Who administers IFTA in Texas?

The Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. TxDMV handles motor carrier registration and apportioned plates, but the fuel tax license, decals, and quarterly returns all belong to the Comptroller.

Do I need IFTA if I only run inside Texas?

The Texas IFTA license exists for Texas-based carriers operating qualified vehicles in two or more member jurisdictions. If your trucks never leave Texas, the license replaces nothing, since it stands in for trip permits in other jurisdictions.

How do I apply for a Texas IFTA license?

File Form AP-178 online through the Comptroller's Webfile system, or send the paper form by mail, fax, or email. Decals issue for each qualified vehicle you list on the application.

What does the Texas IFTA license cost?

The Comptroller's IFTA page and Form AP-178 state no license or decal fee, so we record no amount rather than guessing. The fee fields on this page are marked unconfirmed with a note explaining why.

When are Texas IFTA returns due?

Quarterly, on the last day of the month following the end of each calendar quarter. Late or missing returns draw a penalty of a flat amount or a share of the delinquent tax, whichever is greater, plus interest; the sourced penalty field on this page has the figures.

Texas IFTA Registration and Filing

By Evan Reid, Founder of Haul Handbook · Updated Jul 18, 2026

Texas IFTA administration

IFTA member: Yes
Agency: Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts
License fee: The Comptroller's IFTA page and Form AP-178 state no license fee, so no amount is recorded rather than guessed.
Decal fee: Neither the Comptroller's IFTA page nor Form AP-178 states a decal fee, so no amount is recorded rather than guessed.
Application: Not confirmed
Filing frequency: Quarterly. IFTA fuel tax reports (Form 56-101 with Form 56-102 supplement) are due on the last day of the month following the end of the calendar quarter.
Late-filing penalty: The penalty for late filing, non-filing, or underpayment is $50 or 10 percent of delinquent taxes, whichever is greater; interest accrues at 9 percent annually (0.75 percent monthly).

Who licenses for IFTA in Texas

Any Texas-based entity operating qualified motor vehicles in two or more IFTA jurisdictions may take a Texas IFTA license in lieu of trip permits, with Texas as the base jurisdiction: the place where the vehicles are registered and where operational control and records live.

Qualified means the vehicle passes the axle and registered weight test the Comptroller publishes, alone or in combination; recreational vehicles used for personal pleasure are excluded. Leased operations follow the lease: a written lease that puts reporting on the lessor keeps the lessee out of it, and a silent lease defaults reporting to the vehicle owner.

The definition fields on this page carry the Comptroller's exact wording.

How to apply

The application is Form AP-178, filed online through the Comptroller's Webfile system or on paper by mail, fax, or email. It asks for your federal tax identifiers, any Texas taxpayer number, your apportioned account or plate numbers, your USDOT Number, the fuel types you run, and the jurisdictions where you operate and store bulk fuel.

Decals issue for each qualified vehicle you list. The form notes that bonds are not generally required of first-time applicants, though a history of late filing can bring a bond requirement later.

Filing cadence and penalties

Returns are quarterly, due on the last day of the month following the end of each calendar quarter, filed on the Comptroller's report forms. Late filing, non-filing, or underpayment draws a penalty of a flat amount or a share of the delinquent tax, whichever is greater, plus annual interest. The penalty field on this page carries the exact figures from the Comptroller's page.

What the Comptroller does not publish

Two facts stay unrecorded here because the sources do not state them: the Comptroller's IFTA page and Form AP-178 list no license or decal fee, and the fetched pages do not describe the annual renewal cycle or decal expiration dates. Rather than guess, this page marks both as unconfirmed with a note. When the agency publishes them, the fields get filled and dated.

The tax rates live in the quarterly matrix

IFTA rates change every quarter, so we keep them in one refreshed store instead of copying them onto every state page. The current quarter is 3Q 2026. Use the IFTA rates by state table for the full matrix, or the IFTA calculator to run your miles and gallons against the current rates.

What pairs with IFTA

IFTA and IRP travel together: the same interstate operation that needs a fuel tax license usually needs apportioned plates through Texas IRP. If you are still setting up, the full order of operations is in start a trucking company in Texas.

Frequently asked questions

Who administers IFTA in Texas?: The Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. TxDMV handles motor carrier registration and apportioned plates, but the fuel tax license, decals, and quarterly returns all belong to the Comptroller.
Do I need IFTA if I only run inside Texas?: The Texas IFTA license exists for Texas-based carriers operating qualified vehicles in two or more member jurisdictions. If your trucks never leave Texas, the license replaces nothing, since it stands in for trip permits in other jurisdictions.
How do I apply for a Texas IFTA license?: File Form AP-178 online through the Comptroller's Webfile system, or send the paper form by mail, fax, or email. Decals issue for each qualified vehicle you list on the application.
What does the Texas IFTA license cost?: The Comptroller's IFTA page and Form AP-178 state no license or decal fee, so we record no amount rather than guessing. The fee fields on this page are marked unconfirmed with a note explaining why.
When are Texas IFTA returns due?: Quarterly, on the last day of the month following the end of each calendar quarter. Late or missing returns draw a penalty of a flat amount or a share of the delinquent tax, whichever is greater, plus interest; the sourced penalty field on this page has the figures.

Haul Handbook publishes educational information about trucking registration and compliance requirements. This is not legal, financial, or tax advice. Rules, fees, and deadlines change; confirm with the agency before you file or pay.