IFTA due dates 2026 and 2027: the quarterly filing calendar
IFTA returns are due on the last day of the month after each quarter: April 30, July 31, October 31 and January 31, moved to the next business day when that day falls on a weekend. In 2026 that moves the 3rd quarter return to Monday, November 2, 2026 and the 4th quarter return to Monday, February 1, 2027. A late return can cost $50 or 10% of the tax, whichever is greater, plus interest.
IFTA due dates for 2026 and 2027
Computed from the rule in the IFTA Articles of Agreement, R960.100: the tax return and full payment are due on the last day of the month following the close of the quarter; if that day is a saturday, sunday or legal holiday, the next business day is the due date. This table moves weekends; a legal holiday in your base jurisdiction would move a date too.
| Return | Months | Due date | Moved from |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Q2026 | January to March | Thursday, April 30, 2026 | |
| 2Q2026 | April to June | Friday, July 31, 2026 | |
| 3Q2026 | July to September | Monday, November 2, 2026 | Saturday 2026-10-31 |
| 4Q2026 | October to December | Monday, February 1, 2027 | Sunday 2027-01-31 |
| 1Q2027 | January to March | Friday, April 30, 2027 | |
| 2Q2027 | April to June | Monday, August 2, 2027 | Saturday 2027-07-31 |
| 3Q2027 | July to September | Monday, November 1, 2027 | Sunday 2027-10-31 |
| 4Q2027 | October to December | Monday, January 31, 2028 |
4 of these 8 dates fall on a weekend and move to the Monday: 3Q2026, 4Q2026, 2Q2027, 3Q2027.
What a late IFTA return costs
Under R1220.100 the base jurisdiction may assess $50 or 10% of the delinquent tax, whichever is greater, and under R1230 it charges interest. Interest on delinquent taxes: 2 percentage points above the IRS underpayment rate (Internal Revenue Code 6621(a)(2)), set each January 1, accruing monthly at 1/12 of the annual rate.
| Tax on the return | Penalty |
|---|---|
| $100.00 | $50.00 |
| $500.00 | $50.00 |
| $1,000.00 | $100.00 |
| $2,500.00 | $250.00 |
The IFTA due date helper takes any date and shows its quarter, its due date and the days left.
Frequently asked questions
- When is the 3rd quarter 2026 IFTA return due?
- Monday, November 2, 2026. October 31, 2026 is a Saturday, so the next business day is the due date (R960.100).
- When is the 4th quarter 2026 IFTA return due?
- Monday, February 1, 2027. January 31, 2027 is a Sunday.
- Is there a grace period for IFTA returns?
- Not in the Agreement: The tax return and full payment are due on the last day of the month following the close of the quarter; if that day is a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday, the next business day is the due date. A return that is not filed or not fully paid by then is late. A holiday in your base jurisdiction can move the date; check its calendar.
- Can I file IFTA once a year?
- A licensee with under 5,000 miles (8,000 km) in all member jurisdictions other than the base jurisdiction over 12 months may ask the base jurisdiction to report annually; the annual return is due January 31.
- Do I file if I did not drive this quarter?
- Tax returns are required even if no operations were conducted or no taxable fuel was used during the quarter.
More guides
- How to calculate IFTA tax, step by step (with a worked example)
Fleet MPG, taxable gallons per state, tax-paid credit, net gallons, rate and surcharge: the IFTA return worked through one sample quarter with 3Q2026 rates.
- IFTA fuel tax rates, 3rd quarter 2026: diesel and gasoline by state
Diesel and gasoline rates for all 58 IFTA jurisdictions in 3Q2026 from the IFTA, Inc. matrix, with the Kentucky and Virginia surcharges and the top 10.
- What records do you need to keep for IFTA?
The trip and fuel receipt fields the IFTA Procedures Manual lists, how long to keep them (four years) and why the MPG on the return must match them.
Last updated 2026-09-29. Estimates from the IFTA, Inc. tax rate matrix for the quarter shown. Not tax advice. File your return with your base jurisdiction and check its figures. Not affiliated with IFTA, Inc.