APPORTIONED REGISTRATIONS

SUMMARY

The International Registration Plan (IRP) is a program for licensing commercial vehicles (trucks and non-chartered buses) in interstate operations among member jurisdictions (states or provinces).  The member jurisdictions of IRP are all states (except Alaska and Hawaii), the District of Columbia, and the Canadian provinces (except Yukon and Northwest Territory).

Under this program, an interstate carrier files an apportioned registration application in the state or province where the carrier is based (the base jurisdiction).  The fleet vehicles and the miles traveled in each state are listed on the application.  The base jurisdiction collects the full license registration fee.  They distribute the fees to the other jurisdictions based on the percentage of miles the carrier will travel, or has traveled in each jurisdiction. The base jurisdiction also issues a license plate showing the word "apportioned" and a cab card showing the jurisdictions and weights for which the carrier has paid fees.

The apportioned plate and the cab card are the only registration credentials needed to operate in member jurisdictions.  The registration credentials allow the carrier to operate both intrastate and interstate in all states listed on the cab card.

FEE COVERAGE

The fees you pay for your base apportioned plate and cab card are only the license plate and registration fees due for the jurisdictions printed on your cab card.

Fees paid to the IRP do not include the following:

• Motor fuel taxes or fuel permit fees.
• Permits to exceed the maximum length, width, height, or axle limitations.
• Any operating authority required by any state or province.
• Registration or license fees due states or provinces that are not IRP members.
• Any special permits that are required by individual states.

Addresses and telephone numbers of IRP jurisdictions for permits or operating authority can be found in Appendix F of the IRP manual. 

 
WHO MUST OBTAIN AN IRP REGISTRATION

You must obtain apportioned registrations for your power unit(s) if you operate in Michigan and any other IRP jurisdiction, AND the vehicle:

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

Vehicles, or combinations thereof, having a gross vehicle weight of 26,000 pounds or less and two-axle vehicles and buses used in transportation of chartered parties may be proportionally registered at the option of the registrant.

In Michigan and most other jurisdictions, power units are the only vehicles that must have apportioned registrations. 

IRP EXEMPTIONS

These vehicles do not need an apportioned registration:

1. Government-owned vehicles.
2. City pick-up and delivery vehicles.
3. Buses used to transport chartered groups.
4. Recreational vehicles.
5. Vehicles displaying a restricted plate that is recognized under other reciprocity agreements.

HOW FEES ARE APPORTIONED

Following is an example of how the registration for a Michigan-based power unit might be apportioned:

The operator of this unit drives in Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, and Wisconsin and drives 25,000 miles per year in each jurisdiction, for a total annual mileage of 100,000.  The operator chose the gross vehicle weight of 80,000 pounds for each state.  Under the International Registration Plan, the license fee would be computed as follows:

*Fees vary from state to state based on that particular state's laws and statutes governing the commercial vehicle rates.

For further IRP information please see our Michigan IRP Manual.  To contact one of our representatives you may write or call our main IRP office at:

Michigan Department of State

IRP Unit

7064 Crowner Drive

Lansing, MI 48918

Phone (517) 322-1097

Fax (517) 322-1058

Our office hours are 8:00a.m. to 4:45 p.m., Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday; and 9:30 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., Wednesday. 

Same-day service is available for most transactions received by 3:00 p.m., with the following exceptions:

• Applications containing a large number of vehicles may not receive same-day service;
• Due to large numbers of customers, same-day service for walk-ins and fax customers may not be available during the renewal periods.  This usually includes from one week before to one week after the quarterly expiration dates.