Texas trip permit for trucks: 72/144-hour and fuel trip permits

A Texas trip permit for trucks can keep you legal when you do not have the full credentials yet. Maybe your IRP plates are still in process. Maybe you only come into Texas a few times a year and do not have an IFTA license. Texas has two kinds of short-term permits for these cases: TxDMV's 72-hour and 144-hour permits for registration, and the Comptroller's fuel trip permit for fuel tax. They do different jobs. This article explains both.

Two different permits, two different agencies

• TxDMV 72-hour and 144-hour permits cover registration. They let certain commercial vehicles run in Texas when they are not registered in Texas or do not have reciprocity.
• Comptroller fuel trip permit covers fuel tax. It replaces the IFTA license or interstate trucker license for a single entry into Texas.

Many drivers need both for the same trip. One does not replace the other.

Texas trip permit for trucks: the TxDMV 72-hour and 144-hour permits

TxDMV issues 72-hour and 144-hour permits for commercial laden trucks, truck-tractors, trailers, semitrailers and motor buses on Texas highways. The key facts from TxDMV:

• A valid USDOT number is required for either permit.
• Fees: 72-hour permit $25, 144-hour permit $50, plus a non-refundable $4.75 processing fee per permit.
• Who can get them: commercial vehicles owned by residents of the United States, Mexico or Canada.
• Uses include: running an unregistered commercial vehicle in Texas, or intrastate operations in Texas with out-of-state plated commercial vehicles.
• Valid only in Texas.
• Insurance: applicants must show proof of liability insurance that meets the Texas minimum limits of $30,000/$60,000/$25,000, unless they are registered as a motor carrier with TxDMV's Motor Carrier Division.
• Where to buy: online, at a county tax assessor-collector office or at a TxDMV Regional Service Center.

You can buy several permits in advance so one starts when the other ends.

The Comptroller's fuel trip permit

The Texas Comptroller says a person entering Texas for commercial purposes with a qualified motor vehicle may buy a trip permit instead of the required interstate trucker license or IFTA license, if there are no more than five entries into Texas in a calendar year.

• Valid for one entry and 20 days from the date of entry.
• A round trip through Texas counts as two entries, even if done within 20 days.
• Cost: $50. You can get it through Webfile (Temporary Fuel Trip Permit) or with a $50 cashier's check or money order, marked as the Comptroller explains.
• The receipt is the permit and must be carried in the vehicle.

A qualified motor vehicle includes a two-axle vehicle over 26,000 pounds, any vehicle with three or more axles, or a combination over 26,000 pounds.

When to stop using trip permits

Trip permits are for occasional trips or short gaps. If you come into Texas more than five times a year, the Comptroller's rule says you need an IFTA license or interstate trucker license instead. If you run regularly across states, apportioned IRP plates are usually the long-term answer. Read about IRP renewal basics.

Mistakes to avoid

• Buying only one of the two permits when your trip needs both.
• Counting a round trip as one entry.
• Forgetting the USDOT number for the TxDMV permit.
• Losing the fuel permit receipt. It has to be in the truck.

When to call TCZ Permits

Tired of buying permits trip by trip? Call us at 956-526-6727. We file IRP, IFTA, UCR and more, and we build your whole file. See our filing guide.

Common questions

How much is a 72-hour permit in Texas? TxDMV lists $25 for a 72-hour permit and $50 for a 144-hour permit, plus a $4.75 processing fee per permit.

How long is a Texas fuel trip permit good for? One entry into Texas, for 20 days from the date of entry.

How many fuel trip permits can I use per year? The Comptroller allows trip permits only if you have no more than five entries into Texas in a calendar year.