Texas
Texas IRP and apportioned plates
Updated
If your Texas-based truck runs in two or more IRP jurisdictions and weighs over 26,000 pounds, runs as a combination over 26,000 pounds or has three or more axles, you register it for apportioned plates with TxDMV. You apply and manage the account in TxFLEET. The fee is split by the miles you run in each jurisdiction, so every carrier's bill is different.
At a glance
- Who needs it
- Truck or combination over 26,000 lb, or three or more axles, in two or more IRP jurisdictions
- Where Texas carriers apply
- TxDMV, through TxFLEET
- What you get
- An apportioned plate and a cab card
- How the fee is figured
- Each jurisdiction's fee times its share of your miles
IRP splits an interstate truck's registration fee by the miles it runs in each member jurisdiction. You register in your base jurisdiction. When the truck is based in Texas, TxDMV is that base and issues the apportioned plate and cab card.
Who needs apportioned plates
A power unit qualifies when it runs, or is meant to run, in two or more IRP member jurisdictions and meets one of these:
| Power unit | Qualifies when |
|---|---|
| Two axles | Gross or registered weight over 26,000 pounds |
| Three or more axles | Any weight |
| Combination | Gross weight over 26,000 pounds |
The truck has to be used mainly for property, or for passengers for hire. Recreational vehicles, restricted-plate vehicles and government vehicles are left out. A lighter truck that runs interstate can register under IRP if you choose to.
| Your truck | Apportioned plates |
|---|---|
| Box truck, two axles, 26,000 lb or less, running interstate | Optional |
| Box truck, two axles, over 26,000 lb, running interstate | Required |
| Hotshot pickup and trailer, combination over 26,000 lb, running interstate | Required |
| Tractor with three axles, running interstate | Required at any weight |
| Any truck that stays in Texas | Ordinary Texas registration |
For a hotshot, the combined weight of the pickup and trailer decides it.
Where Texas carriers apply
Texas runs apportioned registration through TxFLEET at txfleet.txdmv.gov (opens in a new tab). TxDMV's apportioned registration page (opens in a new tab) explains the program. You get an apportioned plate and a cab card for each truck.
You register directly through TxFLEET.
How the fee is figured
Your apportioned fee is figured from your own truck and miles. TxDMV adds up each jurisdiction's full fee for your truck, multiplied by that jurisdiction's share of your total miles, then adds any charges that aren't apportioned. Your truck's weight, its class and each jurisdiction's own fee schedule all move the number.
A new fleet has no actual miles yet, so TxDMV uses its published average distances until your own mileage builds up. After that, the miles you report drive the split, so keep miles by state from your first load.
Registration for a truck that stays in Texas
A truck that never leaves Texas uses ordinary Texas registration. These are TxDMV's base fees a year for a single truck that isn't apportioned or registered in combination (fee chart revised January 2025):
| Weight | Base fee a year |
|---|---|
| 10,001 to 18,000 lb | $110 |
| 18,001 to 25,999 lb | $205 |
| 26,000 to 40,000 lb | $340 |
| 40,001 to 54,999 lb | $535 |
| 55,000 to 70,000 lb | $740 |
| 70,001 to 80,000 lb | $840 |
County fees come on top and vary by county. A diesel truck in an eligible class pays an 11% addition on the registration fee.
The 11% diesel addition skips trucks of 18,000 pounds or less and combination registrations. Trucks registered in combination use a separate schedule.
A qualifying semitrailer can carry a token trailer registration at $15 a year plus local charges, paid one to five years up front. It has to weigh over 6,000 pounds and be pulled by a truck with a carrying capacity rated over one ton and an eligible plate class.
IFTA and UCR for interstate trucks
IRP and IFTA are separate registrations. Texas IRP goes through TxDMV, while your IFTA license comes from the Texas Comptroller. See Texas IFTA.
Interstate carriers also register for UCR every year. The 2027 fee is $55 for one or two trucks and $167 for three to five, due by December 31, 2026.
Apportioned trucks can't be left out of your UCR count. File at ucr.gov (opens in a new tab) or read the UCR guide.
Budget the rest of your setup. Federal fees, the Texas IFTA license, an ELD, a load board, fuel and your insurance quote all land on one sheet in the cost estimator. Add your IRP quote yourself, since apportioned plates and registration depend on your miles and aren't in it. Cost estimator
Frequently asked questions
Who needs IRP plates in Texas?
A Texas-based truck needs apportioned plates when it runs in two or more IRP jurisdictions and has two axles with a gross or registered weight over 26,000 pounds, three or more axles or a combination gross weight over 26,000 pounds. A truck that stays in Texas uses ordinary Texas registration.
How much do apportioned plates cost in Texas?
The fee depends on your truck and your miles. TxDMV adds up each jurisdiction's full fee for your truck times that jurisdiction's share of your miles, then adds any charges that aren't apportioned.
Where do I apply for IRP in Texas?
Texas carriers apply through TxFLEET at txfleet.txdmv.gov. TxDMV issues an apportioned plate and a cab card for each truck.
Does a hotshot need IRP plates?
Yes, once the pickup and trailer together weigh over 26,000 pounds and run interstate, since their combined weight decides it.