IFTA quarterly filing deadlines
IFTA returns and full payment are due on the last day of the month after each quarter ends: April 30 (Q1), July 31 (Q2), October 31 (Q3) and January 31 (Q4). If that day falls on a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday, the due date is the next business day.
Q3 2026 (July–September) is due Monday, November 2, 2026. October 31, 2026 is a Saturday, so under the IFTA rule the deadline moves to the following Monday. File early if your base jurisdiction's portal tends to slow down at quarter end.
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Due dates, Q3 2026 to Q4 2028
| Quarter | Miles and fuel for | Return and payment due |
|---|---|---|
| Q3 2026 | July 1, 2026 – September 30, 2026 | Monday, November 2, 2026 October 31, 2026 falls on a weekend |
| Q4 2026 | October 1, 2026 – December 31, 2026 | Monday, February 1, 2027 January 31, 2027 falls on a weekend |
| Q1 2027 | January 1, 2027 – March 31, 2027 | Friday, April 30, 2027 |
| Q2 2027 | April 1, 2027 – June 30, 2027 | Monday, August 2, 2027 July 31, 2027 falls on a weekend |
| Q3 2027 | July 1, 2027 – September 30, 2027 | Monday, November 1, 2027 October 31, 2027 falls on a weekend |
| Q4 2027 | October 1, 2027 – December 31, 2027 | Monday, January 31, 2028 |
| Q1 2028 | January 1, 2028 – March 31, 2028 | Monday, May 1, 2028 April 30, 2028 falls on a weekend |
| Q2 2028 | April 1, 2028 – June 30, 2028 | Monday, July 31, 2028 |
| Q3 2028 | July 1, 2028 – September 30, 2028 | Tuesday, October 31, 2028 |
| Q4 2028 | October 1, 2028 – December 31, 2028 | Wednesday, January 31, 2029 |
We move weekend dates only. No U.S. federal holiday falls on any date in this table, but "legal holiday" is defined by your base jurisdiction, so a state or provincial holiday can push your date later. Confirm with your base jurisdiction.
The rule, from the IFTA Articles of Agreement
"The tax return and full payment of taxes shall be due on the last day of the month following the close of the reporting period for which the tax return is due. … If the last day of the month falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, the next business day shall be considered the due date."
- Mail: a properly addressed return or payment with enough postage counts as filed on the postmark date (R960.200).
- Electronic filing and payment: the received date follows your base jurisdiction's law (R960.300). Check your portal's cutoff time.
- Late: a return or payment not made by the due date is late and the tax is delinquent (R970). The base jurisdiction may charge $50 or 10% of the delinquent tax, whichever is greater (R1220), plus interest.
- No miles: you still file. Returns are required even if no operations were conducted or no taxable fuel was used (R930.100).
- Annual filers: if your base jurisdiction approved annual reporting, the return is due January 31 after the year ends (R960.100).
Reminder checklist for the week before
- Pull miles by state or province from your ELD or trip sheets, including non-IFTA and personal miles in your total.
- Gather every fuel receipt for the quarter and total the tax-paid gallons by jurisdiction. The IFTA audit-readiness checker flags missing receipts, duplicates and odometer gaps in your CSV exports.
- Run the numbers in the IFTA calculator or the free IFTA spreadsheet to estimate what you owe or get back, using the current IFTA rates.
- File and pay through your base jurisdiction's portal, and save the confirmation.
- If you run in Kentucky, New Mexico, New York or Oregon, file their separate mileage taxes too (below).
Mileage taxes due on their own schedules
These are not part of IFTA and are filed directly with each state.
| State tax | Who | When |
|---|---|---|
| Kentucky weight distance tax (KYU) | Every vehicle operated on Kentucky public highways with a combined licensed weight over 59,999 lb. | Quarterly KYU return filed and paid online through the Motor Carrier Portal (KYU E-File), due the last day of the month after the quarter (KRS 138.685). |
| New Mexico weight distance tax (WDT) | Owners, operators and registrants of commercial vehicles with a declared gross vehicle weight over 26,000 lb, intrastate and interstate. | Quarterly return through MVD Online Services, due April 30, July 31, October 31 and January 31 (NMSA 7-15A-9 A). |
| New York highway use tax (HUT) | Trucks, tractors and other self-propelled vehicles over 18,000 lb gross on New York public highways need a HUT certificate (if you elect the unloaded weight method: trucks over 8,000 lb or tractors over 4,000 lb unloaded). | Form MT-903, quarterly unless the Tax Department assigns another period, due the last day of the month after the quarter. |
| Oregon weight-mile tax (WMT) | Vehicles operating in Oregon above 26,000 lb. | Monthly reports are due (postmarked) by the last day of the following month. |
Form 2290 heavy vehicle use tax has its own deadline too (August 31 for trucks in use in July). See the Form 2290 HVUT calculator.
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IFTA deadline questions
When is the Q3 2026 IFTA return due?
Monday, November 2, 2026. The usual date, Saturday, October 31, 2026, is a Saturday, and IFTA Articles of Agreement R960 moves a due date that falls on a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday to the next business day.
What happens if I file IFTA late?
A return or payment not received by the due date is late (R970). Your base jurisdiction may charge a penalty of $50 or 10% of the delinquent tax, whichever is greater (R1220), plus interest, and it can still charge the $50 when the return shows no tax due.
Is a mailed IFTA return on time if it is postmarked on the due date?
Yes. Under R960.200 a return or payment sent by the national postal service or an equivalent national delivery service counts as filed on the postmark date, if it is properly addressed with enough postage. For electronic filing and payment, the base jurisdiction's own law decides the received date (R960.300).
Do I have to file if I drove no miles in a quarter?
Yes. IFTA Articles of Agreement R930.100 says quarterly returns are required even if no operations were conducted or no taxable fuel was used. Kentucky KYU and New York HUT also require zero-mile returns.
Information only, not tax or legal advice. Always confirm due dates and amounts with your base jurisdiction.