or operator who needs organized documentation, including VRBO, Furnished Finder, and direct booking properties.
Does Field Ledger replace my accountant?
No. Field Ledger does not replace your accountant. It gives them cleaner, more usable records to work from.
What happens if I edit an entry later?
The system safely re-parses the raw entry and rebuilds the derived records so your data stays consistent.
How many hours do I need for material participation?
The 500-hour test is the primary threshold under IRS §469 material participation rules. There are six other tests that may also apply depending on your situation. Your accountant can advise which test fits best.
When should I start tracking my hours?
As early in the tax year as possible. Records built up throughout the year are contemporaneous and organized; records reconstructed at tax time are neither. The best time to log an activity is the same day it happens.
What records does the IRS want for material participation?
The IRS looks for contemporaneous logs showing dates, activities, time spent, and the property each activity relates to. Mileage logs, expense records, and trip notes also support the broader picture of participation.
Can I try Field Ledger before subscribing?
Yes — the 7-day free trial gives you full access to every feature, including the material participation hours summary and CSV export for your CPA. No credit card required to start.
STR Tax Guides
Learn how the §469 STR exception works
Browse guides on material participation, mileage tracking, tax documentation, and short term rental recordkeeping.
Browse all guidesStop rebuilding your §469 STR exception records at tax time.
Try Field Ledger free for 7 days. Structured tax records for serious STR operators — no credit card required to start.
Renews at the monthly or annual plan price you select until canceled. Cancel anytime in Manage Billing. Plus applicable US sales tax.