IFTA feels like a chore because it is one — but the rules are simpler than they look. Here's how fuel-tax reporting works and how to file without the quarterly panic.
The International Fuel Tax Agreement is a deal among the 48 contiguous U.S. states and 10 Canadian provinces to simplify fuel-tax reporting for carriers that cross state lines. Instead of filing with every state you drove through, you file one return with your base jurisdiction, and it settles up with the others.
You need IFTA if you run a qualified motor vehicle in two or more member jurisdictions. A vehicle qualifies if it's over 26,000 lbs gross vehicle weight, has three or more axles regardless of weight, or is used in a combination that exceeds 26,000 lbs.
Register in your home state to get an IFTA license (keep a copy in the cab) and a set of two decals per qualified vehicle for the door. One license covers all member jurisdictions, and it renews every year.
You file four returns a year, each due at the end of the month after the quarter closes:
| Quarter | Months | Return due |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 | Jan – Mar | April 30 |
| Q2 | Apr – Jun | July 31 |
| Q3 | Jul – Sep | October 31 |
| Q4 | Oct – Dec | January 31 |
If a due date falls on a weekend or holiday, it moves to the next business day. File even if the truck never turned a wheel — a "zero" return still has to go in.
Your return comes down to two numbers per jurisdiction: miles driven and gallons of fuel purchased. From those, each jurisdiction figures whether you burned more fuel there than you bought — if so, you owe; if you bought more than you burned, you get a credit. So you need clean trip records (miles by state) and every fuel receipt showing gallons, date, and location.
Getting IFTA right also depends on knowing your true cost per mile, since fuel is your biggest variable expense.
TruckSpot Dispatch tracks miles by jurisdiction from your trips and logs fuel purchases as you enter them, so your quarterly numbers are already added up when the deadline comes — no shoebox of receipts. It sits alongside dispatch, driver settlements, invoicing and reporting in one TMS, and it's ELD-agnostic with a free 14-day trial.
Automate your IFTA miles — free 14-day trial →Quarterly: April 30, July 31, October 31, and January 31. If a due date lands on a weekend or holiday, the deadline moves to the next business day.
Yes. You still file a return for the quarter — a "zero" return — even if the truck didn't move. Skipping it can bring penalties and interest.
Qualified motor vehicles that travel in two or more member jurisdictions: those over 26,000 lbs gross weight, or with three or more axles, or used in a combination over 26,000 lbs.