We simplify licensing, permitting and reporting, so you can keep earnings coming
Get a Free ConsultationTruck driver tax preparation covers more than a yearly income tax return. Owner-operators and small trucking companies can also owe estimated taxes, the Form 2290 heavy vehicle use tax, quarterly IFTA fuel tax returns, and state weight-distance taxes.
Our team prepares and files these returns for carriers and owner-operators and helps you sort out which ones actually apply to your trucks.
It covers every federal and state tax return your trucking business files, and each one has its own trigger and deadline. Which ones apply depends on your business structure, your trucks’ weight, and the states you run in, so not every carrier owes every filing below.
| Filing | Who it generally applies to | When it is due |
|---|---|---|
| Federal income tax return (Form 1040 with Schedule C and Schedule SE) | Owner-operators who are sole proprietors or single-member LLCs | April 15 of the following year for calendar-year filers |
| Estimated tax (Form 1040-ES) | Owners who expect to owe $1,000 or more when they file | April 15, June 15, September 15, and January 15 |
| Form 2290, heavy vehicle use tax | Trucks with a taxable gross weight of 55,000 pounds or more | Last day of the month after the month of first use; August 31 for trucks first used in July |
| IFTA quarterly fuel tax return | Qualified motor vehicles that run in two or more member jurisdictions | Last day of the month after each quarter |
| State weight-distance taxes (KY, NM, NY, OR) and Connecticut’s highway use fee | Heavy trucks that run in those states, by each state’s weight threshold | Monthly or quarterly, set by each state |
IRP apportioned registration is not a tax return, but it is often handled alongside them: registration fees are split among jurisdictions by the distance your trucks travel in each.
Most owner-operators report trucking income and expenses on Schedule C and pay self-employment tax on Schedule SE once net earnings reach $400. The IRS sets the self-employment tax rate at 15.3%: 12.4% for Social Security and 2.9% for Medicare.
Because no one withholds tax from your settlements, you generally must make estimated tax payments if you expect to owe $1,000 or more. The IRS can charge a penalty for late or short payments even if you end up due a refund. The next 2026 payment is due January 15, 2027.
Our guide to trucker tax deductions walks through what you can deduct, from fuel and repairs to depreciation on a tractor.
A single-member LLC is taxed as part of the owner’s return unless it elects to be taxed as a corporation, and an LLC with two or more members is taxed as a partnership by default, according to the IRS. Form the LLC or corporation with your state before you apply for an Employer Identification Number (EIN). The EIN is free from the IRS, and you need one for Form 2290. If you are just starting out, see how we help you start your trucking business.
If a truck with a taxable gross weight of 55,000 pounds or more is registered in your name, you file Form 2290 for each tax period, which runs July 1 to June 30. The current period ends June 30, 2027. For a full period, an 80,000-pound truck owes $550.
We e-file Form 2290, return your stamped Schedule 1, and handle amendments and credit or refund claims. Our Form 2290 guide covers the tax table and partial-period rules.
IFTA lets you file one quarterly fuel tax return with your base jurisdiction instead of a return in every state. The 48 contiguous states and 10 Canadian provinces are members. You need an IFTA license if you run a qualified motor vehicle in two or more member jurisdictions: two axles and over 26,000 pounds, three or more axles at any weight, or a combination over 26,000 pounds.
Each return is due the last day of the month after the quarter closes, moved to the next business day when that falls on a weekend or holiday. The third-quarter 2026 return is due November 2, 2026, because October 31 is a Saturday. Your base jurisdiction can charge a penalty of $50 or 10% of the delinquent tax, whichever is greater.
We handle your IFTA permits and the quarterly returns: we collect the mileage and fuel data, prepare and file the return, and keep track of your fuel receipts. For the math behind the return, read our IFTA fuel tax reporting guide.
The International Registration Plan (IRP) works the same way for registration. Its members are the 48 contiguous states, the District of Columbia, and 10 Canadian provinces. Trucks over 26,000 pounds that travel in two or more jurisdictions are usually registered under IRP in their base jurisdiction and get an apportioned plate and cab card. We handle IRP apportioned registration and renewals.
The California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA) runs IFTA for carriers based in California. A vehicle that travels only in California does not need an IFTA license, and diesel trucks whose interstate travel is limited to California and Mexico need an Interstate User Diesel Fuel Tax License instead. California’s motor carrier permit is a separate DMV requirement.
Kentucky, New Mexico, New York, and Oregon tax heavy trucks by weight and miles driven in the state, and Connecticut charges a similar highway use fee. Most require a return even for a period with no miles in the state.
| State | Who it applies to | How you report |
|---|---|---|
| Kentucky (KYU) | Combined license weight over 59,999 pounds; 2.85 cents a mile | Quarterly, whether or not you traveled; a missed zero-mile return can bring penalty, interest, and a $500 revocation fee |
| New Mexico | Declared or gross vehicle weight over 26,000 pounds; rates rose 35% on July 1, 2026 | A return even without New Mexico miles, plus a yearly electronic permit for each vehicle |
| New York (HUT) | Gross weight over 18,000 pounds, or a truck over 8,000 or tractor over 4,000 pounds unloaded | Certificate of registration and decal before operating, then highway use tax returns |
| Oregon | Combined weight of truck, trailer, and load over 26,000 pounds | Monthly weight-mile tax reports, or quarterly if approved; a temporary pass for occasional trips |
| Connecticut | Class 8 to 13 vehicles of 26,000 pounds or more; 2.5 to 17.5 cents a mile | Quarterly highway use fee return, even with no Connecticut miles |
Oregon’s system is changing: on July 1, 2027 its weight-mile tax drops from 85 rates to 10, and from July 1, 2029 heavy trucks start paying diesel tax at reduced weight-mile rates, according to ODOT. For state details, see our guides to the Kentucky KYU license and New Mexico truck permits.
We work with small trucking companies and independent owner-operators, and we combine tax preparation with the permitting and compliance work that feeds it. That means your income tax return, Form 2290, IFTA returns, IRP registration, and state weight-distance filings can sit with one team instead of several.
Tell us how your business is set up, how many trucks you run, and where they go. Use the form below to request a free consultation, and a member of our tax and permitting team will follow up.
An owner-operator running the business as a sole proprietor generally reports income and expenses on Schedule C (Form 1040) and figures self-employment tax on Schedule SE when net earnings are $400 or more. Estimated tax payments may also be required.
Usually. The IRS says sole proprietors, partners, and S corporation shareholders generally must make estimated payments if they expect to owe $1,000 or more when they file. The payment dates are April 15, June 15, September 15, and January 15.
Drivers subject to DOT hours-of-service limits can deduct 80% of meal expenses while away from their tax home. Self-employed drivers can use the IRS special transportation rate of $80 a day in the continental U.S. instead of tracking actual meal costs.
Yes. The IRS does not accept a Social Security number on Form 2290, and a newly issued EIN takes about four weeks to reach its systems, so apply well before your filing deadline. The EIN itself is free from the IRS.
Generally until the period of limitations for that return runs out, which is 3 years in most cases. Keep employment tax records for at least 4 years, and records on a truck until the period of limitations ends for the year you dispose of it.
IFTA covers fuel tax: you file one quarterly return with your base jurisdiction. IRP covers registration: you get an apportioned plate and cab card, with fees split by the distance traveled in each member jurisdiction.
The rules and figures on this page come from these official sources, checked on October 5, 2026.