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International registration plan (IRP)

IRP is a method of registering fleets of vehicles that travel in two or more member jurisdictions. All states (except Alaska and Hawaii), Washington D.C., and all Canadian provinces (except Northwestern Territories, Nunavut and Yukon) are members of the plan. Persons who operate “qualified motor vehicles” are subject to IRP licensing, reporting and record-keeping requirements unless the vehicle is exempt or a trip permit is obtained as described below.

Motor carriers that qualify for IRP must register fleets of vehicles in their home or “base” jurisdiction. A fleet, for IRP purposes, is comprised of one or more vehicles that pay registration fees in multiple states. The base jurisdiction collects the appropriate registration fees and distributes them to the other jurisdictions in which the carrier requested IRP registration. IRP registration fees are determined by the type of operation requested (private, for-hire, or rental) and by the:

• Percentage of miles traveled in each member jurisdiction 
• Registered gross weight of each vehicle 
• Number of vehicles in the carrier’s fleet

IRP distributes the registration revenue among the member jurisdictions. Each member jurisdiction receives its proportional share of registration fees for each vehicle registered under the IRP fleet.

Credentials

Carriers are issued one registration cab card and one license plate for each vehicle in their fleet. Vehicles registered under IRP are considered registered, for vehicle registration purposes only, and does not exempt carriers from any jurisdiction's requirements including:

• Operating authority requirements 
• Vehicle size and weight requirements 
• Motor fuel or road tax licensing and reporting 
• Insurance filing requirements 

Qualified motor vehicle

Registration through IRP is required for vehicles that are used for transporting persons or property, travel in two or more IRP jurisdictions (including Wisconsin), and:

• Have a registered gross vehicle weight or actual weight in excess of 26,000 pounds (property carrying vehicle); or
• Are power units with three (3) or more axles regardless of weight, including buses; or
• Are used in combination and the actual weight of the combination exceeds 26,000 pounds

PRISM

The Performance and Registration Information Systems Management (PRISM) program was developed to meet the challenge of reducing the number of commercial vehicle crashes of a rapidly expanding interstate carrier population. It has increased the efficiency and effectiveness of Federal and State safety efforts through a more accurate process for targeting the highest-risk carriers, which allows for a more efficient allocation of scarce resources for compliance reviews and roadside inspections. The PRISM program requires that motor carriers improve their identified safety deficiencies or face progressively more stringent sanctions up to the ultimate sanction of a Federal Out-of-Service order and concurrent State registration suspensions. The PRISM program has proven to be an effective means of motivating motor carriers to improve their compliance and performance deficiencies.

How does PRISM affect IRP registration?

IRP serves as the framework for the PRISM program. The USDOT number of the motor carrier responsible for the safety of every vehicle registered must be identified during the registration process as well as the USDOT Number of the registrant. Additionally, an updated MCS-150 form for each identified motor carrier responsible for safety on an IRP account and an updated MCS-150 form for the registrant must have already been filed unless the motor carrier and the registrant have each submitted one within 12 months prior to the first day of the renewal period or have updated the information directly on the FMCSA web page http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov.

The MCS-150 update date must be less than 2 years from the expiration date of the IRP fleet.

Additional information on PRISM may be found here: http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/safety-security/prism/prism.aspx

Other

• If you are a corporation or LLC, you must be on file with the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions and be registered in the EXACT name of the registrant. Contact them at http://www.wdfi.org/corporations/crispix or at (608) 261-9555. Status must be active and in good standing. Out of State Organizations Transacting Business in Wisconsin must be registered as a Foreign Corporation.
• You must have a currently updated USDOT number. Currently updated means it has been updated within 2 years of when the IRP will expire. The USDOT number must be issued in the EXACT LEGAL name of the registrant. If a MC Authority is also obtained, the legal name must also be in the complete and full legal name and be ACTIVE.
  If you do not have a USDOT number, or would like to check the status of your US DOT number and/or MC, you can apply or view online at: http://www.safersys.org - Phone number 1-800-832-5660 or 608-662-2010.
• If you are a For-hire carrier you must have valid Insurance and Authority on file before we will process your application.
• The IRS issued FEIN number must be on file with the Federal Motor Carrier Administration and must be in the complete and full legal name before we will process your application.

IRP Installment plan:

IRP registrants have the option of paying the Wisconsin portion of their IRP bill on an installment plan. IRP is an annual registration. Using the installment plan is not the same as obtaining quarterly registration. A payment guarantee is required if you pay your IRP bill under the installment plan. If an installment payment is not received when due, your guarantee of payment will be drawn upon for the ENTIRE balance.

The installment plan is best suited for carriers with a high Wisconsin mileage percentage. This is because it applies to Wisconsin fees and does not apply to fees due other jurisdictions. All other jurisdiction fees are paid on the first installment. If your Wisconsin mileage percentage is low, the first installment will be much greater than the rest of the payments.

In addition to other jurisdiction fees, the first payment includes a $10.00 per vehicle fee, plate and cab card fees and one-fourth of the Wisconsin weight fees. The remaining payments are one-fourth of the Wisconsin weight fees.

We must have the first installment payment and an acceptable payment guarantee before we can issue credentials. Installment payments are DUE every three months. As listed on your original billing notice, mail your installment payment with a copy of the original billing notice when due. You will NOT receive a billing notice for each future installment payment. Surety Bonds must have an official seal with raised imprint or as a surety sticker seal.

See Sample Irrevocable Letter-of-credit and Surety Bond (MV2417) for more information.

Exemptions

Vehicles that are exempt from IRP registration include:

• Government-owned vehicles
• Trailers and semi-trailers 
• Charter buses 
• Vehicles displaying restricted plates such as equipment, dealer or farm plates
• Recreational vehicles, such as motor homes, that are not used in connection with a business

Reciprocity

Wisconsin has an IRP licensing reciprocity agreement with Iowa, Michigan and Minnesota. This agreement replaces IRP licensing and reporting requirements for the following vehicles:

• All qualified motor vehicles owned or leased and operated by a resident of either state that operate no further than 30 miles from the Wisconsin/Iowa state border, the Wisconsin/Michigan state border or Wisconsin/Minnesota state border.
• All qualified motor vehicles owned or leased and operated by the state or any political subdivision of the state, while operated in official capacity and displaying tax exempt, municipal or state owned registration plates.
•  All school buses owned and operated by a resident of either state while used in the transportation of pupils to and from school related and/or sponsored events.

Application forms

Wis. IRP Application Schedule A - form MV2914

Wis. IRP Amendment Schedule B - form MV2912

New Operations for Wisconsin IRP: Checklist

New Operation Schedule B - Wisconsin IRP Application - form MV2854

Lease verification

Trip permit

Instead of an IRP registration, a 72-hour trip permit can be purchased from a permitting service or self issued. See trip permits.

Online access

The WisCRS IRP and IFTA online application is here; sign up today. Many Wisconsin carriers have discovered the benefits –join them!

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IRP information may be obtained by contacting:

Wisconsin Department of Transportation
Motor Carrier Services 
P.O. Box 7955
Madison WI 53707-7955
Telephone: (608) 266-9900
Email: irp-ifta@dot.wi.gov