Critical Compliance Dates 2026!

Compliance deadlines fall into three categories: Hard Deadlines (Fixed dates), Quarterly Filings (IFTA), and Rolling Deadlines (Specific to your company).

Note for 2026: The deadline for new Broker & Freight Forwarder Financial Responsibility rules (bond requirements) has been extended to January 16, 2026.

Hard Annual Deadlines

July 1

Hazmat Registration

For carriers hauling hazardous materials requiring placards.

Action: 2026-2027 Registration opens May 1. Must have certificate by July 1.

August 31

IRS Form 2290

Heavy Vehicle Use Tax (HVUT) for vehicles 55,000+ lbs.

Action: File for tax period July 1 - June 30. Due Aug 31 annually.

Dec 31

UCR Registration

Unified Carrier Registration for all interstate carriers.

Action: Opens Oct 1. Enforcement starts Jan 1. File before Dec 31.

IFTA Quarterly Filings

Quarter	Months Covered	Due Date
Q1	January – March	April 30
Q2	April – June	July 31
Q3	July – September	October 31
Q4	October – December	January 31

Rolling Deadlines (Track Manually)

Biennial Update (MCS-150)

Due every two years based on your USDOT Number.

Month = Last digit of USDOT#
Year = 2nd to last digit (Odd/Even)

Annual DOT Inspection

Every truck and trailer must be inspected every 12 months from the date of the previous inspection.

Driver Med Cards

NEW RULE (June 23, 2025): CDL/CLP results are now sent electronically to state (SDLA).

Carriers: Must run MVR to verify status (no paper card needed in file for CDL).
Non-CDL: Still require paper card in file.

Clearinghouse & MVR

Run a limited Clearinghouse query and pull a new MVR for every driver annually (every 12 months).