International Registration Plan / Base Plates

Discussion in 'Ask An Owner Operator' started by LHTrucking, May 22, 2013.

  1. LHTrucking

    LHTrucking Bobtail Member

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    May 22, 2013
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    Hello. Just trying to understand what exactly this is. Not much info out there with respect to pricing and/or applicable states. Figured someone here would know.

    1. Does the base plate that I get out of, let's say, GA work in all 48 states or does it only work in the "home" state? If it does only work in home state, how does one travel to a nearby state? Do you need "stickers" or anything like that for each state that you plan to travel in?

    2. If the IRP is put in place to "provides payment of registration fees on the basis of total distance operated in all jurisdictions (states), how exactly does each state receive monies, or how are the number of miles traveled in each state, reported to said state"?

    3. For the plate, is it a one time cost and annual renewal?

    Thanks all. Greatly appreciated.
     
    Road Killer Thanks this.
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  3. VisionLogistics

    VisionLogistics Road Train Member

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    When you do your IRP (International Registration Plan), the first year you will decide what states you will run, and give them an estimated mileage for those states (miles you plan to run annually). This is the most expensive year, the first one, because you pay based on your mileage, and since you don't really know exactly how many miles you'll be running in each state, you pay based on an estimate. Most people end up not driving the estimated miles, therefore having wasted that money. The IRP office has a way to produce the estimates for you, unless you know for sure what they'll be. Your home state is the plate you'll run, but on your cab card (the tractor registration) it will list all of the states you're registered in. If they aren't listed you must buy a trip permit each time you travel that state. Trip permits are generally available at port of entry locations. So that one base plate allows your travel to states that you've got on the cab card. No more is needed, like the old days of bingo stickers and what not.

    The IRP member states are paid via the IRP central office. When you pay for IRP, you do it all in one place- your base state, then they make sure the money is sent to the member states as required.

    Your annual miles on the second and subsequent years are reported at your annual renewal. Again, you do this at the IRP office where you got the base plates. The second and following years can be much cheaper since you have an accurate tally of your miles for each state, and they often times are much less than what your first year estimates were.

    Your base plate costs are done annually. Most states charge a small fee for the plate, and administrative overhead, too. So yes, annually, you renew IRP and pay for your mileage and any additional fees. They don't usually issue new plates every year, just a new cab card.
     
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  4. STexan

    STexan Road Train Member

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  5. LHTrucking

    LHTrucking Bobtail Member

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    May 22, 2013
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    Thanks to both of you. One last question(s):

    Let's say for the first year (the rest of 2013) I just want to run 11 SE states. I would give those states when I establish get the base plate and then those 11 are printed on the cab card?

    And then someone really needs me to run to New Mexico but I only have up to Texas on my cab card...I would then have to stop at the NM point of entry and get a one time trip permit to get in?

    Thanks again.
     
  6. Ridgeline

    Ridgeline Road Train Member

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    It isn't calender year but annual renewal in March and in September (you pick which one) if I remember right.

    It is easier to pick out all the states you are going to run in and may run in and pay for them than to stop at ports of entry and add them. The difference in costs are not that great.
     
  7. FormerINAuditor

    FormerINAuditor Light Load Member

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    A base plate is for the "home" state only. If you want to go into another state, you can purchase a trip permit. Trip permits are good for a certain number of days.


    The first application's miles are based on estimates for those states you select. Each application after that is based on actual miles for the previous mileage reporting period, July 1 -June 30. The base state calculates the plate fees based on percentages of travel for each state multiplied by each state's full plate rate to determine that state's fees. All the state fees are totaled and admin fees added to determine your plate fee. You pay the plate fee to the base state. The base state transfers the money owed to each state.

    Each state determines their own estimated miles. Indiana uses all the reported miles from previous quarters divided by the number of vehicles registered to determine the estimated miles for each state.

    Annual renewal
     
  8. FormerINAuditor

    FormerINAuditor Light Load Member

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    I can't figure out how you think estimates make the first plate the most expensive because you report miles you don't travel. Fees are based on a percentage of miles totaling 100%. The estimated miles for the states selected are totaled and the percentage for each state is determined. The percentages are applied to each state's full plate fees and totaled. The most expensive plate is when states are added as estimates on applications with actual miles since those estimates are calculated over 100%.
     
  9. VisionLogistics

    VisionLogistics Road Train Member

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    What? I don't understand what you're trying to tell me.

    The first year was more expensive because they gave me estimated miles for some jurisdictions which we ended up not running in at all, or substantially less actual miles than what was declared by the estimates, therefore we paid for miles / jurisdictions that went unused. The first year cost us the most. Our subsequent costs went down quite a bit when we had actual miles to report.
     
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  10. BoyWander

    BoyWander Road Train Member

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    Does it cost substantially more to get 48 states than to get 9 or 10? Or if you get 9 or 10, should you might as well just get the rest?
     
  11. wis bang

    wis bang Road Train Member

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    Your first year estimates still add up to 100% BUT different states cost more than others. NJ used to give a sheet that helps estimate other states but I learned that they verbally recommended putting 10K miles for NJ and a small number for the rest making NJ 90 some percent of your miles and you paid 90 some percent of NJ's $1100 base plate and a small percent of the other state costs. Often the minimum is only a few bucks.

    If you did the same thing in IL where the base plate [the MOST expensive one] is close to 2K, it would be more than NJ but you would still only pay a small amount to the other states and should be able to do 48 states in IL for around $2200.

    Also be aware that alot of states do not have Ports of Entry; you need to get your IRP trip permit thru a service. You spend perhaps $15.00 for the state cost PLUS the permit service fee which can be $20.00 - $25.00 for a three day permit.

    You can go to DMV and add the state to a new cab card for a couple bucks plus the state fee for a new cab card I remember paying $7.00 for the new card in NJ. Much cheaper than buying temps.

    An IRP registration is a changing document. You loose states you don't travel in and add those you gained w/ trip permits by reporting those miles when you renew.

    Multiple trucks can be combined in a fleet. The advantage is you can keep all the states on the fleet's cab cards as long as one of the fleet runs in each state. I had a daycab fleet [7 states] and a sleeper fleet [21 states] for the last set of company trucks I permitted Most of my daycabs stayed in the NJ-PA-NY area but at least one hit all the rest so ANY truck in the fleet could be used in case of a break down without needing permits.
     
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