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IFTA Record Keeping Requirements

Proper record keeping is essential for IFTA compliance. Learn what documents you need to maintain and for how long.

Retention Period

All IFTA records must be retained for a minimum of 4 years from the tax return due date or filing date, whichever is later. This includes both trip records and fuel purchase documentation.

For example: Q1 2024 records (due April 30, 2024) must be kept until at least April 30, 2028.

Required Trip Records

For each trip, you must maintain records that include:

  • Date of trip (beginning and ending)

  • Trip origin and destination

  • Route of travel (jurisdictions traveled)

  • Beginning and ending odometer readings

  • Total miles traveled

  • Miles by jurisdiction (state/province breakdown)

  • Vehicle unit number or license plate

  • Driver name or ID

Required Fuel Records

For each fuel purchase, you must maintain receipts showing:

  • Date of purchase

  • Seller name and address (city, state/province)

  • Number of gallons purchased

  • Fuel type (diesel, gasoline, etc.)

  • Price per gallon and total amount

  • Vehicle unit number or license plate

Best Practices

1

Go digital

Scan or photograph all receipts and store them digitally. Paper receipts fade over time.

2

Organize by quarter

Keep records organized by reporting quarter for easy retrieval during audits.

3

Use fleet fuel cards

Fleet cards provide detailed transaction records and automatic reporting.

4

Backup your data

Maintain backups of all digital records in multiple locations.