The Trucking IFTA Guide
Sound the IFTA alarm! The 4th quarter IFTA deadline is only a few days away. That means it’s time to prepare to file if you haven’t already. If you’re new to IFTA the process of calculating your totals may seem a little overwhelming.
However, you don’t need to worry. ExpressIFTA will help you quickly prepare your IFTA report so you can use the totals to instantly complete your return. We’re also here to teach you everything you need to know with our IFTA guide.
The Trucking IFTA Guide
IFTA is the International Fuel Tax Agreement. It was put into place by the contiguous 48 United States and 10 Canadian provinces to simplify the reporting of fuel use of qualifying motor vehicles that operate in more than one jurisdiction.
Before IFTA was put into place each state had their own rules and regulations for fuel use reporting and it was rather complicated and confusing. Now carriers file a quarterly IFTA fuel tax report or IFTA return. The report is used to determine the net tax is refunded due and to redistribute taxes from collecting states to due states.
As a result of filing, you will receive an IFTA license and two IFTA decals for each of their qualifying vehicles. Your vehicle qualifies for IFTA if it is used, designed, and maintained for the transportation of people and property and:
- Has two axles and a gross vehicle weight of 26,000 pounds or more
- Has two axles and a registered gross vehicle weight of 26,000 pounds or more
- Has three or more axles regardless of weight and/or
- Is used in combination when the combination excessed 26,000 pounds in gross vehicle or registered gross vehicle weight.
To complete your quarterly IFTA you need to include the following information:
- Total miles traveled per jurisdiction
- Total gallons of fuel consumed per jurisdiction
- The total tax-paid gallons of fuel purchased per jurisdiction and
- The current tax rate per jurisdiction
You need to file your IFTA return with your base jurisdiction, which is your home state, or the state where your vehicle is registered. Now each state has their own rules and regulations that you need to adhere to.
For example, so states require you to e-file while others require you to paper file. Filing incorrectly could result in your form being rejected, so be sure to learn about what your state requires here.
IFTA Reporting With ExpressIFTA
When it comes to IFTA reporting, ExpressIFTA is the market-leading solution. We provide all the tools you need to easily track all of your IFTA information in one convenient location online. We also give you the ability to report at your own pace.
For example, you can keep detailed trip information by entering trip sheet entries for each of your loads. You can also upload all of your information for the entire month with the quick entry screen. Or you can upload all of your information at once with the bulk upload feature.
Importing your data is so easy that you can even upload all of your mileage information directly from your GPS and we even accept ELD data.
We will accurately calculate all of your IFTA totals with 100% accuracy based on the information you enter. This way you won’t have to spend hours handling complicated equations yourself. All of the totals will be in an easy to read IFTA report that can be used to instantly complete your return.
Plus, our outstanding, live support team is here to help. Give us a call Monday – Friday from 9 AM to 6 PM EST at 704.234.6005. We also offer live chat and 24/7 email support at support@ExpressIFTA.com.
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