Trucking Compliance Calendar 2026

The deadlines that actually bite, in one place — each one linked to the official source, refreshed quarterly.

Updated July 2026 Official sources linked Free — no signup

Form 2290 (Heavy Vehicle Use Tax) — when is YOURS due?

There is no single 2290 deadline. It depends on the month the truck first hits a public highway in the tax period (July 1 – June 30). The famous "August 31" only applies to trucks in service in July.

Rule: "Form 2290 must be filed by the last day of the month following the month of first use" — IRS Form 2290 Instructions. Tax is prorated for first use after July; annual tax runs up to $550 (over-75,000-lb category). Weekend/holiday deadlines move to the next business day.

The 2026–27 dates

Quarterly — IFTA returns

  • Q2 2026 return: due July 31, 2026 (that's this month)
  • Q3 2026: due November 2, 2026 (Oct 31 falls on a Saturday — next business day; verify with your base jurisdiction)
  • Q4 2026: due February 1, 2027 (Jan 31 is a Sunday)
  • Details and rate matrix: see our IFTA page and iftach.org

Fall

  • Late September: IRS publishes the new per diem notice — the $80/day transportation rate can change effective Oct 1. Our per diem calculator is updated the week it drops.
  • October 1: UCR registration for 2027 opens (plan.ucr.gov); recommended enforcement for the new year typically begins January 1. Fees are set by bracket — file through the official portal, not third-party upsell sites.

Winter

  • December: IRS announces the next standard mileage rate. 2026 was unusual — 72.5¢/mile Jan 1–Jun 30, then a mid-year raise to 76¢/mile from July 1. (That's the light-vehicle rate for gig and personal-vehicle business miles — not a heavy-truck cost figure.)
  • January 1: new IFTA rates take effect for Q1; UCR enforcement for the year typically begins.

Spring

  • CVSA International Roadcheck: the 2026 blitz ran May 12–14. 2027 dates are announced by CVSA in early spring — this page will carry them when official.

Carrier-specific (know your own dates)

  • MCS-150 biennial update — due every two years in the month determined by your USDOT number (next-to-last digit sets the month, last digit sets odd/even year). Required even if nothing changed.
  • IRP cab card renewal — month varies by state and account.
  • DOT medical certificate — your own expiration; don't let dispatch find out before you do.
  • Annual vehicle inspection — 12 months from your last one.
Sources: IRS Form 2290 Instructions · IRS Notice 2025-54 · iftach.org · plan.ucr.gov · FMCSA (MCS-150) · CVSA. Reviewed July 2026 — next scheduled refresh October 2026.