Please Note: The Motor Carrier Services/Oversize-Overweight Permits customer service counter at the Hill Farms State Office Building in Madison, WI is now permanently closed. A customer drop-box for Motor Carrier Services or Oversize-Overweight Permits related materials is located outside of the south entrance of the Hill Farms State Office Building at 4822 Madison Yards Way, Madison, WI.
View IRP how-to videos
- How to file an online supplement or online transfer of vehicle registration -
view the video (4:10)
- How to process an IRP renewal online -
view the video (4:41)
"Full reciprocity" simplification to IRP!
Apportioned license plate
Watch Full Reciprocity video (3:10)
Cab-cards now show all jurisdictions! No more "add state or province." No more "over 100 percent fees" for added jurisdictions. If you have IRP, no more trip permits. This is true IRP-wide. All states and provinces have implemented this.
Learn more about full reciprocity.
General
IRP is a method of registering fleets of vehicles that travel in two or more member jurisdictions. Member jurisdictions include all U.S. states, except Alaska and Hawaii; Washington D.C.; and all Canadian provinces, but not including the territories of Northwest Territories, Nunavut and Yukon.
Motor carriers that operate "qualified motor vehicles" across state lines are subject to IRP licensing, reporting and record-keeping requirements unless the vehicle is exempt or a trip permit is obtained as described below.
Motor carriers applying for IRP must register their vehicles in their home or "base" jurisdiction as part of a fleet. A fleet, for IRP purposes, is comprised of one or more vehicles that pay registration fees in multiple states. The base jurisdiction collects the appropriate registration fees and distributes them to the other jurisdictions in which the carrier has requested IRP registration. IRP registration fees are determined by the type of operation requested (private, for-hire, or rental) and by the:
- Percentage of miles traveled in each member jurisdiction
- Registered gross weight of each vehicle
- Number of vehicles in the carrier’s fleet
Credentials
Carriers are issued one registration cab card and one license plate for each vehicle in their fleet. Vehicles registered under IRP are considered registered for vehicle registration purposes only - IRP registration does not exempt carriers from any jurisdictions other requirements including:
- Operating authority
- Vehicle size and weight
- Motor fuel or road tax licensing and reporting
- Insurance filing
Qualified motor vehicle
Registration through IRP is required for vehicles that are used for transporting persons or property, travel in two or more IRP jurisdictions (including Wisconsin), and:
- Have a registered gross vehicle weight or actual weight in excess of 26,000 pounds (property carrying vehicle); or
- Are power units with three or more axles regardless of weight, including buses; or
- Are used in combination and the actual weight of the combination exceeds 26,000 pounds
Charter buses now require IRP for interstate operation
Beginning in 2016, all charter bus carriers engaging in interstate travel must now use IRP credentials for all qualified motor vehicles. The exception to allow interstate travel without IRP credentials is no longer valid for all apportionable charter buses. All states and provinces have implemented this change.
Learn more about IRP Charter School Buses.
Intrastate operations in other jurisdictions (vehicles less than 26,001 pounds)
A vehicle that weighs less than 26,001 pounds and operates intrastate in another jurisdiction besides the base jurisdiction requires registration for that jurisdiction. Therefore carriers often register such vehicles through the IRP instead of obtaining non-apportioned registration from both the base jurisdiction and the other jurisdiction where intrastate operations occur.
You may register a vehicle(s) in Wisconsin if you have an established place of business here, or if you are an owner-operator you must be a Wisconsin resident. Your fleet must accumulate mileage in Wisconsin and the operational records for your vehicles must be kept or be made available in Wisconsin for audit.
PRISM
By state law, Wisconsin participates in the federal Performance and Registration Information Systems Management (PRISM) program. The program was developed to support motor carrier safety goals. If a carrier receives a federal out-of-service order for unsatisfactory safety compliance, IRP and IFTA are suspended until the out-of-service order is lifted.
Learn more about PRISM.
Record keeping
You must keep adequate mileage records and retain fuel receipts and invoices to substantiate your mileage and fuel use reporting. Wisconsin adopted the record keeping requirements of the International Registration Plan (IRP) for registration and the International Fuel Tax Agreement (IFTA) for fuel tax.
View record keeping information.
Other
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Corporation on file with DFI. If you are a corporation or LLC, you must be on file with the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions and be registered in the exact legal name of the registrant.
Contact them online or at (608) 261-9555. Status must be active and in good standing. Out of State Organizations Transacting Business in Wisconsin must be registered as a Foreign Corporation.
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USDOT number and exact name. The USDOT number must be issued in the exact legal name of the registrant. If you do not have a USDOT number, or would like to check the status of your USDOT number and/or MC, you can apply or
view online or call (800) 832-5660 or (608) 662-2010.
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Updated USDOT number. You must have a current USDOT number. Current means you have updated your MCS-150 on the two year schedule required by the FMCSA.
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MC authority name. If a MC Authority is also obtained, the legal name must also be in the exact legal name and be active.
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FEIN number and name. The IRS-issued FEIN (Federal Employer Identification Number) number must be on file with the Federal Motor Carrier Administration and must be in the exact legal name before we will process your application.
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Insurance and authority. If you are a For-hire carrier you must have valid insurance and authority on file before we will process your application. Insurance must be in the exact legal name.
IRP installment plan
IRP registrants may pay the Wisconsin portion of their annual IRP bill on an installment plan. A payment guarantee is required. If an installment payment is not received when due, the guarantee of payment will be drawn upon for the entire balance.
The installment plan is best suited for carriers with a high Wisconsin mileage percentage. This is because it applies to Wisconsin fees and does not apply to fees due in other jurisdictions. All other jurisdiction fees are paid on the first installment. If your Wisconsin mileage percentage is low, the first installment will be much greater than the rest of the payments.
In addition to registration fees for other jurisdictions, the first payment includes a $10 per vehicle fee, plate and cab card fees, and one-fourth of the Wisconsin registration fees. The remaining three quarterly payments are one-fourth of the Wisconsin registration fees.
We must have the first installment payment and an acceptable payment guarantee before we can issue credentials. Installment payments are due every three months. As stated on your original billing notice, mail your installment payment with a copy of the original billing notice when due. You will not receive a billing notice for each future installment payment. Surety Bonds must have an official seal with raised imprint or as a surety sticker seal.
See Sample Irrevocable
Letter-of-credit and Surety Bond
MV2417 for more information.
Exemptions
Vehicles that are exempt from IRP registration, with operation authorized state wide in all jurisdictions, include:
- Government-owned vehicles
- Trailers and semi-trailers
- Vehicles displaying restricted plates such as equipment, dealer or farm plates. However, Minnesota does not recognize Wisconsin’s farm plates and thus, Wisconsin does not recognize Minnesota’s farm plates.
- Recreational vehicles, such as motor homes, that are not used in connection with a business
Reciprocity
Wisconsin has a vehicle registration reciprocity agreement with Iowa, Michigan and Minnesota. This agreement replaces IRP licensing and reporting requirements for qualified motor vehicles to operate within 30 miles from the Wisconsin/Iowa, Wisconsin/Michigan and Wisconsin/Minnesota state border. View 30 mile border reciprocity.
Application forms
Trip permit
Instead of an IRP registration, a 72-hour trip permit can be purchased online or from a permitting service.
See trip permits.
Online access
The WisCRS IRP and IFTA online application is here;
sign up today. Many Wisconsin carriers have discovered the benefits – join them!
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