While it may seem straightforward, the requirement for credentials isn't always clear under the International Registration Plan (IRP) and International Fuel Tax Agreement (IFTA).

Both IRP and IFTA apply to qualified motor vehicles operating in more than one jurisdiction. A "qualified motor vehicle" is a motor vehicle that is used, designed, or maintained for transportation of persons or property, and:

• Has two axles and a gross vehicle weight or registered gross vehicle weight exceeding 26,000 pounds; or
• Has three or more axles regardless of weight; or
• Is used in combination, when the weight of such combination exceeds 26,000 pounds gross vehicle weight.

Did you know that there are other situations when these credentials may be needed?

Scenario

Your pickup truck with a loaded trailer weighs in at 18,000 pounds and needs to haul from Texas to California.

What would you do?

    A. Register the unit with apportioned plates.

    B. Get trip permits for the round trip.

    C. Get trip permits and fuel permits for the round trip.

    D. None of the above, the Texas base plates have us covered.

The answer (and the twist in the plot)

A two-axle vehicle with a gross weight or registered weight under 26,001 pounds isn't required to register (or obtain trip permits) under the International Registration Plan (IRP). However, for vehicles/ combinations between 10,001 and 26,000 pounds, some jurisdictions require trip permits or apportioned plates:

• To travel through the jurisdiction, or
• When engaging in intrastate transportation.

Arizona, California, and New Mexico fall in this category.

Because of this, it sometimes makes sense to register the vehicles with apportioned plates under IRP even when they are less than 26,001 pounds.

Two of the answers could work for this scenario, both A and B:

A. Apportioned plates would provide the truck valid registration for all states of travel. This option would be the best choice if the trip occurs regularly, making trip permits impractical or expensive.

B. If this is an infrequent trip, then registration trip permits are a good solution.

C. While this weight category of vehicles must be considered for registration/IRP purposes, a two-axle vehicle or combination at 26,000 pounds or less would never be subject to fuel taxes under IFTA.

D. This option could result in citations and operational delays in each state of travel.

Key to remember: Be sure to understand the requirements for registration and fuel taxes in all the states on your route.