IRP Renewal Checklist

Who This Applies To

• Motor carriers preparing for annual IRP renewal and gathering the required distance data and documentation.
• Fleet managers coordinating IRP renewal across multiple vehicles on the same account, especially when vehicle counts changed during the year.
• Owner-operators who manage their own IRP account and are completing their first or second renewal.
• Carriers who let their IRP registration lapse and are returning to the renewal process after operating on trip permits.

What To Verify

• The base jurisdiction's IRP renewal deadline. Registration expiration is vehicle-specific in some states — verify renewal timing for each vehicle, not just the account as a whole.
• Prior-year actual distance by jurisdiction for every vehicle in the fleet. IRP renewal fees are calculated from these figures — estimated or prior-year figures at renewal create audit liability.
• The current fee structure from the base jurisdiction. IRP fees change annually based on each member jurisdiction's rate schedule — do not assume prior-year fees apply.
• Whether any vehicles were added, removed, or substituted during the registration year that require supplements before renewal can be finalized.

Step-by-Step Overview

1. Begin the renewal process 60 to 90 days before registration expiration. Gathering accurate distance records, completing the application, processing fees, and issuing new cab cards all take time.
2. Pull trip-level distance records for all vehicles for the full prior registration year. Summarize actual miles per vehicle per jurisdiction.
3. Submit the renewal application through the base jurisdiction IRP portal or office with the vehicle list, jurisdiction distance summary, and registered weight for each vehicle.
4. Pay apportioned fees calculated by the base jurisdiction. Confirm with the base jurisdiction if any jurisdiction's fee seems significantly different from prior years.
5. When new cab cards are received, place them in the vehicles and remove the expired prior-year cards from the cabs immediately.

Common Mistakes

• Starting the renewal process too close to the expiration date. Processing and cab card delivery can take several weeks — a vehicle operating on an expired cab card needs trip permits in every jurisdiction it enters.
• Using prior-year distance figures at renewal instead of actual current-year trip records. The prior year's mileage summary belongs to the prior year's registration — renewal requires the new year's actual figures.
• Not removing expired cab cards from the vehicle after renewal. A driver who presents the prior-year cab card during a roadside inspection creates a compliance problem even if the renewal is complete.
• Missing the renewal entirely for one vehicle in a multi-vehicle fleet because renewal tracking was done at the account level rather than per-vehicle. Some base jurisdictions have vehicle-specific expiration dates.