California IFTA State Tax Overview
- Updated May 22, 2023 - 8.00 AM - Admin, TrucklogicsThe State of California is one of the member jurisdictions of the International Fuel Tax Agreement (IFTA). If you operate interstate motor vehicles, and your base jurisdiction is in California, this article will help you understand IFTA registration, reporting requirements and other related information.
Table of Contents:
- 1. Who needs to complete California IFTA Registration?
- 2.How do I apply for a California IFTA License?
- 3. How do I renew my California IFTA license?
- 4. What are the California IFTA reporting requirements?
- 5. How to file a California IFTA Report?
- 6. What are the deadlines to file Quarterly California IFTA Returns?
- 7. What are the penalties for not filing California IFTA Reports?
- 8. Choose TruckLogics for generating your IFTA Reports efficiently!
1. Who needs to complete California IFTA Registration?
You need to register for an IFTA license if you have met the following criteria:
-
You are operating Qualified Motor Vehicle(s) (QMV) on California highways and in any
other member jurisdiction. - The QMVs are California-based and registered with the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).
- You are performing business operations from an established physical place in California (post office boxes, mail drop addresses, and agent address boxes are not eligible).
- You maintain the QMVs operational control and records in California or have made those records
available in the state.
2. How do I apply for a California IFTA License?
You can apply for your California IFTA license online. You will receive temporary credentials immediately if the application is completed accurately.
Along with your application, you must submit payment to cover the annual fees for your IFTA
license and decals:
- The annual fee for a California IFTA license is $10
- There is an additional $2.00 per-set charge for annual IFTA decals.
Once the registration is completed, the credentials will be mailed. You should make a copy of the license and carry it in each qualified motor vehicle. In addition to your license, you will receive two decals for each qualified motor vehicle.
Click here to learn about applying IFTA Licence to California.
3. How do I Renew my California IFTA License?
IFTA Licenses are valid only for one calendar year, and you must renew the license and order new decals
every calendar year.
In order to renew your IFTA license, you must file an IFTA license renewal application online at www.cdtfa.ca.gov. The cost of renewal will be $10 + $2 for each set of decals.
To have your license renewal processed, you must have filed all the required IFTA returns and have made all the tax payments due to the member jurisdictions.
4. What are the California IFTA reporting requirements?
If you have obtained your IFTA license from the state of California, you must file your IFTA
report every quarter.
IFTA requires you to file your report even if no miles were traveled or all the miles traveled were within the state of California.
5. How to file a California IFTA Report?
California IFTA reports must be filed online. Any taxes that are due must also be paid online on or before the deadline to avoid penalties.
Also, the state of California requires you to maintain records for all the information you report on your returns. The records should be maintained for at least 4 years.
To find out what you need to report, check out these IFTA Reporting Requirements.
6. When are the deadlines to file Quarterly California IFTA Returns?
Here are the quarterly deadlines for California IFTA returns:
| California Reporting Periods | California IFTA Filing Deadlines |
|---|---|
| January - March (1st Quarter) | April 30 |
| April - June (2nd Quarter) | July 31 |
| July - September (3rd Quarter) | October 31 |
| October - December (4th Quarter) | January 31 |
* If the due date falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, the next business day is considered the due date.
7. What are the penalties for not filing California IFTA Reports?
The state of California will impose a penalty in the following cases:
- You file your IFTA report late
- You fail to file your IFTA report
- You don’t pay the correct tax amount
In these cases, a penalty of $50 or 10% of the net tax liability will be imposed. Also, interest will be added on all late tax payments. You can check out the interest rates here
8. Choose TruckLogics for generating your IFTA Reports efficiently!
TruckLogics provides you with the easiest way of preparing and generating your IFTA report. Our solution eliminates the need for paper records and helps ensure accuracy.
Our system is updated regularly with the latest IFTA tax rates, which makes generating file-ready
IFTA report simple.
In addition to IFTA report generation, TruckLogics offers your a comprehensive Trucking Management Solution that helps with managing dispatches, accounting, and more!