Permits
Fuel permits for trucking
A temporary fuel permit covers the fuel tax you'd otherwise report through IFTA, in a state where your truck has no decal. We price one for every state on your route that needs it.
Why states want a fuel permit
Fuel tax is owed to the state where the fuel is burned, not the state where it was bought. The International Fuel Tax Agreement exists so a carrier can settle that with one licence and one quarterly return instead of filing in every state it drives through.
That only works if the truck carries a valid IFTA licence and current decals. Without them, the state has no way to collect through the agreement — so it collects up front, as a temporary fuel permit bought before you cross the line.
Does IFTA apply to your truck?
It applies to a qualified motor vehicle used interstate — two axles over 26,000 lbs gross or registered weight, three or more axles at any weight, or a combination over 26,000 lbs. Below that, fuel permits generally aren't the issue.
When carriers actually buy them
- New authority, with the IFTA application still in process
- A decal that lapsed at renewal, or was lost
- A newly added or substitute power unit without credentials
- An occasional trip into a state you don't normally run
Fuel permits are not trip permits
This is the single most common mix-up we see, and it gets trucks held at scales. A trip permit is temporary registration — it answers whether the truck is registered to be on the road. A fuel permit covers fuel tax. They are issued under different agreements, priced separately, and a state can happily cite you for missing one while you hold the other.
Cross a state with neither apportioned plates nor an IFTA decal and you need both. A handful of states combine them into a single permit and a single fee. You do not have to know which is which — the quote resolves it per state.
When it's time to just license under IFTA
Fuel permits are priced for occasional use, and several states cap how many one carrier can buy in a year. If you are buying them for the same states month after month, an IFTA licence is almost always cheaper — the trade is a quarterly return and mileage records you have to keep properly.
The permits still make sense while an application is pending, for a unit you run rarely, or for a lane you take a few times a year. That is what we are here for.
Fuel permits across 51 states
Each state sets its own fee, duration and rules. Look one up, or price your whole route at once.
Common questions
- What makes a truck a qualified motor vehicle under IFTA?
- Broadly: two axles with a gross vehicle or registered weight over 26,000 lbs, or three or more axles regardless of weight, or a combination whose combined weight is over 26,000 lbs. Recreational vehicles are excluded. If your truck meets any of those and crosses a state line, IFTA applies.
- I have an IFTA decal. Do I still need fuel permits?
- Not for jurisdictions covered by your licence. A valid IFTA licence and current decals cover every member jurisdiction, and you report the miles quarterly instead. Fuel permits are for when that licence does not apply or does not exist yet.
- How many temporary fuel permits can I buy?
- Some states cap how many they will issue to one carrier in a year — a common limit is around ten. Past that they expect you to license under IFTA. If you are buying fuel permits routinely for the same states, IFTA is usually cheaper and less work.
- How long does a fuel permit last?
- It depends on the state, and it is often shorter than people expect. Some are written for a fixed number of days, some for a single entry. Texas, for example, issues a fuel trip permit good for one entry and a limited number of days. The permit states its own window.
- Do I need a trip permit as well?
- If the truck also isn't apportioned for that state, yes — registration and fuel tax are separate obligations. Some states sell the two together for one fee. Our quote works out which each state on your route requires.