How to Claim a Tax Refund for Stolen or Destroyed Vehicles with Form 8849

If your vehicle was recently stolen or destroyed, you can claim a Form 2290 refund with Form 8849

| February 17, 2021

No matter how carefully you drive, accidents can still happen. If your truck was recently stolen or destroyed, we want to extend our condolences to you. We understand just how big of a role your truck plays in your business and life.

If you drive under your own authority, your truck is your whole livelihood. Fortunately, in most circumstances, with insurance, stolen or destroyed vehicles are covered. Plus, you can likely recover some amount of HVUT payment for the year with IRS Form 8849.

What is Form 8849?

The IRS Form 8849 is used to claim a refund for excise taxes. Your Form 2290 HVUT payments are considered excise taxes. There are 2 scenarios in which you can claim a Form 2290 refund.

You paid the full HVUT amount but drove fewer than 5,000 miles (7,500 for agricultural vehicles)
Your vehicle was stolen or destroyed.

The first scenario doesn’t happen too often in our experience. However, if your vehicle was stolen or destroyed recently, you should definitely file Form 8849 to get a Form 2290 refund for whatever you had left on the year.

How to File Form 8849

Before filing your Form 8849, make sure you have proof of your vehicle being stolen or destroyed. This would typically be something like a police report, insurance claim form, or even pictures.

The simplest way to file Form 8849 is to e-file with ExpressTruckTax. With this method, clear Form 8849 instructions will be presented to you as you fill out the return. Plus, your return will be transmitted immediately to the IRS.

If you filed your original Form 2290 with ExpressTruckTax, your information will already be in our system when you go to file your IRS 8849. You simply need to use that vehicle’s details on the new return.

After submission, the IRS will notify you within 4-12 weeks by mail if your 2290 refund was approved. There are two possible letters you could receive. The first possible letter will ask you for more information and have instructions for where to send that information. The other letter will contain approval and a check with the balance 2290 refund owed back to you.