FAQs
The International Registration Plan (IRP) is a cooperative agreement among 48 states, 10 Canadian provinces and the District of Columbia which allows a motor carrier to register a commercial vehicle for travel in all member jurisdictions by reporting activity and paying fees to the home (base) jurisdiction. IRP provides for payment of registration fees based on fleet miles traveled and vehicle characteristics. Although IRP registration fees paid to the base jurisdiction are distributed to the jurisdictions in which the fleet accrued miles, only one (1) license plate and one (1) cab card is issued for each vehicle.
Apportioned plates enable a commercial truck to travel out of state without purchasing a permit. When a registrant obtains apportioned plates, a cab card detailing the jurisdictions into which the vehicle is authorized to travel and the weight at which the vehicle can operate in each of those jurisdictions is issued. This cab card becomes the legal registration for the vehicle.
A Motor Carrier is defined in the International Registration Plan as a “person, firm, or corporation engaged in the commercial transportation of goods or persons”.
An Owner Operator is defined in the International Registration Plan is a “person, firm, or corporation leasing an apportioned vehicle with driver to a motor carrier”.
Registration under the International Registration Plan is not mandatory. It is a program for licensing commercial trucks and buses traveling in Louisiana and at least one other jurisdiction, if:
- The commercial vehicle is used for the transportation of persons for hire or designed, used or maintained primarily for the transportation of property
AND the vehicle is a power unit having:
- two axles and a gross vehicle weight in excess of 26,000 pounds, or
- three or more axles, regardless of weight, or
- a gross vehicle weight greater than 26,000 pounds in combination with a trailer
If a truck meets criteria number one and one of the criteria numbered two through four, and travels interstate in a commercial capacity, either a trip permit or an apportioned plate should be obtained.
If a vehicle has two axles and weighs less than 26,000 pounds, but engages in interstate travel, an apportioned plate may be advisable. A good rule of thumb in this situation is: “If you make more than one stop in a state while conducting business, then you should have a trip permit or be apportioned."
(a) An Applicant may elect as its Base Jurisdiction any Member Jurisdiction (i) where the Applicant has an Established Place of Business, (ii) where the Fleet the Applicant seeks to register under the Plan accrues distance, and (iii) where Records of the Fleet are maintained or can be made available.
(b) An Applicant that does not have an Established Place of Business in any Jurisdiction may designate as a Base Jurisdiction any Member Jurisdiction (i) where the Applicant can demonstrate Residence, (ii) where the Fleet the Applicant seeks to register under the Plan accrues distance, and (iii) where Records of the Fleet are maintained or can be made available.
(c) To establish Residence in a Member Jurisdiction, an Applicant must demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Member Jurisdiction at least three of the following:
(i) if the Applicant is an individual, that his or her driver’s license is issued by that Jurisdiction,
(ii) if the Applicant is a corporation, that it is incorporated or registered to conduct business as a foreign corporation in that Jurisdiction,
(iii) if the Applicant is a corporation, that the principal owner is a resident of that Jurisdiction,
(iv) that the Applicant’s federal income tax returns have been filed from an address in that Jurisdiction,
(v) that the Applicant has paid personal income taxes to that Jurisdiction,
(vi) that the Applicant has paid real estate or personal property taxes to that Jurisdiction,
(vii) that the Applicant receives utility bills in that Jurisdiction in its name,
((ix) that other factors clearly evidence the Applicant’s legal Residence in that Jurisdiction.
An “established place of business” means a physical structure located in the base jurisdiction that is owned or leased by the applicant or registrant and whose street address shall be specified by the applicant of registrant. This physical structure shall be open for business and be staffed during regular business hours by one or more persons employed by the applicant or registrant on a permanent basis (i.e., not an independent contractor) for the purpose of the general management of the applicant’s or registrant’s trucking-related business (i.e., not limited to credentialing, distance and fuel reporting, and answering telephone inquiries). The Applicant or Registrant need not have land line telephone service at the physical structure.
Records concerning the Fleet shall be maintained at this physical structure (unless such records are to be made available in accordance with the provisions of Section 1035). The Base Jurisdiction may accept information it deems pertinent to verify that an Applicant or Registrant has an Established Place of Business within the Base Jurisdiction.
As a PRISM state, Louisiana requires all holders of apportioned plates to be associated with a U.S. DOT number. The bar code on each cab card contains the U.S. DOT number associated with either the motor carrier responsible for safety or the registrant.
Owner operators without operating authority, who purchase their own plates, need a registrant U.S. DOT number. A registrant U.S. DOT number is for vehicle registration purposes only and does not provide the owner/operator with any type of operating authority. The registrant U.S. DOT number should not, under any circumstances, be displayed on the vehicle. An owner operator (lessor) must provide the U.S. DOT number for the motor carrier (lessee), who is responsible for the safety information. If the motor carrier responsible for safety has filed updated MCS-150 data within the prescribed twelve-month period, only the U.S. DOT number and FEIN of the motor carrier must be provided. Otherwise, a current copy of the MCS-150 for the owner operator and motor carrier must be filed.
Motor Carriers who have not obtained a U.S. DOT number must complete MCS-150 and MCS-150A forms to apply for a U.S. DOT Number. The IRP Unit will assist carriers in obtaining US DOT number or carriers may contact the U. S. Department of Transportation for assistance. A Motor Carrier is required to have a U.S. DOT Number prior to operation.
The MCS-150 form must be updated annually. This form can be updated online at (www.fmcsa.dot.gov). To update the form, click on "FMCSA Registration & Updates" and follow the instructions. A MCS-150 will be included in the IRP Renewal packet. The updated from should be returned with the completed renewal packet.
Motor carriers who transport certain hazardous materials, in interstate, intrastate and foreign commerce are required by FMCSA to have a HM Safety Permit. A list of the hazardous materials requiring a HM Safety Permit is available online at the FMCSA website: (www.fmcsa.dot.gov) in the "FMCSA Registration & Updates" section.
Carriers transporting hazardous materials of the type and quantity requiring a permit must file a MCS-150B with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. A statement that a Form MCS-150B has been filed must be submitted with your apportioned renewal application, if this form is required. Form MCS-150B is filed in lieu of submitting the MCS-150 data. The MCS-150B form is available on the FMCSA website: (www.fmcsa.dot.gov) in the "FMCSA Registration & Updates" section. If the carrier does not have internet access, Forms MCS-150 and MCS 150B can be obtained from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
Local FMCSA Service Center
5304 Flanders Drive
Suite A
Baton Rouge, LA 70808
Phone: (225) 757-7640
Fax: (225) 757-7636
New Applicants must register online at: https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/registration.
FMCSA Support Telephone Number: 1-800-832-5660
A trip permit is a temporary authority document issued to allow an apportionable vehicle without an IRP apportioned registration to travel in a jurisdiction without obtaining an IRP plate. A carrier should secure a trip permit prior to entering a jurisdiction for which they are not apportioned. Trip permits for travel in Louisiana are valid for 48 hours.
With the issuance of registrations for 2011, Louisiana will stagger the expiration of apportioned license plates throughout the year for existing accounts.
New accounts opened in 2011 forward will expired 12 months from the month the account is opened.
Renewal packets are mailed out 60 days prior to expiration.
“Reporting Period” means, except as provided below, the period of twelve consecutive months immediately prior to July 1 of the calendar year immediately preceding the beginning of the Registration Year for which apportioned registration is sought. If the Registration Year begins on any date in July, August, or September, the Reporting Period shall be the previous such twelve-month period. (EXAMPLE: Registration December 2016 reporting period is July 1, 2015-June 30, 2016. Registration Sept 2016 reporting period is July 1, 2014- June 30, 2015) REFER TO THE ATTACHMENT BELOW.
You need to keep records that reflect all activity of every apportioned vehicle, whether loaded, empty, bob-tailed or deadhead. Also keep all fuel and distance records, including the source documents from the drivers and the monthly/quarterly/annual summaries by vehicle and fleet.
A Registrant shall retain the Records on which the Registrant’s application for apportioned registration is based for a period of three years following the close of the Registration year to which the application pertains, and on request, shall make such Records available for Audit.
Commercial vehicles traveling to the US and/or Canada are required to have a minimum limit of third party liability insurance based on the commodity hauled. Currently, the only jurisdiction that requires every motor carrier regardless of base jurisdiction to have an insurance certificate to be filed is British Columbia. Read more about cross border requirements.
This hyperlink will bring you to the following website. https://www.irponline.org/page/CrossBorderReq
If you need to replace a lost, stolen or damaged plate you can do so by submitting a supplemental application, indicating that you need a replacement plate.
Changes to an apportioned fleet are done accomplished through the submission of a supplemental application you will also need,
- A copy of the Louisiana Registration
- A copy of the carrier liability insurance documentation
- Federal Form 2290, if applicable
- A copy of the authority lease agreement, if applicable
- A letter of explanation if the gross vehicle weight variance between jurisdiction is greater than 10%
- If the vehicle is a wrecker, a notarized towing affidavit
With advancements in technology now available, once the application is processed, a billing notice may be mailed, faxed or e-mailed to you which will list the fees due. Once you have verified all information shown on the billing notice as accurate, mail a copy of the billing notice and your certified funds to the address provided. Once received by the LA IRP Processing Center, new credentials will be issued and mailed or emailed.
Your cost is dependent upon the jurisdictional percentages and fees where apportionment is desired and the number of vehicles in the fleet. A fleet means one or more apportioned vehicle designated by a registrant for distance reporting under the Plan. To obtain an estimate of IRP registration costs, use the IRP Fee Estimator, provided to IRP by Celtic.
The hyperlink will bring you to the following website: http://www.irponline.org/default.asp?page=FeeEstimator
Once you are on the website you will have to create an account in order to use the fee estimator.
Each year the motor carrier is asked to report the total distance per jurisdiction for a specified July – June period, indicating in which of those jurisdictions where actual distance were accrued. Depending upon your base jurisdiction, there may be additional administrative fees for plates, cab cards, etc.
Apportioned jurisdictional percentages are multiplied by the jurisdictional fee.
To determine the apportioned percentage of any given jurisdiction, divide the distance per jurisdiction by the total fleet distance. Multiply the apportioned percentage by the respective jurisdiction’s fees to calculate the cost per vehicle.
Examples:
Jurisdiction Annual Fee Distance Percentage Cost
A $810.00 20,634 25% $202.50
B $1,750.00 14,856 18% $315.00
C $1,200.00 18,158 22% $264.00
D $2,100.00 28,888 35% $735.00
100% $1,516.50
The Unified Carrier Registration (UCR) Program is a federal law that requires individuals and companies that operate commercial motor vehicles in interstate commerce to register their business with their “base state.” You pay an annual fee based on the size of your fleet. The UCR applies to all states in the continental US. If a Canadian carrier travels in the lower 48 states, UCR is required.
The UCR fees are based on the number of commercial motor vehicles you reported on your last MCS-150 form or the total number of commercial motor vehicles owned and operated for the 12 month period ending June 30 of the year immediately prior to the year for which the UCR registration is made.
A “commercial motor vehicle” for the purposes of UCR is defined as a self-propelled or towed vehicle used on the highways in commerce principally to transport passengers or cargo, if the vehicle:
- Has a gross vehicle weight rating or gross vehicle weight of at least 10,001 pounds or more, whichever is greater, or
b. Is designed to transport 11 or more passengers (including the driver): or
c. Is used in transporting hazardous materials in a quantity requiring placarding.
Not all US jurisdictions collect UCR fees; please check with your jurisdiction. If a jurisdiction does not participate in UCR then please register with a bordering state that is a UCR participant to avoid non-compliance.
Fees Due: The fees, established by the UCR board, please check with your “base state” for the current fees
On-line filing is available by going to: https://www.ucr.gov/
Payment must be made by either credit card or e-check. Log in and follow the step-by-step instructions. NOTE: there is a transaction fee for filing online.
Vehicles that register with the IRP are authorized to travel in all member jurisdictions using the credentials issued by their base jurisdiction. All of these member jurisdictions are automatically displayed on the cab card via FRP (Full Reciprocity Plan). This is done to greatly simplify the registration process and provide flexibility for registrants.
Please refer to FRP FAQ attachment pdf for more information:
https://cdn.ymaws.com/www.irponline.org/resource/resmgr/resources_&_services/frp_faq_8.25.14c.pdf
Motor carriers, hazardous material safety permit applicants/holders, and intermodal equipment providers regulated by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) must update their registration information every two years. Failure to comply with the biennial update requirements will result in penalties and USDOT number deactivation even if your company has not changed its information, ceased interstate operations since the last update, or is no longer in business and did not notify FMCSA.
The following filing schedule has been instituted by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA):
If your USDOT number ends in: You must file by last day of:
1 January
2 February
3 March
4 April
5 May
6 June
7 July
8 August
9 September
0 October
If the next-to-last digit of your USDOT number is odd, file your update every odd-numbered calendar year. If the next-to-last digit of your USDOT number is even, file your update every even-number calendar year.
The FMCSA has established a safety permit program (HM Safety Permit). Effective January 1, 2005, motor carriers transporting certain hazardous materials in interstate, intrastate, and foreign commerce will be required to have the permit.
The permit program will require every motor carrier, including intrastate carriers, transporting certain hazardous materials to complete Form MCS-150B in lieu of Form MCS-150 after January 1, 2005. The MCS-150B form is available through the FMCSA website: (http://www.safer.fmcsa.dot.gov)
Failure to complete a Biennial Update will result in deactivation of your USDOT number and may result in civil penalties of up to $1,000 per day, not to exceed $10,000.
Updating your information is free. We have included instructions below to help you complete your biennial update.
The form 2290 is the Federal Heavy Vehicle Use form used by US motor carriers to calculate and pay the tax due on highway motor vehicles used during a reporting period with a taxable gross weight of 55,000 pounds or more. The US states are required by federal law to verify payment of HVUT prior to registering a vehicle. All US jurisdictions have signed an agreement with the IRS to verify the payment of this tax before registration is allowed. See the IRS website for more information.
This hyperlink brings you to the following website:
https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-2290?_ga=1.6864754.1917257101.1475759738