Countdown to December 31st: UCR & IFTA Renewal Reminders

The closer 2015 gets, the faster the days seem to fly by! It seems like Thanksgiving was just yesterday, but if you can believe it, there’s only about 2 weeks until Christmas!

With Christmas just weeks away, that means it’s time to confront the harsh reality that December 31st–with it’s plethora of deadlines–is rushing upon us!

Is panic slowly setting in?

No, I don’t want to dampen your Christmas spirit, but it’s important to take a break from ordering gifts on Amazon to get your renewals, and everything else you need to maintain your authority, taken care of asap! And with help from your friends at TSNAmerica, filing your renewals will seem much less daunting!

So let’s take a quick break from decking those halls and go through a quick rundown of the essentials for the two yearly renewal giants: UCR & IFTA.

UCR

• Due by Wednesday, December 31st (at the latest)!
• The Unified Carrier Registration is a federally-mandated registration for commercial vehicles weighing a minimum of 10,001 pounds. Though only 41 states currently participate in UCR, interstate and international carriers from these non-participating states are still required to register with UCR and choose a base state nearby. 
• This registration must be renewed annually, and the fees due are determined by the number of vehicles used by your company (or leased for a period exceeding 30 days). 
• Though you’ll receive new renewal credentials each year, these credentials need not be displayed on your vehicle. In fact, it is illegal to do so. 
• The registration renewal period is the time you must change your base state if your business headquarters has moved to another state. Remember, you must provide advanced notice of the change to your current base state.

IFTA

• Due by (or before!) Wednesday, December 31st!
• The International Fuel Tax Agreement is a fuel tax levied on interstate carriers in the 48 contiguous United States and 10 provinces of Canada. Rather than pay fuel tax to each individual state you operate in, IFTA simplifies this process by allowing you to make a single tax payment to your base state each quarter. Your base in turn distributes the funds to other states in proportion to the mileage you accrued there.
• You must register for an IFTA license and report your fuel use and distance records each quarter if you’re an interstate carrier with a qualifying vehicle weighing over 26,000 pounds or with three or more axles. 
• If you’re already an IFTA registrant, don’t forget to keep precise fuel and mileage records. “Fudging” these numbers leads to IFTA audits. Check out these helpful tips on how to keep immaculate IFTA records and avoid the dreaded audit. Of course, if you have TSNAmerica prepare your IFTA returns for you, we know to check for all of these errors! Just one more step to ensure you’re safe!
• The IFTA license must be renewed annually; however, your license will only be renewed if your IFTA account is in good standing. That means you must have already submitted a return for every quarter AND paid all of the taxes due. Until you do both, you cannot renew. If you’re stuck in the past with overdue IFTA returns, call TSNAmerica, and we’ll help you file fast and get back on track!
• Some states require that you submit your renewal weeks before the deadline to ensure time for processing, so it’s crucial to not wait until the last minute!
• But we know that procrastination happens, and the IFTA Association knows it too. That’s why they’ve put a grace period in place to cover those without new credentials during Jan. and Feb. of 2015. 
• The grace period only applies to those who filed their renewal application prior to the deadline! If you miss the Dec. 31st cut off, you are required to have a temporary permit for each state you plan to travel through until your new credentials arrive. If you need temporary permits, TSNAmerica can get you the hook up! We can get you every permit you need filed in record time!

How do you stack up with this checklist? Noticed a few big things you’ve overlooked? No matter what the issue is, Truck Services of North America has the expertise to eliminate your increasing paperwork and make sure you kick off the New Year on the right foot!

Check out all of our services at TSNAmerica.com, then call us today at 803.386.0320 or send us an email support@TSNAmerica.com.