Temporary IFTA permits: who needs one and what they cost
Running a truck across state lines without an IFTA license does not make fuel tax go away. You settle it one state at a time, with a permit you buy before you cross each line.
Fuel trip permits in four states
A temporary IFTA permit, usually called a fuel trip permit, lets a qualified motor vehicle run in an IFTA state without an IFTA license. You need one for each state you enter, bought before you enter it. Each state sets its own terms: Texas charges $50 for 20 days, California $30 for up to four days.
Most carriers hit this question at a bad moment: a new truck, a lapsed license, or a one-off load across state lines, with the driver ready to leave.
This guide covers which trucks need a fuel trip permit, how it differs from the other permits with similar names, what four large states charge today, and the mistakes that turn a cheap permit into a penalty.
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Key takeaways
A trip permit replaces the IFTA license, trip by trip
The IFTA Articles of Agreement let carriers settle fuel use tax on a trip-by-trip basis instead of licensing.
It applies to qualified motor vehicles
Two axles over 26,000 pounds, three or more axles at any weight, or a combination over 26,000 pounds. Recreational vehicles are excluded.
Every IFTA state you enter needs its own permit
That includes your home state on the way back, as California and Florida both spell out.
Each state sets its own fee and term
Texas $50 for 20 days, California $30 for up to four days, Florida $45 for 10 days, Illinois $40 for 96 hours.
The 30-day temporary decal permit is something else
It is for licensed carriers waiting on decals, and it comes from the base jurisdiction.
Oregon adds a fuel trip permit in 2029
A three-day permit, capped at three per vehicle each calendar year, starting July 1, 2029.
In this articleContents
What is a temporary IFTA permit?
A temporary IFTA permit, or fuel trip permit, is a short-term permit that covers fuel use tax in one state for a truck that has no IFTA license. The IFTA Articles of Agreement (R310) let carriers satisfy fuel use tax "on a trip-by-trip basis" instead of licensing.
The name causes confusion, because three different credentials get called a temporary or trip permit:
| Credential | Who it is for | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel trip permit | Carriers with no IFTA license | Fuel use tax in one state, for a set period |
| 30-day temporary decal permit | Licensed carriers in good standing waiting for decals | Carried in place of decals, valid in all member jurisdictions |
| IRP trip permit | Trucks without apportioned registration for that state | Registration only, not fuel tax |
The temporary decal permit comes from your base jurisdiction under R650. It must be vehicle-specific, show its expiration date, and ride in the truck on paper or as an electronic image. For how registration trip permits work, see our overview of truck permits.
Who needs a temporary fuel permit?
You need a fuel trip permit when you run a qualified motor vehicle into an IFTA state without an IFTA license. Under R245 of the Articles of Agreement, a qualified motor vehicle is used, designed, or maintained to carry people or property and:
- Has two axles and a gross or registered gross vehicle weight over 26,000 pounds (11,797 kg), or
- Has three or more axles, regardless of weight, or
- Is used in a combination weighing over 26,000 pounds (11,797 kg)
Recreational vehicles are excluded. IFTA's board has also ruled that a trailer's axles do not count toward the axle test, which applies to the power unit only.
IFTA's members are the 48 contiguous states and the 10 Canadian provinces. Under R305, a carrier based in a member jurisdiction that runs a qualified motor vehicle in two or more of them must license, unless it uses trip permits instead.
When licensed carriers need one too
- No license copy or decals in the truck. Under R660, the driver may have to buy a trip permit, take a citation, or both.
- Renewal season. In January and February, trucks may run on current or prior-year decals, or on a valid single-trip permit from the state they are in (R655).
How much does a fuel trip permit cost?
Each state sets its own fee, term, and sales channel, and you pay per vehicle. Here is what four large states charge, taken from their own fuel tax pages on September 24, 2026.
| State | Fee and term | How to buy |
|---|---|---|
| Texas | $50 for one entry, valid 20 days | Webfile, or a cashier's check or money order by mail |
| California | $30 for up to four consecutive days | CDTFA online or offices, and most DMV offices |
| Florida | $45 for 10 days | FLHSMV Commercial Vehicle Permit Portal |
| Illinois | $40 for 96 hours | Through a single trip permit provider, for an added fee |
Texas adds a limit: its trip permit is only an option for carriers with no more than five entries into Texas in a calendar year, as the Texas Comptroller explains. Past that, you need a license.
What about Oregon?
Oregon is an IFTA member, but until July 1, 2029 it collects IFTA taxes only from Oregon-based carriers, and heavy trucks pay weight-mile tax instead of diesel tax. Our Oregon trip permits guide covers what trucks need there today.
On July 1, 2029, Oregon becomes a full IFTA participant under House Bill 3991. The bill also creates a fuel trip permit for out-of-state carriers without an IFTA license: valid three consecutive days, no more than three per vehicle each calendar year, with the fee set by rule.
How to get a temporary fuel permit
Plan the whole route first, because each IFTA state is a separate purchase.
Step 1: Confirm the truck qualifies
Check the power unit's axles and its gross or registered weight, alone and in combination, against the three tests above.
Step 2: List every IFTA state on the route
Include your home state if you are coming back. California and Florida both require their own carriers to buy a permit to re-enter when they are not IFTA-licensed.
Step 3: Buy each permit before entering
Florida, California, and Illinois all require the permit before the truck enters. Match the dates to the trip: a California permit is not valid before or after the dates on it.
Step 4: Carry it in the truck
The permit belongs with the vehicle it was bought for. In Texas, the money order receipt is the permit, and it must ride in that truck.
Step 5: Keep it with your fuel records
If you later license under IFTA, miles run on a trip permit count toward total miles on your quarterly IFTA return, but not as taxable miles in that state.
Common mistakes with temporary fuel permits
Most problems come from timing, counting, or buying the wrong permit.
- Buying after the state line. Florida, Illinois, and California all expect the permit before entry.
- Forgetting the trip home. Your home state needs a permit too if you are not licensed.
- Counting a round trip as one entry. Texas counts a round trip through the state as two entries, so it takes two permits.
- Mixing up fuel and registration. Florida notes that a truck on a non-IRP registration from another state also needs a Florida trip permit. That is a second credential, not a substitute.
- Treating the fuel permit as the only road tax. It covers fuel use tax only. Some states charge other road taxes, which our guide to fuel taxes for trucking companies covers.
What it costs to get it wrong
California assesses $100 to $500 for running without an IFTA license or fuel trip permit, or $500 or 25 percent of the tax due, whichever is more, and it may seize the vehicle. Illinois sets a minimum penalty of $1,000, and $2,000 for each later occurrence.
If your trucks cross state lines often, an IFTA license is usually simpler than a stack of permits. Our trucking permits team can help you decide when to switch.
How Simplex helps with fuel permits and IFTA
A permit covers today's trip. We help with the permits you need now and the license that replaces them when the trips become regular.
Trip and fuel permits
Our trucking permits team handles temporary fuel (IFTA) permits and IRP trip permits, so each unit has both credentials before it crosses a state line.
IFTA quarterly returns
Once you are licensed, our trucker tax team puts together your quarterly IFTA fuel tax report and files it for you.
Licensing for new carriers
Starting out? Our authority packages can bundle IFTA licensing and IRP apportioned plates with your operating authority.
Frequently asked questions
What is a temporary IFTA permit?+
How much does an IFTA trip permit cost?+
Do I need a fuel permit if I don't have IFTA?+
Is a trip permit the same as a fuel permit?+
How long is a temporary fuel permit good for?+
Where this information comes from
The requirements below come from the IFTA Articles of Agreement and from each state's own fuel tax agency, checked on September 24, 2026.
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1
IFTA, Inc. — Articles of Agreement (August 2026)
R245 qualified motor vehicle, R305 licensing, R310 trip permits, R650 temporary decal permits, R655 grace period, R660 non-compliance.
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2
IFTA, Inc. — Jurisdiction Links
The member jurisdictions: the 48 contiguous states and 10 Canadian provinces.
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3
Texas Comptroller — Trip Permits
The $50 permit, one entry and 20 days, the five-entry limit, and how to buy it.
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4
CDTFA — California Fuel Trip Permit
The $30 permit for up to four consecutive days, home-state re-entry, and penalties.
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5
Florida HSMV — Temporary Fuel Use Permits
The $45, 10-day permit, buying before entry, and the separate IRP trip permit.
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6
Illinois Department of Revenue — MFUT-53 IFTA guide
The $40, 96-hour single trip permit, provider fees, and the minimum penalties.
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7
ODOT CCD — CCD Modernization Projects
Oregon's full IFTA participation and diesel tax starting July 1, 2029.
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8
Oregon Legislature — Enrolled HB 3991 (2025 special session)
Sections 80 and 91: Oregon's three-day fuel trip permit, operative July 1, 2029.
Written by
Simplex Group
Permits & Fuel Tax Team, Simplex Group
Reviewed for technical accuracy by a Simplex permitting manager before publication. Simplex has registered and filed permits and fuel taxes for interstate carriers across all 50 states for more than 20 years.
Published · Updated
Related articles and services
Buy the fuel permit before the state line, not after
A fuel trip permit is cheap and quick. Missing one is not: states can fine you, and California can hold the truck until the bill is paid.
If you want a second check on which permits a trip needs, or whether it is time for an IFTA license, talk to our team.