Commercial Motor Vehicle Drivers

All applicants for a Commercial Driver License are required to have an Operator’s License and pass the vision requirements. Applicants must be at least 18 years of age. Applicants under 21 will be restricted to intrastate operation only.

The International Registration Plan (IRP) is a reciprocal agreement that authorizes the proportional registration of commercial motor vehicles among the jurisdictions (states) in which the vehicles operate. This means if a truck is operated in multiple jurisdictions, the owner must annually report mileage driven in each state and registration fees are paid proportionately based on the mileage driven in each state. The good news is the owner pays those registration fees to just one jurisdiction—referred to as the base jurisdiction or base state. Vehicle owners are required to register under IRP if their vehicle(s):

• Is over 26,000 pounds gross vehicle weight (GVW); or
• Has three or more axles, regardless of weight; or
• Is a power unit and trailer whose combined GVW is in excess of 26,000 pounds, and;
• Is part of a declared fleet that operates in Florida and at least one other IRP jurisdiction.

The International Fuel Tax Agreement (IFTA) is also a reciprocal agreement among states. IFTA simplifies fuel tax reporting for interstate motor carriers by allowing them to file one quarterly report to their base jurisdiction, rather than having to file separately with each jurisdiction in which they travelled. To obtain an IFTA license using Florida as your base jurisdiction, you must:

• Have qualified vehicle(s). These are commercial motor vehicle(s) as defined for IRP purposes;
• Have an established place of business in Florida from which motor carrier operations are performed;
• Accrue some of your miles in Florida;
• Maintain in Florida, or make available in Florida, the operating records of your fleet; and
• Operate in at least one other IFTA member jurisdiction.

As a Florida-based licensee under the International Fuel Tax Agreement (IFTA) or registrant under the International Registration Plan (IRP), you are required to keep detailed records of your operations in each jurisdiction. These records are to be used to report distance traveled on the IRP registration and/or distance traveled and fuel purchased & placed in propulsion tanks on the IFTA quarterly tax return.

As an IRP and IFTA participant, Florida is required to verify distance traveled and fuel purchased as reported on the IRP registration renewal and/or the IFTA quarterly tax return(s). These audits are conducted in adherence to the audit standards established by IRP and IFTA.

The CDL & Third Party Testing Unit provides oversight of commercial driver license skills testing in Florida. This task is accomplished through management of state certified Third Party Administrators and Third Party Testers. The purpose of our program is to promote honest and ethical conduct and foster compliance with the letter and spirit of all applicable policies, laws, and regulations. Our culture of ethics and integrity is paramount to keeping the highways safe for the motoring public.