The Owner-Operator's Compliance Calendar
Five recurring obligations, five different clocks. This is the one-page calendar we wish every new authority came with — bookmark it, and let the quarterly IFTA math stay easy with the calculator.
- IFTA ×4 / year
- 2290 by Aug 31
- UCR by Dec 31
- MCS-150 every 2 years
The year at a glance
| Deadline | Obligation | Typical cost |
|---|---|---|
| Apr 30 | IFTA Q1 return | your net fuel tax |
| Jul 31 | IFTA Q2 return | — |
| Aug 31 | Form 2290 HVUT | $100–550/truck |
| Oct 31 | IFTA Q3 return | — |
| Dec 31 | UCR annual registration | bracket by fleet size |
| Jan 31 | IFTA Q4 return | — |
| Varies | IRP renewal (base-state month) | apportioned fees |
| Every 2 yrs | MCS-150 biennial update | free |
The pattern behind the pain
Every filing above runs on the same two inputs: miles by state and fuel by state. Keep those two logs clean and quarterly compliance becomes an hour with our IFTA calculator, not a weekend.
Frequently asked questions
Which deadline hurts most when missed?
Form 2290 — without the stamped Schedule 1 your registration renewal stalls, which can park the truck. UCR penalties are roadside and state-by-state; IFTA late fees compound quarterly.
Is there one service that handles all of these?
Full-service compliance firms exist at full-service prices. Most owner-operators DIY everything except BOC-3 (which requires a process agent) — the guides on this site cover each filing's self-service path.