International Registration Plan / Base Plates

The answer depends on whether or not you actually travel in all 48 states. If your actual travel is only in the 9 or 10 states then the 48 would be substantially higher. When you renew, the actual miles that were traveled are converted into percentages then multiplied by each state's plate rate. This is the first tier at 100%. If you would want to add the additional 38-39 states, then the estimated miles are assigned for each state and added to the actual. Percenatages are then calculated based on the new total. These are over the original 100%. Each state has different ways to calculate the estimates. The second tier also is more expensive because you are paying over 100%. The higher the percentage in a states with a high plate fee, such as IL and CA, cost more.

 

Wanted to jump in as i'm trying to figure this out as well. So first year let say i've estimated that i'll have 1k miles in CA so what happenes if i underestimated and need to go over the 1k miles?

 

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Once you are plated for a jurisdiction, you are plated for that jurisdiction. You don't pay to use x number of miles. If you are allowed to create the estimates, you may be asked to justify them before the plate is issued. Once the application is accepted, you will be plated. Applications based on estimates cannot be audited.

I don't know which base jurisdiction you are registering with, but each jurisdiction has it's own way to determine miles. I am familiar with Indiana. Indiana creates its estimated miles by taking the reported miles from some of the quarters of previous mileage reporting period and dividing it by the number of registered vehicles to determine an average jurisdictional miles. These averages are used as the estimates for 1st year applications and most jurisdictional additions. That way the estimates are based on actual information.

 

Your logic shows that you do not understand how the plate fees are calculated. The fees to each jurisdictions are based on a calculation of percentages. Estimating 1,000 miles to each jurisdiction would not low ball your plate. If you plated with 10 jurisdictions reporting 1,000 miles to each, the plate fees would be 10% of the full fee for each jurisdiction. If you reported 10,000 miles per jurisdiction, it is still 10% per jurisdiction. You would have the same fee. If you wanted to low ball your plate in a jurisdiction that allows you to create your own estimates, you would need to find the full plate rate for each jurisdiction and estimate low in the jurisdictions with high plate fees. Of course, jurisdictions look for this. It is one of the reasons that jurisdictions now create the estimates instead of allowing the applicant to do so.

I do not know how any jurisdiction but Indiana calculates estimated miles. Indiana does not pluck numbers out of the air (and I suspect that no other jurisdiction does either). Indiana calculates the jurisdictional estimates based on the information reported by all carriers divided by registered number of vehicles in previous periods.

 

I am dealing with Ohio IRP and was wandering if $2400 is high for IRP plates since I was told that the average IRP plate for ohio is $1800.

 

If I understand your perspective, Vision has the best answer. Guessing by your example that you're planning to operate from GA. Here's some GA specific info.

Everything you need and a lot you don't is on the Georgia Trucking Portal. The IRP and IFTA offices are in the DOR facility on Welcome All Rd. off Camp Creek Pkwy, outside 285. It's the only one in the state and they do answer the phones there for questions if you get stuck. Even better if you can fill out the paperwork as far as you can then go there in person. Early is better, avoid the last and first day of the month. If you're to pay anything that day, pay attention to the payment methods they accept or not. Notable is they don't accept Visa or company checks. Also interesting, this is the same place they print titles. For a $10 "expedite" fee, you can do your title work right there too if you need to. It's like Disney World once you get in there. A ride for everyone.

Before you get to that, go to the DOR website and get your company a Georgia tax account and get set up to use the GTC (Georgia Tax Center) website, if you haven't already. You get an access code for setup via US Mail, so don't wait until the day before to do this. That's the best way to file IFTA returns, and you'll need that tax ID for your IRP and IFTA applications.

Also before you go, you need to have your ad valorem taxes on equipment paid current at your county tag office. Since you have to get the plates at the IRP office, your county will only accept the tax payment and you get a receipt that looks like the tag receipt for a car, just without a sticker. Side note: if your registering a trailer, be sure to ask for a commercial (permanent) plate (the yellow one). They don't require a yearly sticker, but you do have to pay ad valorem tax each year.

On the way down to the IRP office, you might also need to stop in at the IRS office in Doraville (or another service center more convenient to you) and pay your 2290 if that's not already done. You must have the paid receipt when you show at the IRP office.

Georgia apportioned plates have an expiry decal on them just like the ones on cars. It will be printed on your cab card, and the ladies there will probably stick it on the plate for you. The cab card is the big truck equivalent of the tag receipt in your car's glove box, just bigger. It will list all the states you have registered for.

The IRS and IRP offices both have metal detectors at the door. Leave your weapons, steel toe boots, and WWF trophy belt buckle at home. I feel safer just saying that LOL.

Everything else is covered pretty well in the sticky posts at the top of the o/o section in this forum.

 

Nice info guys. Question about the base plates. Can you pay those monthly, or is it required to pay in lump sum amount

 

Things have changed a little since this thread was started (2013).

Before, you had to report which states you planned to run in and were only licenced for those states. IRP has changed since last year. Now, when you get apportioned tags, you are automatically registered for 49 states and most (if not all) of Canada. At the end of the year, you just report your mileage in each state you traveled in and pay based on that.

I don't know if you have to still do estimates on your first year or not.

In TN, you have to pay it all at one time. Maybe some states are different, I don't know.

 

Yes you do. They give you the estimated numbers.