Truck permits explained: the credentials an interstate carrier needs
A truck that crosses state lines runs on a stack of federal, multistate, and state credentials. Some are filed once, some renew every year, and some are bought one trip at a time.
Truck permits in numbers
Truck permits are the registrations, tax licenses, and temporary permits a commercial truck needs to run legally. An interstate tractor-trailer typically needs a USDOT number, operating authority if for-hire, UCR, IRP plates, an IFTA license, and Form 2290, plus state weight-distance, trip, or oversize permits when the route or load calls for them.
The hard part of truck permits is rarely any single filing. It is knowing which ones apply to your trucks, your lanes, and your freight, and when each one renews.
This guide is our team's map. Each credential gets its rule and its threshold in a few lines, with a link to our full guide when you need the detail.
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Key takeaways
The USDOT number comes first
Interstate carriers file Form MCS-150 before they begin operations and update it every 24 months. Registration now runs through FMCSA's Motus system.
For-hire carriers also need authority
Operating authority requires an insurance filing and a BOC-3 on file with FMCSA.
26,000 pounds triggers IRP and IFTA
Two axles over 26,000 pounds, three or more axles at any weight, or a combination over 26,000 pounds, running in two or more jurisdictions.
55,000 pounds triggers Form 2290
The heavy vehicle use tax runs from $100 to $550 per vehicle for the July 1 to June 30 period.
Five states add their own mileage tax
Kentucky, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, and Connecticut tax heavy trucks by weight and miles, separately from IFTA.
Trip permits fill the gaps
A trip permit covers registration or fuel tax for a state where you lack IRP or IFTA credentials. It does not cover oversize loads.
In this articleContents
What are truck permits?
Truck permits are the credentials a commercial truck needs to operate legally: federal registrations, multistate plates and tax licenses, state highway taxes, and temporary permits for a single trip or load.
They sort into three layers. Federal registrations identify the company. Base-state credentials cover the truck across member states. State-level permits cover what those miss.
| Credential | Who needs it | How often |
|---|---|---|
| USDOT number | Interstate carriers running commercial motor vehicles of 10,001 lbs or more | Update every 24 months |
| Operating authority (MC) | For-hire carriers of regulated freight | Stays active while insurance is on file |
| UCR | Interstate motor carriers, brokers, freight forwarders, and leasing companies | Every registration year |
| IRP apportioned plates | Power units over 26,000 lbs or with 3+ axles in 2+ jurisdictions | Yearly, on your base state's cycle |
| IFTA license and decals | The same qualified vehicles, in 2+ member jurisdictions | Decals yearly, returns quarterly |
| Form 2290 (HVUT) | Vehicles with a taxable gross weight of 55,000 lbs or more | Every July 1 to June 30 period |
| State weight-distance tax | Heavy trucks in KY, NM, NY, OR, and CT | Set by each state |
| Trip and fuel permits | Trucks without IRP or IFTA credentials for that state | Per trip |
| Oversize and overweight permits | Nondivisible loads over legal size or weight | Per the state's permit terms |
Trucking permits differ by state mainly in the last three rows. The rest follow federal rules or multistate agreements.
Which federal registrations come first?
The USDOT number comes first, then operating authority if you haul for hire, then UCR every year.
USDOT number
Under 49 CFR 390.19T, an interstate motor carrier files Form MCS-150 before it begins operations and every 24 months after. FMCSA's Motus system, launched May 19, 2026, is now where carriers apply for a USDOT number and file updates.
FMCSA has temporarily paused enforcement of biennial updates due on or after June 1, 2026. The schedule and the pause are covered in our MCS-150 biennial update guide.
Operating authority
FMCSA registers for-hire carriers of regulated commodities, which means an MC number on top of the USDOT number. Authority needs proof of insurance and a BOC-3 process agent filing, and it can be suspended if the insurance lapses. Motus has not eliminated MC numbers.
Unified Carrier Registration
UCR is an annual fee paid by interstate motor carriers, private carriers of property, brokers, freight forwarders, and leasing companies. Carriers pay by fleet size.
- 2026: from $46 for 0 to 2 vehicles to $44,836 for 1,001 or more
- 2027: from $55 to $54,165, effective October 1, 2026
Our UCR renewal guide has every bracket and the filing steps.
What do IRP, IFTA, and Form 2290 require?
IRP and IFTA use the same weight test, and both are issued by your base state. Form 2290 is a federal tax with its own threshold.
IRP apportioned registration
Under the International Registration Plan, a power unit is apportionable when it runs in two or more jurisdictions and has two axles and over 26,000 pounds, three or more axles, or a combination over 26,000 pounds. It gets one plate and one cab card, and fees are split by the miles driven in each jurisdiction.
IFTA license and decals
IFTA uses the same test for a qualified motor vehicle. Your base jurisdiction issues the license, a copy for each truck, and two decals per vehicle, renewed yearly, per IFTA, Inc..
Returns are quarterly and due the last day of the month after the quarter: April 30, July 31, October 31, and January 31. You file even for a quarter with no miles. See how to file your IFTA quarterly return.
Form 2290 heavy vehicle use tax
Vehicles with a taxable gross weight of 55,000 pounds or more owe the tax, from $100 at 55,000 pounds to $550 over 75,000 pounds. The current period runs July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027.
File by the last day of the month after the vehicle's first use, and keep the stamped Schedule 1, which states require as proof of payment for registration. Our Form 2290 guide covers suspended vehicles and credits.
Which states charge a weight-distance tax?
Five states tax heavy trucks by weight and miles driven in the state. Each needs its own account or permit, and IFTA does not cover it.
| State | Applies to | Credential |
|---|---|---|
| Kentucky | Combined license weight over 59,999 lbs | KYU license, 2.85 cents per mile |
| New Mexico | Declared or gross vehicle weight over 26,000 lbs | Weight distance tax permit, renewed yearly for each vehicle |
| New York | Gross weight over 18,000 lbs | HUT certificate of registration and decal |
| Oregon | Combined weight over 26,000 lbs | Weight-mile tax account or a $9 temporary pass plus tax |
| Connecticut | 26,000 lbs or more, FHWA vehicle Classes 8 to 13 | Highway Use Fee permit, quarterly returns |
Occasional runs have short-term options in Kentucky (a one-time temporary KYU permit), New York (a trip certificate of registration), and Oregon (the temporary pass). For the state detail, see our guides to the Kentucky KYU license, New Mexico truck permits, and Oregon trip permits.
When do you need a trip, fuel, or oversize permit?
You need one when a truck runs somewhere its permanent credentials do not reach, or carries a load larger than they allow.
IRP trip permits
A trip permit is issued by a state in lieu of apportioned or full registration. Each state sets its own form, fee, and term. Oregon's heavy motor vehicle trip permit, for example, costs $43 for 10 days.
Temporary fuel permits
IFTA lets a carrier pay fuel use tax trip by trip instead of holding a license, which suits a truck that rarely leaves its base state. Fees and terms vary by state; our temporary fuel permit guide compares them.
Oversize and overweight permits
Federal law caps Interstate weights at 80,000 pounds gross, 20,000 on a single axle, and 34,000 on a tandem, under 23 CFR 658.17. Width is 102 inches on the National Network under 23 CFR 658.15.
States may issue special permits for nondivisible loads above those limits, each with its own routes, hours, and escort rules. Start with our oversize load permit guide.
How do you keep truck permits current?
Put every renewal on one calendar, and check each truck against it whenever its weight, lanes, or freight change.
- IFTA returns: April 30, July 31, October 31, and January 31
- Form 2290: by August 31 for trucks first used in July, then the last day of the month after first use
- UCR: the 2027 fees apply from October 1, 2026
- MCS-150: every 24 months, in the month set by your USDOT number's last digit
- IRP and IFTA credentials: yearly, on your base state's cycle
- Weight-distance returns: on each state's schedule, including quarters with no miles where the state requires it
IFTA, New Mexico, New York, and Connecticut all expect a return even for a quarter with no travel there. A missed zero return still counts as a missed return.
If tracking this across a fleet is more than your office can carry, our trucking permits team can take the permits side off your plate.
How Simplex helps with truck permits
Most carriers need several of these credentials at once. We help you line them up and keep them current.
Trip, fuel, and oversize permits
Our trucking permits team handles IRP trip permits, temporary fuel permits, and oversize and overweight permits, with a dedicated permitting manager and online requests through SimplexHub and Simplex2Go.
IFTA and trucking taxes
Our trucking tax preparation team puts together your IFTA quarterly report, files it with each state office, and backs up your fuel purchase records.
Authority and registrations
An authority package covers USDOT and MC applications, the BOC-3, insurance filing coordination, MCS-150 updates, and UCR, and can add IRP plates and IFTA licensing.
Frequently asked questions
Do truck permits vary by state?+
Is there one permit that covers all states?+
What is the difference between a trip permit and a fuel permit?+
Does my truck need a Form 2290 if it weighs less than 55,000 pounds?+
Does a carrier with one truck need UCR?+
Where this information comes from
The requirements below come from federal regulation, the IRP and IFTA agreements, the IRS, and state revenue agencies, checked on September 24, 2026.
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1
eCFR — 49 CFR 390.19T
Who files Form MCS-150 for a USDOT number, before operations and every 24 months.
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2
Federal Register — Availability of Motus (91 FR 23144)
Motus replaces FMCSA's registration systems; which carriers need operating authority; MC numbers stay for now.
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3
Federal Register — UCR fees (91 FR 56063)
UCR fee brackets for 2025 and 2026, the higher 2027 fees effective October 1, 2026, and the 41 participating states.
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4
IRP, Inc. — International Registration Plan (amended October 2025)
The apportionable vehicle definition and trip permits issued in lieu of apportioned registration.
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5
IFTA, Inc. — Articles of Agreement (2026)
Trip permits instead of licensing, two decals per vehicle, quarterly returns, and due dates.
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6
IRS — Instructions for Form 2290 (Rev. July 2026)
The 55,000-pound threshold, the July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027 period, due dates, and e-filing for 25 or more vehicles.
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7
eCFR — 23 CFR 658.17
Federal Interstate weight limits and state permits for nondivisible loads.
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8
FMCSA — Temporary Suspension of the Biennial Update Requirement
Motus launch and the pause on biennial update enforcement for updates due on or after June 1, 2026.
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
Know every credential before the truck rolls
Truck permits are easier when you check them by truck and by lane, not by deadline alone. Weight, axles, freight, and states decide which ones apply.
If you want a second look at which credentials your trucks need and when each one renews, talk to our team.