An
IFTA decal is a fuel tax decal issued under the
International Fuel Tax Agreement, a compact between U.S. states and Canadian provinces that simplifies fuel tax reporting for carriers operating across jurisdictional lines. If your vehicle qualifies, IFTA requirements say you must display current decals or you risk fines, trip permit fees, or being pulled from service at a weigh station.
Who is required to have an IFTA decal? Generally, a vehicle needs an IFTA decal if it is used, designed, or maintained for the transportation of persons or property and it either has two axles with a gross or registered gross vehicle weight over 26,000 pounds, has three or more axles regardless of weight, or is used in combination with a total weight over 26,000 pounds, and it travels in more than one IFTA member jurisdiction. Simple Trucktax has a helpful breakdown of the
axle, weight, and interstate travel thresholds that trigger the requirement, and AtoB's overview of
top IFTA requirements covers common edge cases like leased vehicles and mixed fleets. If your truck stays within one state and never crosses a border, you typically do not need one, though some carriers still choose to license voluntarily for simpler reporting.
How do I get new IFTA decals? You apply for an IFTA license through your base jurisdiction, which is usually the state where your business is registered and your fleet is based. The DOT Compliance Group's guide on
how to apply and qualify for an IFTA license and decals and IFTA DOT's
decal guide both walk through the application steps in more detail. Once approved, that state's revenue or transportation department issues two decals per qualified vehicle each year, and many states, including Georgia, now offer online applications and renewal through their motor fuel tax portals. If you're looking for an IFTA decal in GA specifically, that process runs through the Georgia Department of Revenue's IFTA licensing system rather than a print vendor like Decals.com.
What color are 2026 IFTA decals? Decal colors change annually and are set by each base jurisdiction as part of the yearly renewal cycle, not by any single national standard. Your state will publish the current color and design once the new decal set is finalized, so check with your base jurisdiction's IFTA office directly rather than relying on last year's color.
How much does an IFTA decal cost? Fees vary by state but are generally modest, often in the range of a few dollars up to around twenty dollars for the pair of decals per qualified vehicle. Contact your base jurisdiction for the exact current fee, since some states charge per set and others build the cost into your overall IFTA license renewal.
IFTA Decal Renewal and Quarterly Filing
IFTA decals are typically issued and renewed annually, but that's a separate cycle from your fuel tax reporting. Carriers under an IFTA license file quarterly fuel tax returns with their base jurisdiction, reporting miles traveled and fuel purchased in each member jurisdiction, regardless of when the decals themselves are due for renewal. Simple Trucktax's guide on
IFTA license decals and quarterly returns and Truckopedia's explainer on
what an IFTA sticker is both cover how the annual decal cycle and quarterly filing cycle work together. Missing a quarterly return can put your IFTA license — and by extension your decal eligibility — at risk, so most fleets track both dates on the same compliance calendar.
Worth noting: Decals.com does not issue official IFTA compliance decals, since those come exclusively from your base jurisdiction's tax authority. What we do print and ship is everything else your truck needs to look professional and meet other display requirements, from
truck decals carrying your USDOT number and company name to reflective safety markings.