Category: ifta report

Your 4th Quarter IFTA Report Is Due Today

Posted on January 31, 2017 by - 4th Quarter IFTA, IFTA, ifta deadline, ifta fuel tax, IFTA online filing, ifta report, IFTA return, IFTA Tax Calculator App

Don’t hit the breaks, but tax season is here! Most likely IFTA is on your mind since you have to file an IFTA report four times a year. However, these deadlines can definitely sneak up on you, so here is your official reminder that your 4th quarter IFTA tax return is due by January 31st! Also, we don’t want IFTA to be in the back of your mind, so we’re gonna tell you all about it to make you an IFTA pro!

All About IFTA

IFTA stands for the International Fuel Tax Agreement and it is the agreement between the 48 connected states of the USA, states of Mexico, and the Canadian provinces to report on the fuel used by motor carriers or large vehicles operating in more than one jurisdiction (state).

Under IFTA carriers file quarterly fuel tax reports to figure out precisely the net tax or refund due to redistribute taxes from collecting jurisdictions that are due.

If you were to find yourself operating in Hawaii, Alaska, or the Canadian territories then you wouldn’t have to worry about IFTA.

Qualifying vehicles for IFTA include vehicles that are designed to transport people or property that has three or more axles, has a gross weight of 26,000 pounds or is used in a combination registered gross vehicles of 26,00 pounds or more. Basically, it refers to big heavy vehicles that frequent the interstate systems.

Fun fact, recreational vehicles are actually not subject to IFTA.

Every year you’ll need to renew your IFTA decals and licenses by December 31st. You’ll receive two decals that should be clearly displayed under your window on your driver’s side door. If you file your IFTA reports quarterly then the permits will stay up to date. They also help prove that you have complied with IFTA.

Well heck, what if you don’t usually travel outside of your state? Do you still have to deal with all this IFTA stuff? A little bit. You can get temporary IFTA permits from that state’s DMV office. Each state has their own temporary IFTA regulations. 

Before IFTA was put into place each state had their own fuel tax system and their own tax permits. This made carriers that frequently traveled through different jurisdictions suffer a lot of headaches. Trust us, IFTA is a much easier way to handle fuel taxes!

Now when it comes to filing your IFTA report you need a record of a few different things:

– Your total miles include the taxable and nontaxable ones for all of your jurisdictions traveled.
– Your total gallons of fuel consumed per jurisdiction.
– Your total amount of fuel taxes paid per jurisdiction.
– And the current tax rate per jurisdiction.

Now don’t let all this information and record keeping intimidate you. ExpressTruckTax is here to help. 

Calculating IFTA With ExpressTruckTax

ExpressTruckTax as an accurate fuel tax calculator to help you quickly calculate your fuel tax per jurisdiction, as well as a quick entry screen for all of your odometer readings. You can quickly update this sheet as you go, or all at once depending on your preferred method.

Also, ExpressTruckTax makes it easy to maintain your trip sheets and fuel records, and will automatically calculate your IFTA return from your trips sheets. This way you won’t have the hassle of calculating these numbers yourself.

With ExpressTruckTax’s error diagnostic report your return will be scanned for errors, so you can be aware of any corrections that need to be made before your file your IFTA return. This will help you and your company avoid being audited.

Plus, we are here to help every step of the way. Please don’t hesitate to contact the ExpressTruckTax support team via phone, email, or live chat with any questions that you may have!

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!