Commercial Transportation Permits

FOCUS ON GROWING YOUR BUSINESS

• UCR (Unified Carrier Registration)
• IFTA (International Fuel Tax Agreement)
• NY HUT Sticker (New York Highway Use Tax Permit)
• NM Permit (New Mexico Weight Distance Tax Permit)
• KYU License (Kentucky Weight Distance License)
• OR Permit (Oregon Weight Distance Tax Permit)
• California Permits/Licenses

Starting a trucking business is hard work. You have to set up your business correctly with the state, buy or lease trucks, hire drivers, find good-paying loads and make sure you have a factoring company for cash flow. In addition, to operate as a carrier you need commercial truck insurance, and of course obtain the necessary trucking permits to be compliant with state regulations. 

Here at Simplex, our experts can help you with your DOT/ FMCSA compliance, freight planning, fuel taxes, insurance, and getting all the trip permits you need. There are different kinds of permits a trucking company needs to operate, and our trucking permit services can make things much easier for you. Understanding what each trucking permit covers will save you time and money in the long run. We know that efficiency is the key to making your trucking business a success.

The first type of permit a trucking company needs is a trip permit. A trip permit allows you to operate your trucks on the roads for a specific trip. You can apply for a trip permit online. If you need a trip permit for multiple trips, you can purchase a multi-trip permit, which is valid for up to 30 days.

The Unified Carriers Registration Program is a federally run system mandatory for commercial vehicle operators that carry products from state to state. Businesses involved in international travel also use this system. A trucking company must file with the UCR every year, and the filing runs from October 1st to December 31st.

The cost of a UCR registration will depend on the number of trucks in a fleet. If a company does not register, it may receive fines of up to $10,000. The more offenses a company has, the higher the fines will be.

 This can be rather confusing in Florida because it does not officially participate in the UCR program. If a business is run out of Florida, it will still have to register with the UCR If it transports products across state lines. A Florida company will simply register itself with the state of Georgia. 

We can take care of your paperwork and ensure everything is filed during the registration period. We want your records to be 100% up to date at all times, so you can avoid audits or penalties and run your business with no hesitation.

The International Fuel Tax Agreement (IFTA) is a license available to business owners and corporations who transport goods or people in commercial vehicles across state lines. The license, which is required by every state, offers simplicity in taxes related to interstate transportation among other benefits.

Carriers have to file a fuel permit for every state they drive through. Each state is supposed to collect tax money whenever a truck uses its roads or pumps fuel in the state. If a carrier simply wants to put gas in their truck, they need a special permit.

This process requires a heavy amount of paperwork for all trucking companies and state governments. Carriers need to take time out of their runs to obtain fuel permits, which complicates the filing process because each municipality has a different system.  

In 1983, Congress created the International Fuel Tax Agreement (IFTA) to simplify obtaining fuel permits and getting taxes to the communities to which they are owed. Interstate truckers record their miles and fuel purchases on their Electronic Logging Devices. Instead of getting multiple permits, they use a single fuel tax license, IFTA. It was established in 1983 by Washington, Arizona, and Iowa as a larger application of the Regional Fuel Tax Agreement (RTFA). 

Member states work together to calculate and collect fuel taxes from commercial vehicles operating in multiple jurisdictions. That way, each IFTA license holder only needs to file one single tax report with their home jurisdiction which will cover your operations in all other member jurisdictions.  Interstate truckers record their miles and fuel purchases on their Electronic Logging Devices, Fuel Cards Portal, Trip Sheets or any other manual report.

Who Needs an IFTA License?

There are 48 states and 10 Canadian provinces participating in the IFTA. A company will have to get an IFTA License if their vehicle weighs over 26,000 pounds or has three or more axles. A truck required to participate in the program must obtain an IFTA license and stickers. 

Trucking companies apply for licenses through their state government in person or online. The state will process an application and issue a license and stickers. 

Trucking companies need to report their fuel purchase to their state’s IFTA office every quarter. If a trucker’s reports are late, they will be subject to late fees. We never want you to have to pay late fees. We know that running a trucking business is expensive enough. We will always make sure that your paperwork is spot on. 

Some states require highway permits to drive a truck through them. Kentucky requires a trucking company to get a special permit if they operate vehicles over 59,999 pounds. 
Carriers must report the number of miles driven through the state and pay around $0.0285 for every mile they travel. If you fail to register your vehicle with the state of Kentucky or pay your quarterly tax, your company will receive a significant fine and license will get suspended.

New York requires vehicles over 18,000 pounds loaded or 8000 pounds unloaded to obtain a NY Hut Permit. The actual tax rate a company pays will depend upon the weight of each truck and how a trucker reports the tax. When you establish a certificate of registration, you will receive a license that must be carried in the vehicle at all times and a decal.

Failure to get a registration to operate a motor vehicle in New York State trucking permits or comply with the law may result in suspension or revocation of the certificate. Sometimes a driver may not get a certificate of registration to drive in New York. In some extreme cases, failure to pay taxes may result in criminal charges. 

With over 20 years in the trucking industry, we know the laws backward and forwards. We will make sure that your taxes are always paid on time.

A vehicle weighing over 26,000 pounds must register for a highway permit if they travel through New Mexico. As in other states, a weight distance tax will be imposed. Taxes are due quarterly, and the license must be renewed once a year.

Oregon has some of the strictest laws for drivers and it is a requirement in the state of Oregon that trucking companies and owner-operators obtain Oregon Truck Permits even if motor carriers have an IFTA license. Trip permits must be obtained PRIOR to operation. Your vehicle may qualify for Oregon registration even if you are not a resident of Oregon if one or more of the following applies: 

• Your business owns the vehicle and has a main office, branch office or warehouse facility in Oregon;
• You use the motor vehicle in Oregon for pay or profit.
  
  Your vehicle is:
  • Usually left in Oregon when you are not in Oregon.
  • Used mostly for personal transportation in Oregon. 
  • The vehicle’s gross weight is over 26,000 pounds and\or has 3 axles. 

A carrier is required to pay taxes on a monthly basis and after a year of reporting taxes without any delay, they can apply to report taxes on a quarterly basis. Oregon is one of the most expensive states to drive through because they impose high taxes on truck drivers. 

It would be exhausting to fill out all the trucking permits and necessary forms to drive in the lower 48 states. A motor carrier needs to concentrate on running their company. You need to leave obtaining permits and reporting trips to a permit company like Simplex Group.

We will ensure all your highway permits and trucking permits are up to date and that all of your fuel purchases are reported on time. We can take care of overweight permits and superload permits as well. Here at Simplex, we will do everything in our power to make sure your business is a success. Give us a call today!

Our intuitive dashboard, Simplex Hub, and our mobile application, Simplex 2GO, will guide your business toward success and help you with all your safety compliance and permit needs. Click here to learn more!