Operators of Ontario FARM PLATED vehicles planning to travel outside of Ontario should contact neighbouring jurisdictions in any region of planned travel to find out their regional transportation requirements. Carriers that register vehicles under the International Registration Plan (IRP) must register under the International Fuel Tax Agreement (IFTA) if their vehicle meets the registration requirements. IRP-exempt vehicles may still need  to register under IFTA.

The International Registration Plan (IRP) and the International Fuel Tax Agreement (IFTA) are agreements among member jurisdictions for interjurisdictional (the contiguous United States and Canadian Provinces) commercial vehicle carriers. IFTA/IRP credentials are not valid for travel through Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Yukon or Alaska.

Operators without the required credentials and occasionally travel into other jurisdictions, may buy single trip permits from Authorized Permit Agencies for conditional travel for one vehicle into another jurisdiction for a pre-determined distance and time period.

Vehicles With Farm Plates
Some jurisdictions require farm vehicle operators to join IRP or purchase trip permits. Operators of Ontario FARM PLATED vehicles planning to travel outside of Ontario should contact jurisdictional members in any region of planned travel to find out their requirements. Carriers that register vehicles under IRP must register under IFTA if their vehicle meets the registration requirements. IRP-exempt vehicles may still need to register under IFTA.

Farm vehicles with licence plates from outside of Ontario who are operating in Ontario and carrying their own goods do not need to join the IRP or purchase single trip permits. FARM PLATED vehicles still need to register with IFTA if the vehicle meets IFTA requirements.

International Fuel Tax Agreement Ontario Ministry of Finance IFTA
The International Fuel Tax Agreement (IFTA) is an agreement among Canadian provinces and the contiguous American for interjurisdictional carriers to report and pay taxes on the motor fuels they use in each jurisdiction.

All carriers who use a vehicle in Ontario for commercial transport to other jurisdictions must pay tax on fuel consumed in the province. Carriers that register their vehicles under IRP must also register under IFTA if a vehicle meets the registration requirements. Vehicles that are not required to register in the IFTA may still need to register in the IRP.

Under IFTA, carriers report motor fuel use and travel distance in each jurisdiction. vehicles display IFTA decals issued by their home jurisdiction, operators use one licence for travel in all member jurisdictions, and deal with one jurisdiction for the reporting and payment of motor fuel taxes.

You should register for IFTA with Ontario if:

1. for business purposes, your commercial vehicle has
   • two axles and a gross or registered gross vehicle weight over 11,797 kg
   • three or more axles regardless of weight, or
   • registered gross vehicle weight over 11,797 kg when used in combination with a trailer.
2. you operate the vehicle from a place of business in Ontario,
3. you keep vehicle records in Ontario or avail records to the Ontario Ministry of Finance, and
4. the vehicle travels in Ontario and at least one other jurisdiction.

International Registration Plan Ministry of Transportation Ontario IRP
The International Registration Plan (IRP) allows for the distribution of registration fees for commercial motor vehicles traveling through more than one member province or state.

Register for IFTA in the jurisdiction of vehicle registration if:

1. your commercial motor vehicle is used for business purposes and:
   • alone, or in combination, has gross or registered gross vehicle weight over 11,794 kg, or
   • has three or more axles, regardless of weight.
2. you operate the vehicle from a place of business in the jurisdiction of vehicle registration
3. you keep the vehicle records in the jurisdiction of vehicle registration available for audit
4. the vehicle travels in at least one other jurisdiction.

Exceptions include RVs, restricted plate vehicles, government-owned vehicles. Farm vehicles with licence plates from outside of Ontario, operating in Ontario and carrying their own goods do not need to join IRP or purchase single trip permits, however, they still need to register with IFTA if the vehicle meets IFTA requirements.

IFTA Forms and Publications
IFTA Registration Agreement
IFTA Carrier’s Manual
IRP Registration Application
IRP Carrier’s Manual

In Ontario, Ministry of Transportation inspectors and police officers have the authority to stop and detain commercial motor vehicles for inspection purposes. They ensure compliance by:

• inspecting for valid IFTA or IRP registration documents,
• checking the carriers account status with its base jurisdiction, and
• inspecting diesel vehicles to identify operators who may be avoiding payment of fuel tax, by using coloured fuel in their vehicle. Any presence of red dye in diesel fuel disqualifies that product from use in a motor vehicle.

Cab cards
Ontario issues cab cards to IRP participants in both paper and electronic formats, and either format is accepted by all IRP jurisdictions in Canada and the USA. You must provide a valid and legible cab card for your vehicle when requested by law enforcement or the IRP Registrar.

Annual IRP fees are based on the distance you travel in each IRP jurisdiction and the annual registration fees in those locations. You will pay a prorated percentage of the annual registration fees in each jurisdiction, depending on what percent of your total distance you drove there.

Some jurisdictions charge additional fees for all carriers, which are separate from IRP fees. Check with the jurisdiction you plan to travel to find out if any will apply to you. Carriers who do not travel to other jurisdictions over a long period may not be able to renew in the IRP.

Forms and Resources

Application for International Fuel Tax Agreement Registration – IFTA Ontario based carriers must use this application to register with Ontario under IFTA.

IRP carrier manual (PDF)

International Registration Plan (IRP) Application
Instructions for how to complete different IRP transactions online

Straight Renewal (PDF)

Adding a Weight Group (PDF)

Vehicle List (PDF)

Billing and Payment (PDF)

Web Processing (PDF)

Vehicle Processing (PDF)

Replace Vehicle (PDF)

Amending a Vehicle with Fee (PDF)

Amending a Vehicle Without Fee (PDF)

Reprint Renewal Through IRP (PDF)