International Registration Plan (IRP) Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can I get IRP plates from any DMV office?
   Yes; however, all IRP applications are processed at HQ. See the Virginia International Registration Plan (IRP) Application (form IRP1) for expected transaction times.
2. What is IRP?
   IRP stands for the International Registration Plan. The Plan is a method of registering fleets of vehicles that travel in two or more member jurisdictions. Fees are calculated according to the miles that you travel in each jurisdiction and other variables. All fees are paid to your base jurisdiction which then distributes them to the other appropriate jurisdictions.
3. Can you tell me what my license fee will be?
   Generally we cannot tell you what your IRP license fees will be until we process your application and generate an invoice. The fee calculation for each jurisdiction varies based on the laws of that jurisdiction. The fee calculation for your vehicle may be based on gross weight, mileage, vehicle year model, vehicle make, purchase price, your type of operation or other factors, depending on which jurisdictions you request registration for. Our system will calculate the full vehicle registration fee for each jurisdiction and will then determine the appropriate percentage of that fee to charge based on the percentage of miles you travel in that jurisdiction. For example, if 25% of your miles are traveled in North Carolina you will be charged 25% of the North Carolina registration fee that would be paid for a non-IRP North Carolina registration. Because the fee calculations are so complex we cannot manually calculate them. We can provide you with an estimate based on the full Virginia fee.
4. My vehicle weight is less than 26,001 pounds and I deliver to several locations within another jurisdiction, do I need IRP plates?
   You will be required to get IRP plates or a temporary trip permit for the other jurisdictions if you are doing intrastate movement within another jurisdiction regardless of the weight of your vehicle. Intrastate movement means operation point to point within a jurisdiction.
5. What forms do I need to complete to get IRP plates?
   The Virginia International Registration Plan (IRP) Application (form IRP1).
6. Do I need a Virginia address to get IRP plates?
   Yes, you must have an established place of business in Virginia to qualify for IRP registration in Virginia. A physical street address is required rather than a PO box.
7. Do I need a Virginia title for my vehicle to get IRP plates?
   Yes, your vehicle has to be titled in Virginia to get IRP plates in Virginia. If you do not want to give up your title in another jurisdiction, you may title your vehicle for registration purposes only. We will issue a title number and hold the title.
8. What is a base jurisdiction?
   A base jurisdiction is where the registrant has an established place of business, where mileage is accrued by the fleet and where operational records of that fleet are maintained or can be made available. The established place of business should be a physical structure owned, leased or rented by the fleet registrant and should be designated by a street number or road.
9. I just purchased a vehicle, can I operate in other jurisdictions with multi-use plates?
   No. Multi-use plates on an IRP qualified vehicle are not acceptable and may result in a ticket for improper registration.
10. Can I get quarterly IRP license plates?
    No, IRP plates are issued for a 12-month period expiring at the end of the month based on the date you apply. For example, if you submit your application on 9/1/99 your license plates will expire 9/30/00.
11. Can I get temporary IRP license plates?
    No. Virginia does not issue temporary IRP license plates.
12. If I have IRP license plates do I also need to apply for IFTA?
    You must also register for IFTA and file motor fuel road tax reports on a quarterly basis if the vehicles within your fleet:
    • have two axles and a gross vehicle weight or registered gross vehicle weight of more than 26,000 pounds; OR
    • have three or more axles regardless of weight; OR
    • are used in combination, when the combined weight is more than 26,000 pounds gross or registered gross vehicle weight at any time.