IFTA Guides

IFTA was adopted in 1996 that simplifies the collection and redistribution of fuel taxes paid by interstate commercial carriers.

Prior to IFTA, trucking companies were required to pay fuel taxes in the states where they travelled, regardless of where the fuel was purchased. Since each state has its own tax laws and rates, this meant that truck drivers had to register in each state across which they travelled and affix decals to their vehicles.  

IFTA is a cooperative agreement among the Canadian provinces and most American states to make it easier for interjurisdictional carriers to report and pay taxes on the motor fuels they use. Through this process, trucking companies and drivers would only need to file their IFTA report through their base jurisdiction.

The IFTA agreement allows registered interjurisdictional carriers to get one license, issued by their base jurisdiction, to report and pay motor fuel taxes to a single jurisdiction. Inter-state/province carriers report the amount of motor fuel consumed and the distance travelled in each state and/or province. Member jurisdictions work together to track, collect and share the taxes payable on motor fuels such as gasoline, diesel, propane, gasohol, methanol, ethanol, natural gas and biodiesel.

Registering for IFTA gives you the benefit of:

• having a single IFTA license that enables your truck(s) to travel in all member states and provinces, and
• only needing to deal with your base state/province for the reporting and payment of motor fuel taxes.

USA
All states except for Alaska, Hawaii, and the District of Columbia

Canada
All provinces are included under IFTA

If you are based in a member state/province and operate across two or more member jurisdictions, you must register for an IFTA license.

You must also be operating a qualified motor vehicle, categorized as one of the following:

• Any vehicle with two axles and a gross vehicle weight of over 11,797 kilograms or 26,000 pounds
• A vehicle of any weight but with three or more axles
• A vehicle that exceeds 11,797 kilograms or 26,000 pounds

One important thing to note is that these only apply for commercial use – personal use does not qualify under IFTA.

If you need an IFTA license, the first step is to fill out the application form used in your base state. See below for individual state requirements. 

IFTA application forms may vary and can sometimes serve other purposes – many have been consolidated onto into general online applications for state/province licenses.

Some of the basic carrier information required for new IFTA applications are:

1. Registered business name
2. Mailing address
3. Federal business number
4. USDOT number/

Dependant on the province/state, IFTA forms can downloaded online and sent by mail, or the registration process can be completely online. Other jurisdictions also allow IFTA forms to be sent by fax or through taxpayer service offices.

Find your base jurisdiction below and get state/province specific information on how to register properly.

Once your application has been processed, the IFTA authority in your state will issue official IFTA decals for the current year. A temporary IFTA license can be sent to you by fax while you wait for your decals.