IFTA audit-readiness checker
Load your trip miles by state and your fuel receipts as CSV files. The checker finds the gaps an IFTA auditor would notice: quarters with miles but no fuel, fuel bought in states you have no miles in, odometer gaps, duplicate receipts, receipts outside the quarter and fleet MPG that doesn't look right.
Your data never leaves your browser. The files are read and checked by code running in this tab. Nothing is uploaded or stored, and it is gone when you close or reload the page. We only count that the checker was used, never what you put in it (privacy).
Templates: trip miles CSV · fuel receipts CSV. Open in Excel or Google Sheets, replace the example rows, save as CSV.
How to get your data in
- Download the trip miles template and the fuel receipts template, or export from your ELD, fuel card or IFTA software.
- Use one row per trip leg per state for miles (date, unit, jurisdiction, miles; odometer_start and odometer_end if you have them) and one row per receipt for fuel (date, unit, jurisdiction, gallons; vendor, fuel_type, receipt number and amount if you have them).
- Column names are flexible: "state", "truck", "gal" and similar headers are recognized. Dates can be YYYY-MM-DD or MM/DD/YYYY. States and provinces can be codes (TX, ON) or names.
- Fix what it flags, then run the numbers in the IFTA calculator or the free IFTA spreadsheet and file by the IFTA deadline.
What it checks, and the IFTA rule behind each check
| Check | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Quarter with miles but no fuel receipts | You must keep complete records of all fuel bought or used and produce them for audit (P550.100). |
| Fuel bought in a state with no miles logged | Distance records must show the distance traveled in each jurisdiction (P540.100.030). Fuel in a state you never drove in usually means a missing trip leg. |
| Odometer gaps, overlaps and mismatches | Trip records should include beginning and ending odometer, hubodometer or ECM readings and the total distance (P540.100.020–.025). A gap means miles missing from every jurisdiction. |
| Fleet MPG below 4 or above 10 | Auditors check your fuel and distance accounting against each other (P530). If records are inadequate, the assessment uses 4.00 MPG or a 20% cut to your MPG (P570.100). The 4–10 band is our own rule of thumb for heavy diesel trucks, not an IFTA limit. |
| Receipts dated outside the quarter | Your cut-off may differ slightly from the calendar quarter only if it is consistent and the same for distance and fuel (P540.300, P550.800). |
| Duplicate receipts | Tax-paid credit needs a valid receipt or transaction listing for each purchase (P550.220). A receipt counted twice overstates your credit. |
| Missing receipt fields | A valid retail receipt shows date, seller name and address, quantity, fuel type, price, vehicle and purchaser name (P550.300). |
| Missing dates and long gaps | Trip records need beginning and ending dates (P540.100.005). We note stretches of 14+ days with no trips so you can confirm the truck was really parked. |
IFTA record-keeping rules in brief
- Keep records 4 years from the date the return was due or filed, whichever is later (P510).
- The burden of proof is on you. The audit uses the best information available to the base jurisdiction (P520).
- Records must be adequate: enough of them, and the right kind, to verify the distance traveled and fuel bought. Any format is fine if the base jurisdiction can audit it (P530).
- GPS/ELD distance data needs a reading at least every 10 minutes with the engine on, with date and time, latitude and longitude to 4 decimal places, odometer and vehicle ID, and must be available as XLS, XLSX, CSV or delimited text. PDF and images are not acceptable (P540.200).
- Inadequate records lead to an additional assessment at 4.00 MPG or a 20% reduction of your reported MPG (P570.100).
Source: IFTA Procedures Manual (effective August 2026), section P500 Recordkeeping, published by IFTA, Inc. (checked 2026-10-30). Your base jurisdiction may have additional requirements.
IFTA audit and record-keeping questions
How long do I have to keep IFTA records?
Four years from the date the IFTA return was due or filed, whichever is later, plus any period covered by a waiver or jeopardy assessment (IFTA Procedures Manual P510). If you asked for a refund, keep the records for that period until the refund is granted or denied.
What does an IFTA fuel receipt need to show for tax-paid credit?
Under P550.300: the purchase date, the seller's name and address (a properly identified vendor code is fine), the quantity and type of fuel, the price per gallon or total price, the vehicle the fuel went into, and the purchaser's name. Altered, erased or illegible receipts are not accepted unless you can show they are valid (P550.200).
What distance records does IFTA expect?
For each trip, P540.100 lists the start and end dates, origin and destination, route, beginning and ending odometer or ECM readings, total distance, distance in each jurisdiction, and the VIN or unit number. GPS/ELD records must have a reading at least every 10 minutes with the engine on and be available as a spreadsheet file such as CSV or XLSX, not PDF or images (P540.200).
What happens if my IFTA records are inadequate in an audit?
The burden of proof is on the licensee (P520). If the base jurisdiction finds the records inadequate, or you produce none after a written demand, it imposes an additional assessment by reducing your fleet MPG to 4.00 or cutting your reported MPG by 20% (P570.100). It can also disallow tax-paid credit for poorly documented fuel.
Does this checker upload my files?
No. The CSV files are read and checked by JavaScript in your browser tab. Nothing you load is sent to FuelTaxMath or anyone else, and it is gone when you close or reload the page.
Does passing this checker mean I'll pass an IFTA audit?
No. It catches common gaps in the data you give it, such as missing receipts, odometer gaps, duplicates and odd MPG. An auditor also looks at original receipts, ELD/GPS data, routes and your accounting system. Treat it as a pre-check, not an audit opinion.
Information only, not tax, legal or audit advice. A clean result here does not mean your records will pass an audit. Confirm requirements with your base jurisdiction.