Everything You’ve Ever Wondered about the Stamped Schedule 1

The IRS E-filing watermark.

So small, so faint– and yet– it makes all the difference. Without this watermark stamp on your Schedule 1, that piece of paper loses all of its power.

And it is powerful. You see, the stamped Schedule 1 is your proof that you filed and paid your annual heavy vehicle use tax for all of the vehicles listed on the schedule.

Without that proof, you cannot renew your tags at the DMV, or renew your registration for IFTA, IRP or UCR, and of course, you have no proof that you paid your taxes either, which will certainly cause trouble if you are ever audited.

Moreover, it’s always a good idea to carry a copy in your glovebox, especially if you traverse international borders (i.e. to Canada and back). Border patrol will check that you have a current stamped Schedule 1 before allowing you back in the United States.

Thank goodness ExpressTruckTax makes it easy to retrieve a Schedule 1 for any return E-filed with us. Whenever you need it, and wherever you are. And every time you E-file a new Form 2290, you’ll receive your new stamped Schedule 1 via email immediately after the IRS accepts your return.

  • Pro Tip: To receive your stamped Schedule 1 on a night, weekend, or holiday, simply elect to pay your HVUT via check or money order. The IRS will then accept your return and send you the stamped copy right away even though the payment has not been received. 

The Elusive E-filing Watermark

So here’s the first, most important thing to note when receiving a Schedule 1: does it have the IRS E-filing watermark? The watermark will be very faintly stamped in the middle of your Schedule 1, and beneath it you’ll see the date the IRS accepted your return.

Without this stamp, the return is not valid.

Here’s a sample of what a stamped Schedule 1 should look like. Of course, yours will have your business information and VIN #’s on it too.


Ways to Get Your New Stamped Schedule 1

  • We will automatically email the stamped Schedule 1 to you upon acceptance, but if you’d like a paper copy, we can arrange that as well. We offer postal mail delivery of your Form 2290 with the stamped Schedule 1. Just be sure to indicate you’d like postal delivery on the payment page.
  • You can also choose to fax the Schedule 1 to as many numbers as you’d like. This way, you can fax one to yourself, one to your carrier, and so on. 

Retrieving a Stamped Schedule 1

  • Uh oh! You lost your stamped Schedule 1? No biggie. You can login to your ExpressTruckTax account at any time and view, download, or print a Form 2290 and stamped Schedule 1 right from the Dashboard. For free!
  • Already submitted your return, but you’d like to fax your Schedule 1? That’s also possible, and free! Just head to your Dashboard, and enter as many fax numbers as you need.

I don’t know about you, but all of this sounds a lot better than paper-filing your return and waiting weeks to receive your new Stamped Schedule 1 in the mail! And then what happens when you spill coffee on it? Well, I guess you’ll just have to cry yourself to sleep.

So what are you waiting for? Those returns aren’t going to E-file themselves! Get started now, and if you have questions, just shout out to our Support Team. They’re available via phone at 704.234.6005. You can also send them a message through online chat, or get 24/7 email support at support@expresstrucktax.com.