The International Registration Plan (IRP) is an agreement between states and provinces that provides for the apportioned registration of commercial motor vehicles, allowing a qualifying commercial vehicle to register with just one state and then travel through other jurisdictions with one license plate.

Apportionable vehicles that meet any of the following criteria are IRP-eligible vehicles:

• Have two axles and a gross vehicle weight or registered gross vehicle weight in excess of 26,000 pounds; or
• Have three or more axles, regardless of weight, or
• Are used in combination and the gross vehicle weight of such combination exceeds 26,000 pounds.

“Apportionable vehicle” means any power unit that is used or intended for use in two or more member jurisdictions and that is used for the transportation of persons for hire or designed, used, or maintained primarily for the transportation of property.

Upon receipt of the carrier’s IRP application and payment of apportioned fees, a license plate and registration (cab) card will be issued for each vehicle registered. The cab card will identify the vehicle for which it is issued and list the registered gross weight the vehicle can operate in each jurisdiction. The registration card must always be carried in the vehicle for which it has been issued.

Some jurisdictions allow transfer of IRP plates under certain conditions. Contact your base jurisdiction for details.

The International Fuel Tax Agreement (IFTA) is an agreement among member jurisdictions (the lower 48 United States and 10 Canadian provinces) for the collection and distribution of fuel use tax revenues.

IFTA allows carriers (including private carriers) to obtain one IFTA license through the base jurisdiction, then file tax returns and make tax payments (as applicable) to the base jurisdiction. The base jurisdiction then distributes the necessary fuel taxes to other jurisdictions where the fleet traveled.

Under IFTA, all carriers operating qualified motor vehicles in more than one jurisdiction are required to:

• Register all qualified motor vehicles with their base jurisdiction by filing one application with the applicable fee.
• Display two IFTA decals on each qualified motor vehicle (one on each side) and carry a copy of the IFTA license in each vehicle.
• File quarterly IFTA tax returns with the base jurisdiction and pay any tax due.

A “qualified motor vehicle” is a motor vehicle used, designed, or maintained for transportation of persons or property, and that:

• Has two axles and a gross vehicle weight or registered gross vehicle weight exceeding 26,000 pounds, or
• Has three or more axles regardless of weight, or
• Is used in combination, when the weight of such combination exceeds 26,000 pounds gross vehicle weight.

Qualified motor vehicles do not include recreational vehicles