Any motor carrier that operates qualified vehicles in more than one IFTA member jurisdiction must register under the agreement. A qualified vehicle is typically one used for transporting people or property that meets any of the following conditions:
- It has two axles and a gross vehicle weight or registered gross vehicle weight exceeding 26,000 pounds
- It has three or more axles, regardless of weight
- It is used in combination, and the combined weight exceeds 26,000 pounds
This includes most commercial trucks used in interstate operations. If your fleet crosses state lines and falls into these categories, IFTA registration is not optional. It becomes part of your
compliance responsibility.
Once registered, carriers receive an IFTA license and a set of decals for each qualified vehicle. These must be renewed annually and kept current to avoid fines or operational delays. Operating without valid IFTA credentials can lead to citations, impoundments, or forced out-of-service orders, especially during roadside inspections or audits.
Registration is handled through your base jurisdiction, which is typically the state where your company is based and where vehicles are registered. That jurisdiction is responsible for processing your quarterly returns, collecting taxes, and distributing them to other jurisdictions based on your fuel usage.
Some businesses try to avoid registering for IFTA by limiting operations to one state or by using lease agreements to shift responsibility to another party. While this can be legal under certain conditions, it often creates gaps in compliance or complicates reporting. It’s important to understand that IFTA registration is not only about tax reporting; it also supports transparency, audit readiness, and operational consistency across your fleet.
Failing to register properly or delaying registration once interstate operations begin can create liability that’s difficult to clean up later. Early and accurate registration sets the foundation for long-term compliance.
