Monday, September 5, 2011

What is HVUT Form 2290 (Heavy Vehicle Use Tax)?


Although it is many things, HVUT is first and foremost, an acronym standing for Heavy Vehicle Use Tax. This federal highway use tax is to be paid annually to the federal Internal Revenue Service (IRS) on vehicles that operate on public highways that also have a gross weight of 55,000 pounds or more. The federal government then distributes this revenue back to the state departments for highway construction and maintenance projects.

All carriers are required to send the proof of payment of the HVUT to the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) along with their registration renewal in order to successfully register their Heavy Vehicle. Proof of this can be either a copy of a received Schedule 1 (from IRS form 2290) with a copy of the electronic receipt of Schedule 1 showing the dated e-file watermark, or a copy of the IRS form 2290 with a copy of the electronic IRS payment confirmation screen.

To clarify, the IRS Form 2290 is the official form that trucking companies and owner operators have to file to correctly pay their Heavy Vehicle Use Tax. The Schedule 1 is a part of that form. The easiest way to file this form is through an IRS Authorized E-File provider like Express Truck Tax. ExpressTruckTax.com makes this process incredibly simple so that filing this form only takes a few minutes.

For vehicles that are exempt from the heavy vehicle use tax payment by the IRS, a statement of exemption must be submitted by the carrier with their registration renewal. These vehicles are commonly referred to as “Credit Vehicles.” A carrier must send a copy of the IRS form 2290 showing their request for suspension from the HVUT payment with their registration renewal for vehicles that qualify for suspension. These vehicles can also be filed online from Express Truck Tax.

The relatively recent ability to file these taxes online also makes it possible to file VIN corrections online as well.  It is understandable that some mistakes may be made on tax returns from time to time.  Express Truck Tax understands this, and that is why they were the first to introduce Free VIN Corrections as part of their basic service. This should help to give peace of mind to anyone filing their tax return online. Since the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) is a complicated combination of letters and numbers, it is one of the easiest places to make a mistake on the Form 2290.

The best part about filing Form 2290 with Express Truck Tax is that they offer a terrific customer support team to assist with any questions people may have. They are available Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM until 6:00 PM EST at (704)234-6005 or anytime by email at support@ExpressTruckTax.com