IFTA Made Simple for Small Carriers: What to Track Every Trip
October 19, 2026 · 5 min read
IFTA (the International Fuel Tax Agreement) lets you file one fuel tax return with your base state instead of one with every state you drive through. Your base state then shares the tax out to the others.
Who files
If you run a qualified motor vehicle across state lines (generally over 26,000 lbs, or three or more axles), you need an IFTA license and decals from your base state. Check your base state's rules for the details that apply to you.
The two numbers that matter
- Miles driven in each state or province, from your ELD or trip records.
- Gallons of fuel bought in each state or province, from your fuel receipts.
From those, the return works out what you owe or are owed for each state, because you paid fuel tax at the pump where you bought, not where you burned it.
When it's due
Returns are quarterly, due the last day of the month after each quarter ends: April 30, July 31, October 31 and January 31. File even if you didn't drive that quarter.
What to save on every trip
- Every fuel receipt, with the date, the state, the gallons and the price.
- Your miles by state. Most ELDs can export this.
- Your trip start and end points, so the miles make sense if you're audited.
Keep your records for at least four years. Missing receipts are the most common reason carriers end up paying more than they owe.
How TallyHaul helps
Snap a fuel receipt and TallyHaul reads the amount and the state onto the expense, so your gallons by state are sorted before the quarter ends. Your IFTA license sits in the Records Vault, and you can set a reminder for each quarterly filing date. TallyHaul organizes the records; you or your preparer file the return.
This is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Your rate confirmation, factoring agreement and your state's rules decide what applies to you.
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