Keeping Your Truck Legal
Registration, the annual inspection, IFTA, and the credentials that keep you rolling past the scales.
Key Facts
- Interstate trucks register under the International Registration Plan (IRP) and carry an apportioned plate plus a cab card.
- Every CMV needs a documented DOT inspection at least once every 12 months.
- IFTA lets you file fuel taxes for all member states on one quarterly return.
- No current annual inspection is an automatic out-of-service violation at roadside.
Registration & apportioned plates
Interstate trucks register under the International Registration Plan (IRP) and carry an apportioned plate plus a cab card listing the states you're registered in. Keep both current — expired plates mean citations and impound risk.
Annual DOT inspection
Every CMV needs a documented inspection at least once every 12 months by a qualified inspector, with the sticker and paperwork to prove it. No current inspection is an automatic out-of-service violation at roadside.
IFTA & permits
The International Fuel Tax Agreement (IFTA) lets you file fuel taxes for all member jurisdictions on one quarterly return. You carry an IFTA license and decals; running without them means buying trip permits at every state line. TWIC cards, meanwhile, get you into ports and secure terminals.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What documents do officers check at the scales?
- Typically your CDL and medical card, registration/cab card, proof of insurance, annual inspection, IFTA credentials, and your logs (ELD). Keeping them current and accessible speeds up every stop.
- How often is IFTA filed?
- Quarterly. You report miles driven and fuel purchased in each jurisdiction, and the return settles the difference.