Your Heavy Vehicle Use Tax (HVUT) IRS Form 2290 is due this month! This means you are officially running out of time to file by the August 31st deadline. If you fail to file and/or pay your owed HVUT tax amount you will wind up with severe IRS penalties and interest. Here is what happens when you don’t file your IRS Form 2290.
What is IRS Form 2290 in Trucking?
Before we go in-depth on what happens when you don’t file IRS Form 2290 let’s quickly review what is required.
If you own and operate a heavy use vehicle with a gross weight of 55,000 lbs or more, then you are required to file IRS Form 2290. Gross weight means the weight of your truck when it is fully equipped for service. This includes the body and accessories that are a normal part of your hauls. Your gross weight does not include yourself or any specialized equipment that is typically not used.
You will need to file HVUT Form 2290 and pay any taxes owed to receive your stamped Schedule 1.
What is a Stamped Schedule 1?
Your stamped Schedule 1 is proof of payment for your Heavy Vehicle Use Tax. Without this proof of payment, you will be unable to renew your tags at the DMV or renew your registration for IFTA, IRP, or UCR.
Once the IRS receives and approves your HVUT Form 2290, you will receive your stamped Schedule 1. When you e-file Form 2290, the IRS stamps it with a digital watermark. This digital Schedule 1 is your official proof of payment and will be accepted by the DOT, DMV, and other federal authorities.
It is always a good idea to keep a copy of your stamped Schedule 1 in your glovebox, especially if you are crossing international borders (Canada and Mexico). Border patrol will check that you have a current stamped Schedule 1 before allowing you back into the United States.
What Happens If You File Your IRS Form 2290 Late/Not At All?
If your form is late or you fail to file at all, you will face a penalty of 4.5% of the total amount of HVUT you owe. This amount will accrue on a monthly basis for up to five months. Plus, if you fail to make a HVUT payment by the deadline you’ll face a monthly fee of 0.5%. On top of all of that, you will face an additional interest charge of .54%. These penalties will make the amount you owe skyrocket!
If you don’t file by the deadline or fail to file at all, then you won’t have a copy of your stamped Schedule 1, which serves as proof of payment. You need your stamped Schedule 1 in order to register new vehicles and to renew your tags with the DMV. Without it, you’ll be operating illegally . . . just imagine the hassle of getting pulled over and trying to explain expired tags! Plus, your registration may be suspended.
Now if you forget to file your HVUT, don’t panic. You may not be penalized if you can show reasonable cause for filing late, or why your payment is late. Simply file as soon as you can and attach an explanation for filing late to your return. The IRS will then either accept or reject your explanation as a reasonable cause. There are also penalties for filing fraudulent or false returns.
Form 2290 Filing Made Easy With ExpressTruckTax
Now that you know what to expect if you file or pay after the Form 2290 due date we are sure you will avoid it. Thankfully there is a super easy solution. ExpressTruckTax provides you a quick and convenient e-filing process for hassle-free Form 2290 filing.
If you have any questions, ExpressTruckTax is here for you every step of the way. We have a dedicated ExpressTruckTax US support team ready to help you! We promise never to stick you with a robot or automated call system. Give us a call at 704.234.6005 or send us an email at support@expresstructax.om for 24-hour support in both English and Spanish.
Start My Form 2290 Filing Today!
Looking for an even easier way to file? Our sister product, TSNAmerica, is a full -service 2290 filing solution. The process is straightforward and will take less than 5 minutes. Simply give them your information over the phone, and they will file your IRS Form 2290 on your behalf. Once they have submitted your information to the IRS, you will receive a copy of your stamped Schedule 1 via email. Their outstanding bilingual team supports filing in both English and Spanish.