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Trip Permits for Interstate Truckers
June 2005

A person entering Texas for commercial purposes with a qualified motor vehicle may purchase a trip permit in lieu of the required interstate trucker license or International Fuel Tax Agreement (IFTA) license if no more than five entries into the state are made during a calendar year.

A qualified motor vehicle is a motor vehicle used, designed, or maintained for the transportation of persons or property and which:

  • has two axles and a gross vehicle weight or registered gross vehicle weight exceeding 26,000 pounds or 11,797 kilograms; or

  • has three or more axles regardless of weight; or,

  • is used in combination when the weight of such combination exceeds 26,000 pounds or 11,797 kilograms gross vehicle weight.

How to get a trip permit:

  • Purchase a $50 cashier's check or money order payable to the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts.
  • On the face of the cashier's check or money order clearly write "Trip Permit", the license plate number or the manufacture's vehicle identification number (VIN) of the vehicle entering Texas, and date that the vehicle will enter Texas.
  • The receipt from the cashier's check or money order should also be marked "trip permit" and identify the motor vehicle by license plate number or the manufacture's vehicle identification number and list the date the vehicle will enter Texas.
  • The receipt from the cashier's check or money order is the trip permit and must be carried in the vehicle for which the tax payment is made.
Mail the cashier's check or money order to:

Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts
PO Box 13528
Austin, Texas 78711-3528
Attn: Fuel Trip Permit

A trip permit is valid for only one entry into Texas and for only 20 days from the date of entry.

A round trip through Texas constitutes two separate entries, even when the round trip is completed within 20 days. For example: a trip originating in Arkansas, traveling through Texas to New Mexico, and then the return trip to Arkansas would require the purchase of two Texas trip permits.

NOTE:   The purchase of a trip permit is required for each state in which travel occurs. Each state will need to be contacted for instructions on obtaining their state's trip permit.

Operating a motor vehicle without a valid interstate trucker's license or trip permit may subject the operator to a penalty under Subchapter E of the Motor Fuels Tax Code.