What is the Difference Between Apportioned Plates, IRP, and IFTA
If you’re not familiar with the world of trucking registration and compliance, there are a lot of confusing terms to watch out for. You’ll find IRP, IFTA, apportioned plates, and many others among them. While these terms are confusing, it’s extremely important to understand what they mean if you’re a trucking professional. We will break them down so that you better understand what they mean and how to use them.
If you need assistance with apportioned plates, IRP, IFTA, or any other form of DOT compliance for your El Paso trucking business, Border Trucking Compliance is here to help. Contact us online or call (915) 838-1080 to learn more about our services.
What are Apportioned Plates?
Apportioned plates simply refers to the type of plates you get when you register your vehicle. You have the option of choosing apportioned plates, commercial plates, or combination plates during registration. We’ll go into more detail later about how to choose the right type of plates, but there are certain requirements you’ll need to meet if you want to register for apportioned plates. You can only get apportioned plates if you register under an IRP.
What Does IRP Mean?
IRP stands for International Registration Plan and is a type of plan you sign up for if you have a truck that travels internationally or exceeds a certain weight limit. The IRP is an agreement between all the states in the US as well as all the provinces in Canada.
The goal of IRP is to come up with a fee repayment plan to compensate each state for managing and repairing highway damage caused by trucks. Each state and province has it’s own fees, which means that you’re annual totals will vary depending on where you travel.
If you register under the IRP, you’ll be granted apportioned plates for all of the trucks in your trucking company. This will ensure that you’re compliant with international and statewide trucking regulations.
What Does IFTA Mean?
IFTA stands for International Fuel Tax Agreement and is applicable to all commercial trucking companies traveling throughout the country. In the same way that the IRP is set up to compensate states and provinces based on where you travel, the IFTA is designed to compensate states based on the number of miles your trucks travel within the state.
Despite its name, the IFTA doesn’t enforce fees based on where you purchased your fuel. It also doesn’t include all of the states and provinces in North America, as Canada and Oregon are exempt from taking part in the agreement.
Should I Register Under IRP or IFTA?
While IRP and IFTA may sound similar, they are in no way connected and are two separate entities. However, because of how similar they are, if you register for one, you’ll likely have to register for the other. Registration for both entities depends on where you do most of your transporting and how heavy the loads are that you transport.
You must register with IRP if you meet the following requirements.
- Travel across state or provincial borders.
- Haul loads weighing more than 10,000 pounds.
You’ll have to register for IFTA if you meet the following requirements.
- Your transporting vehicle has at least 2 axles and a GVWR or GVW of more than 26,000 pounds.
- Your transporting vehicle has three or more axles.
- Your transporting vehicle transports more than 26,000 pounds and gets used in combination.
Contact us to find out who you should register your trucking company with.
Who to Contact If You Need Help Registering Your Vehicle
It’s important to know if you need to register with the IRP and IFTA, as well as if you need apportioned plates. If you make a registration mistake, you could be subject to hefty fines and potentially lose your company. Therefore, rather than trying to go it alone and risk making a mistake, let the professionals at Border Trucking Compliance. We’ll let you know what type of registration plates you need, as well as which entities you should register with. Contact us online or call (915) 838-1080 today!
