International Registration Plan (IRP)

The International Registration Plan is an agreement that provides for the apportioned registration of commercial vehicles based upon the total miles traveled in each jurisdiction, and for the acceptance of this registration in all the participating member jurisdictions.  Under the IRP, a carrier registers in a single base state or province, declaring all member jurisdictions in which he will operate, plus the actual or estimated mileage of operations in each declared jurisdiction.

All vehicles properly registered under the IRP receive one “apportioned” license plate from their base state and a cab card.  The cab card will list all the member IRP jurisdictions in which the vehicle is qualified to operate, plus the registered weight the vehicle must comply with to operate in each jurisdiction.  These jurisdictions that the vehicle can travel in are listed on the cab card.

A “qualified” or “apportioned” vehicle under the IRP is any vehicle used or intended for use in two or more member jurisdictions that allocate or proportionally register vehicles and is used for the transportation of persons for hire, or designed, used or maintained primarily for the transportation of property and:

1. Is a power unit having two axles and a gross vehicle weight or registered gross weight in excess of 26,000 pounds; or
2. Is a power unit having three or more axles, regardless of weight; or
3. Is used in combination, when the weight of such combination exceeds 26,000 pounds

For more information regarding IRP and the Department of Transportation, please see the web links below:

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators