Category: ifta late penalties

Don’t Let IFTA Sneak Up On You

Posted on March 29, 2017 by - 1st Quarter IFTA Deadline, Fuel Tax IFTA, IFTA Information, ifta late penalties, IFTA online filing, IFTA Records, ifta report, IFTA return, IFTA Tax Calculator App

Doesn’t it seem like you just did your IFTA report yesterday? Well, oh how the time flies because the next IFTA deadline is right around the corner! Your first quarter IFTA report is due by April 30th,  which is a Sunday, so the deadline actually falls on Monday, May 1st. That day will be here before you know it, so don’t let it sneak up on you. It’s never too early to start working on your report. Use ExpressTruckTax to calculate your IFTA totals and learn all about IFTA here.

All About IFTA

IFTA or the International Fuel Tax Agreement is an agreement that simplifies the reporting of fuel in the lower 48 states. The purpose of IFTA reports are to simplify the reporting of fuel use by motor carriers that operate in more than one jurisdiction so states can equally distribute per jurisdiction.

The taxes are then used to repair the public highways that truckers frequent, by repaving roads and reinforcing bridges the routes become safer and smoother. Also, better roads mean less wear and tear on your vehicle.

Now only qualify vehicles that travel between multiple jurisdictions are subject to IFTA. You must have your IFTA license and two IFTA decals on your vehicle that are provided by their base jurisdiction.

Your base jurisdiction is where your qualified vehicles are based for registration. It’s where operational control and operational records of the licensee’s qualified motor vehicles are maintained and in the case of an audit can be made available. It’s also where some mileage is gained by qualified motor vehicles traveling through that jurisdiction within the fleet.

If you don’t live in a base jurisdiction you can apply for an IFTA license from any of the jurisdictions you regularly travel in.

Qualifying vehicles are ones that are motor vehicles that are used, designed, or maintained for the transportation of persons or property having two axles and a gross vehicle weight exceeding 26,000 pounds, two axles and a registered weight exceeding 26,000 pounds, three or more axles regardless of weight, and a combination weight exceeding 26,000 pounds.

You need to provide the following information to correctly complete your IFTA return:

– Total miles, both taxable and nontaxable, traveled by each of the licensee’s qualified motor vehicles for all jurisdictions, including trip permit miles. This includes both IFTA and non-IFTA jurisdictions.
– Total gallons of fuel consumed by the qualified motor vehicles, both taxable and nontaxable per jurisdiction, IFTA and non-IFTA.
– The total amount of tax-paid gallons of fuel purchased in each jurisdiction.
– The current tax rate per jurisdiction.

If you don’t travel outside of your base jurisdiction a lot you don’t have to necessarily apply for an IFTA license. You can apply for a local trip permit with the local DMV of the jurisdiction you’ll be traveling in.

It’s important to have your IFTA license with you and permits properly display under your truck door windows at all time are you could be subject to getting a citation and having to buy a temporary permit.

Failure to file your IFTA reports by the deadline or to file at all will result in hefty penalties. You’ll be fined $50 or 10% of the delinquent taxes, whichever is greater. On top of that, base jurisdictions reserve the right to impose additional penalties based on the laws of the jurisdiction.

Also, base jurisdictions will assess interest on all of the unpaid taxes due for each jurisdiction except for the taxes collected directly by other jurisdictions. For US jurisdictions interest will build up at a rate of 1% per month. Interest will build at a rate equal to the Canadian Federal Treasury Bill rate, plus 2% for Canadian jurisdictions, plus the rate is adjusted every quarter.

Remember you have to complete your IFTA report 4 times a year. The quarterly IFTA deadlines are:

1st Quarter: January 1st – March 31st. Due date: April 30th.

2nd Quarter: April 1st – June 30th. Due date: July 31st.

3rd Quarter: July 1st – September 30th. Due Date: October 31st.

4th Quarter: October 1st – December 31st. Due Date: January 31st.

Note: If the deadline falls on a weekend or federal holiday then the deadline is moved to the next business day.

ExpressTruckTax is Here To Help

Don’t let IFTA stress you out. Head to ExpressTruckTax.com to quickly and easily calculate your IFTA totals with their quick entry odometer entry screen, fuel tax calculator, and more. Our dedicated support team is full of IFTA experts who are ready to help. Please don’t hesitate to contact us with any truck tax questions that you may have via live chat, phone, or email.

Today Is Your IFTA Deadline

Posted on October 31, 2016 by - ExpressIFTA, Fuel Tax, IFTA, ifta deadline, ifta fuel tax, ifta late penalties, ifta report

Today is Your IFTA Deadline
Today Is Your IFTA Deadline

Do you know what today is? Yeah, it’s that spooky time of year we all look forward to – Halloween – but it’s also the 3rd Quarter International Fuel Tax Agreement deadline!

That might sound scary, but don’t worry, we got you covered. With our cloud-based software, we’re the best option for generating your IFTA taxes online.

Just the Facts

Truckers who drive between IFTA member states need to have an IFTA decal (the one with your base jurisdiction) on your truck. If you’re a company driver, this might be taken care of for you, but for everyone else, today is the day to file your IFTA report.

If you can’t file today, you still have to file your IFTA report later. If you file late, you’re going to face IFTA penalties. In most IFTA member states, the penalty for late filing is a flat rate fee of $50 or 10% of the taxes due, depending on which is greater in value. Of course, in Nevada, the penalty for late filing is a $50 flat fee plus 10% of the taxes due.

Once you’re late,, you will be charged .4167% of the tax due every month until the tax amount is paid. Except for in Nevada, where you’re charged .4167% of the tax due every month, as well as an administrative late fee of $100 the first time, $500 the second time, $1000 the third time, $1500 the fourth time, $2000 the fifth time, and $2500 for every time after that.

The Deadlines Are When?

IFTA runs on a quarterly system, which means there are four deadlines throughout your tax year. The calendar of IFTA due dates are as follows:

  • Q1: January – March, due date of April 30
  • Q2: April – June, due date of July 31
  • Q3: July – September, due date of October 31
  • Q4: October – December, due date of January 31

What Should You Do?

If you’ve come across our blog, there’s a good chance you need to file an IFTA report. To do that, you’ll have to have your fuel logs, mileage records, and trip logs ready to go. Simply sign up for an ExpressIFTA account and within a few clicks and some quick entries, you’ll have the easiest IFTA quarterly return possible. Have questions? Call our customer support experts at 704.234.6005!