One of the most frequently discussed topics today is the International Registration Plan which is the IRP. If you haven’t applied for your IRP, chances are that you are confused and reluctant at the moment. You also feel a little intimidated because you are probably new to the industry. If you operate a trucking company in the US, you are required to understand the various rules and regulations related to DOT compliance right now. The International Registration Plan is an agreement that states that if you are a trucking company and are involved in the transport of freight across multiple jurisdictions throughout the country, you must report the miles that your vehicle has traveled in each state. Also, you as the owner of the company are required to pay the correct amount of taxes in every jurisdiction that you travel across. It is an annual requirement and mandatory for every trucking company that is involved in the said operations.

For you to qualify for the international registration plan, you must fulfill the following conditions:

• The gross weight of the vehicle or the automobile that you drive should be more than 26,000 pounds (gross vehicle weight) also, the automobile should have at least 3 or more axles and this is regardless of the GVM
• If your vehicle is a power unit or if it is some kind of an attachment or trailer which has a weight of more than 26000 LBS, you are required to apply for an IRP
• If your motor vehicle is a part of a fleet in the state of Florida (declared), this is going to apply

Does this mean that you are not required to obtain your IRP plate if you focus your business activities within the local area or a single jurisdiction? Yes, that is the case. Only if you travel outside your state jurisdiction, you must register for your IRP without any delay. The International Registration Plan is between the US and numerous Canadian provinces and also the District of Columbia.

Obtaining Your IRP Plate, Simplified In The Following Process

Contact Your IRP Officer

Remember to contact your IRP office in your state. They will explain to you all the important requirements related to registration and all the forms and formalities that you have to fill out and fulfill.

Determine Your Qualification For IRP Registration

This is going to help you determine whether you qualify for an IRP or not in the first place. The requirements given above should be enough to give you the much-needed clarity.

IRP Office Registration

You will always have to select one state as your base jurisdiction or base state which is your state of business operations. This is where you have established your place of business. The local IRP officer will need you to fill out a few forms and submit a few documents including the physical address of your business.

Now let’s talk about a few very important permits that you are required to obtain before or as you register for the International registration plan

USDOT Number

One of the most important documents that you should always carry with you is your USDOT number. It is not exactly a document but a critical detail that the federal motor carrier safety administration always requires you to be aware of. You should obtain your USDOT number because it helps the authorities identify your vehicle and also track any safety violations that you may have committed.

FMCSA Authorization

It is also important to get your FMCSA authorization before you start transporting goods using your commercial vehicles outside your base state or base jurisdiction.

IFTA Permit

The IFTA permit allows you to report fuel used by multiple vehicles that operate or even when a single vehicle operates across multiple jurisdictions throughout the country under your name.

Heavy Vehicle Use Tax HVUT

The HVUT is the heavy vehicle use tax and it will be applied to your automobile if it has a weight of more than 55000 lbs.

Town And City Fee

The local fees and taxes are also very important. The authorities are going to check whether you have paid them in full or not as you register for your International registration plan. You are also required to find out the exact amount of all these fees before you receive your IRP apportioned registration plate and cab card for your vehicle.

Determining/Calculating Your Fee Is Critical

This amount is always going to differ depending on which state you live in. The IRP plate renewal cost too is going to depend on several factors. The most practical way to go about it is to either get in touch with your IRP registration department or simply give your DOT compliance facilitator a call. Your third-party administrator is in a better position to keep track of all your fees, taxes, licenses, and various other forms and formalities that you have to fulfill throughout the year to maintain flawless compliance.

There is a jurisdictional percentage that is at play here. You will have to multiply this percentage by the jurisdiction cost and divide the distance that you have traveled in each jurisdiction by the total distance. There is a lot that goes into calculating the amount of the IRP taxes/fees but it becomes easier when you have your third-party administrator by your side.

Understand Your IRP Plate Registration Forms

As mentioned above, you will need to have your USDOT number, FMCSA authorization, and your IFTA permit to be able to apply for your IRP registration.

• In addition to this, you are required to fill out the following forms as soon as possible:
• If you have a new account, Schedule A or E and Schedule B will apply
• In case you want to make a few changes to your existing account, Schedule C shall apply
• If you want to add a few jurisdictions, you will have to choose Schedule F

No registration for your IRP is going to exempt you from any city permit fee or any other local charges that you have to pay throughout the year.

Obtain Your IRP Plates Smoothly

For this, you will have to set up your IRP and IFTA accounts. Your cab card that you will receive is going to list down all the member jurisdictions in which you are registered/allowed to operate. After receiving your decal, you must remember to place it right next to your front registration plate. If you have a tractor or a trailer, you can place them anywhere close to the lower right corner. If you have registered with the IFTA for the first time, make sure to place these stickers on both sides of the vehicle. Make sure to carry your license at all times as well.

IRP Plate Renewal

The renewal is also quite easy. However, you are always required to keep track of all the miles that you have traveled through every jurisdiction. Remember that every state is going to have a different deadline for this renewal. Always go through your IRP card to check the date and make sure that you never miss any deadline. In fact, the best approach is to choose a third-party administrator or a DOT compliance group to make sure that you never miss out on any such important dates at all.