The International Fuel Tax Agreement – IFTA

Introduction to International Fuel Tax Agreement

The International Fuel Tax Agreement, or IFTA, is an agreement between the lower 48 states of the United States and 10 provinces in Canada to simplify the reporting of fuel use by motor carriers that operate in multiple jurisdictions. The agreement is designed to make the process easier and more streamlined for trucking companies, while also ensuring that each jurisdiction receives the correct amount of fuel tax revenue. This article will provide a comprehensive overview of IFTA and what it means for truckers.

What is IFTA?

IFTA is a cooperative agreement between member jurisdictions to simplify the reporting and payment of fuel taxes. Under IFTA, a trucking company only has to report to the base jurisdiction in which their vehicles are registered. This jurisdiction then becomes responsible for distributing the appropriate funds to all other jurisdictions in which the fleet has operated.

Prior to IFTA, trucking companies had to comply with a variety of different reporting systems for each jurisdiction in which they operated, which was a time-consuming and complex process.

Who Needs to Comply with IFTA?

IFTA applies to vehicles that operate across more than one jurisdiction and meet the following criteria:

• Two axles and a gross vehicle weight or registered gross vehicle weight exceeding 26,000 pounds or 11,797 kilograms; or
• Three or more axles regardless of weight; or
• When used in combination, a weight exceeding 26,000 pounds or 11,797 kilograms gross vehicle or registered gross vehicle weight.

It’s important to note that recreational vehicles such as motor homes and buses used exclusively for personal pleasure are not subject to IFTA.

How Does IFTA Work?

Under IFTA, trucking companies must keep detailed trip reports for all qualifying vehicles, noting mileage traveled and fuel purchased in each jurisdiction.

Each quarter, companies must file a fuel tax report with their base jurisdiction detailing all of this information. This report calculates the net tax or refund due, which is then paid to or refunded by the base jurisdiction. The base jurisdiction is responsible for the necessary redistribution of taxes to other jurisdictions.

Benefits of IFTA

IFTA provides several benefits to trucking companies:

• Simplified Reporting: With IFTA, trucking companies only need to file a single fuel tax report each quarter with their base jurisdiction. This dramatically simplifies the reporting process.
• Single Audit: Only the base jurisdiction has the authority to audit a licensee for IFTA purposes.
• Consistent Deadlines: IFTA establishes uniform due dates for reporting and remittance of taxes.
• Reduced Paperwork: By consolidating reporting to a single jurisdiction, IFTA reduces the amount of paperwork necessary.

Conclusion

IFTA is a vital part of interstate and international trucking operations. While it involves maintaining detailed records and filing quarterly reports, the agreement greatly simplifies the process of managing fuel taxes for trucking companies operating in multiple jurisdictions. Compliance with IFTA is not just a legal requirement, but it also leads to more efficient and effective operations in the trucking industry.

IFTA important notices board.