International Fuel Tax Agreement (IFTA)
IFTA is a tax agreement that simplifies fuel tax reporting for carriers operating across multiple U.S. states and Canadian provinces. Access jurisdictional mileage and fuel purchase data through Catena’s unified API.
What is IFTA?
The International Fuel Tax Agreement (IFTA) is a cooperative agreement among 48 U.S. states and 10 Canadian provinces that simplifies fuel tax reporting for interstate motor carriers. Instead of filing separate tax returns in each jurisdiction, carriers file one quarterly report with their base jurisdiction, which handles tax redistribution.
IFTA applies to qualified motor vehicles that operate in more than one member jurisdiction and have a gross vehicle weight exceeding 26,000 pounds or three or more axles.
Key IFTA Benefits
Required IFTA Data
Distance Traveled by Jurisdiction
Total miles or kilometers driven in each state or province during the reporting quarter. This data comes from GPS tracking and telematics devices that automatically log vehicle location and distance.
Source: ELD devices, GPS telematics systems
Fuel Purchases
All fuel purchases including gallons/liters purchased, purchase location, date, and fuel type. This includes both taxed and tax-exempt fuel transactions.
Source: Fuel card transactions, receipts, telematics fuel events
Jurisdictional Breakdown
Detailed trip data showing entry/exit points for each jurisdiction to accurately calculate distance traveled per state or province.
Source: GPS coordinates, geofencing data from telematics providers
Vehicle Information
Vehicle identification number (VIN), fuel type (diesel, gasoline, propane, etc.), registered gross vehicle weight, and fleet assignment details.
Source: Fleet management systems, vehicle registration records
Incomplete or inaccurate IFTA records can result in penalties, fines, audits, or vehicles being placed out of service. Automated data collection through telematics significantly reduces compliance risk.
How IFTA Data Flows
Vehicle Operates Across Jurisdictions
Commercial vehicles travel through multiple states or provinces, with telematics devices continuously tracking location, distance, and operational data.
Telematics Captures Data
GPS and ELD systems automatically log mileage by jurisdiction and record fuel events. Fuel card systems capture purchase transactions with location and quantity details.
TSP Aggregates & Stores
Telematics Service Providers compile trip data, calculate jurisdictional miles, and store fuel purchase records for reporting periods.
IFTA Reporting Requirements
Common IFTA Use Cases
Access IFTA Data with Catena
Catena provides unified access to IFTA-relevant data across telematics providers. Retrieve jurisdictional mileage, fuel purchases, and trip details in a standardized format without managing provider-specific integrations.
Catena currently supports 288 ELD providers. See the list.
See the API Reference for complete endpoint documentation and request/response examples.
Combine telematics trip data with fuel card integrations to automatically reconcile fuel purchases with vehicle locations for accurate IFTA reporting.