IFTA Quarter-Close Checklist + Mileage-by-State Template

1. Before you start — gather these

• Your IFTA license number and the quarter you are filing (Q1 Jan–Mar, Q2 Apr–Jun, Q3 Jul–Sep, Q4 Oct–Dec).
• Every fuel receipt for the quarter (pump receipts, fuel-card statements, bulk-fuel logs). You need gallons and the jurisdiction where fuel was bought.
• Your trip records / ELD mileage broken down by state and province.
• Beginning and ending odometer / hub readings for the quarter.
• The current quarter's IFTA tax-rate sheet from iftach.org (rates change every quarter).

2. Reconcile your miles

• Add up total miles driven in the quarter across all jurisdictions.
• Split those miles by jurisdiction (each state/province you drove in). Use the template below.
• Confirm the sum of per-jurisdiction miles equals your total miles (they must match).
• Flag any non-IFTA / off-highway miles separately if your base jurisdiction allows the deduction.

3. Reconcile your fuel

• Total gallons purchased for the quarter (all jurisdictions).
• Split gallons by jurisdiction where the fuel was purchased and tax was paid at the pump.
• Set aside any reefer / off-road fuel that does not count toward IFTA.
• Keep receipts that show the jurisdiction — credit-card-only slips without a location are not enough on audit.

4. Do the math (per jurisdiction)

1. Compute your fleet MPG = total miles ÷ total gallons (carry 2 decimals).
2. For each jurisdiction: taxable gallons = miles in that jurisdiction ÷ fleet MPG.
3. Tax owed = taxable gallons × that jurisdiction's tax rate.
4. Tax paid at pump = gallons bought there × that jurisdiction's tax rate.
5. Net = tax owed − tax paid. A positive number is owed; a negative number is a credit.
6. Sum the net across all jurisdictions for your total due or credit.

Want this calculated for you? Use the free IFTA calculator — it does steps 1–6 automatically.

5. File and keep records

• File through your base-jurisdiction portal by the deadline (last day of the month after quarter-end: Apr 30, Jul 31, Oct 31, Jan 31).
• Pay any balance due (or note your credit) by the same deadline to avoid penalties and interest.
• Save the filed return plus all receipts for at least 4 years — that is the standard IFTA audit window.
• Update your rate sheet for next quarter so you are ready early.

Mileage-by-state log template

Print this and fill it as you drive, or grab the CSV to keep it in a spreadsheet. One row per jurisdiction you ran in this quarter.