In our last blog post, we gave you the scoop on when a temporary permit might make more sense than participating in the IRP. So what exactly is the IRP? Great question.
What Is the IRP?
The IRP, which stands for the International Registration Plan, is a registration reciprocity agreement between the lower 48 states and 10 Canadian provinces. Officially established in 1974, the IRP was created to make interstate and international commercial travel easier while also ensuring that each state or territory is fairly compensated for the travel their highways support.
Through the IRP, commercial motor vehicles that are registered in one jurisdiction are recognized in other jurisdictions, and each jurisdiction receives a portion of licensing fees that correspond to the distance traveled through the jurisdiction. In other words, when your vehicle is registered with the IRP, your fees will be determined by how far you travel in each jurisdiction.
Who Needs to Register for the IRP?
The official IRP website states all apportionable vehicles must be registered with the IRP. An apportionable vehicle is defined as any vehicle that is used in multiple jurisdictions to transport employees or property, and meets one of the following criteria:
- Has two axles and a gross vehicle weight or registered gross vehicle weight of more than 26,000 pounds
- Has three or more axles
- Is used in a combination that has a gross vehicle weight of more than 26,000 pounds
There are some exceptions, though, including recreational vehicles, vehicles with restricted plates or government-owned vehicles.
Do I Have Other Options?
Yes. Depending on your vehicle or fleet, there are multiple ways to get the permits you need. We’ve been helping fleet operators, manufacturers and independent haulers secure trucking permits for more than 50 years. Whether you’re dealing with oversize or superload shipments, need help securing a temporary trip permit or could use some assistance in ironing out the logistics of a complicated or unusual shipment, we’re here to make the process as easy and painless as possible. Give us a call at (800) 359-9407, or fill out our online permit request.