Highway Tax Use Return Due Aug. 31

Just a reminder for you: the highway use tax return is due Aug. 31. Let’s go over what the highway tax covers and who has to pay it.

What Is The Highway Use Tax?

The highway use tax return is a federal tax on highway motor vehicles with a taxable gross weight of 55,000 pounds or more. In general, this applies to truck tractors, buses and large semi-trucks. SUVs, vans and pickup trucks typically don’t have to pay this because these weigh less.

How Much Is The Highway Vehicle Use Tax?

The tax ranges from $100 to $550, based on a vehicle’s weight (less for logging vehicles). The deadline to file the next highway use tax return is Thursday, Aug. 31, 2017. This covers the period July 1, 2017 through June 30, 2018. For vehicles first used after July, the deadline is the last day of the month following the month of first use.

To pay the tax, you must file IRS Form 2290, Heavy Highway Vehicle Use Tax Return, along with your payment. The IRS strongly encourages all taxpayers to file and pay this tax electronically (if you have 25 or more taxed vehicles, e-filing is mandatory).

You cannot e-file your Form 2290 on the IRS website. You must use a participating commercial software provider. You can find a list of providers on the 2290 e-file partner’s page. Minutes after filing electronically, you’ll receive an IRS-stamped Schedule 1 showing that you paid the tax.

Print this out and provide it to your state department of motor vehicles when you register your vehicle. For more information about the highway use tax, visit the Trucking Tax Center.

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