Quarterly IFTA Checklist

Before filing

• Export mileage by jurisdiction
• Export fuel purchases
• Check unit numbers
• Investigate missing gallons
• Save the filed return or confirmation

Review notes

If the business changed ELDs, fuel cards, trucks, or base jurisdiction, document the change in the quarter's folder.

No automatic rule here

Use your base jurisdiction's current instructions for filing mechanics and due dates.

How to organize your IFTA folder

A quarter folder should hold everything needed to support the filed return and answer questions in an audit. A useful structure: one subfolder for mileage records (ELD exports, trip sheets, odometer readings by jurisdiction), one for fuel records (receipts, card statements, jurisdiction breakdowns), one for the filed return or filing confirmation, and a notes document explaining anything unusual — a new truck added mid-quarter, a fuel card changed, a jurisdiction that had zero miles but fuel purchased. Keeping the folder organized as you go prevents a last-minute search before the filing deadline.

After you file

• Save the filed return or e-filing confirmation — this is the primary record that you filed on time
• Note any refund due or balance paid — keep payment confirmation with the quarter folder
• Start the next quarter folder immediately — create it before you lose the habit
• Review the previous quarter for anything that needed a correction — amended returns are better filed promptly
• Verify that any new trucks added this quarter are properly reflected in your IFTA account with your base jurisdiction

Helpful Tools

• IFTA Recordkeeping Checklist

FAQ