Kentucky Weight Distance Tax

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The Kentucky Weight Distance Tax, or KYU, is a tax license that the State of Kentucky requires certain motor carriers to purchase. All carriers, inter-or intrastate, that travel on Kentucky roadways and whose vehicles weigh 60,000 lbs. or more (up to 80,000 lbs., beyond which point you would need an overweight permit) need to get this license or a temporary permit. The KYU permit is a fixed mileage tax that does not change based on the weight of your vehicle. Kentucky offers permanent registrations for those who will make multiple trips to and through the state, as well as temporary 10-day permits.

The Kentucky Intrastate Tax, or KIT, is a fuel consumption tax. This tax requires any Kentucky-based vehicle with a gross vehicle weight exceeding 26,000 pounds (or 10,000 pounds if the vehicle has more than two axles) to pay a tax on fuel usage within the state of Kentucky. The tax rate is higher for special fuels, such as diesel, than it is for regular gasoline. KIT is effectively the Kentucky-only version of IFTA, meaning if you are registered for IFTA, you do not need a KIT number or to file KIT returns.

You need both the KYU permit and KIT if you are a Kentucky-based carrier with a vehicle weighing 60,000–80,000 lbs

Kentucky-based owners of vehicles weighing more than 26,000 lbs. (more than 10,000 lbs. if more than two axles) are required to pay a tax on the fuel they use in Kentucky.

All carriers with a combined license weight that is greater than 59,999 lbs. but less than 80,001 lbs. must pay this quarterly weight-distance tax, regardless of their base state.

 

In addtion to the perpetual licneces you can pruchase temorary permit for trips into kentucky 

Requirements to Get Your Kentucky Permit

USDOT number, company name and owner (DBA if applicable), carrier tax ID (FEIN, SSN, EIN, or SIN), and mailing and physical addresses (we’ll autofill this information using your USDOT number)
Contact information: the name of the filer, phone number, and email.
Truck information: VIN, license plate number, base state, number of axles, year, make, model, type of fuel used, unit number, gross vehicle weight (GVW), unloaded weight, and truck status.
Billing information: credit card number, name on card, expiration date, and billing address

KYU and KIT may seem similar at first, but they’re very different. First of all, the weight requirements are different. All two-axle vehicles that weigh more than 26,000 pounds (or vehicles with more axles that weigh more than 10,000 pounds) qualify for KIT, but only those that weigh 60,000 or more pounds qualify for KYU.

Secondly, KYU applies to all vehicles driven in the state of Kentucky. This means that vehicles registered in other states that exceed the weight requirement must obtain KYU. However, KIT only applies to vehicles owned by companies based in Kentucky. Therefore, interstate carriers based in Ohio, for example, do not have to get KIT even if their vehicle weighs more than 26,000 pounds.

Finally, these programs apply fees to different things. KYU concerns your vehicle’s weight and the distance you travel only. KIT, on the other hand, concerns your fuel purchases. Because of this, KIT is almost always cheaper than KYU is.

If, for some reason, you do not wish to obtain permanent KYU licenses, you can instead purchase temporary permits! These permits last for 10 days and cover all of the driving you will do in the state of Kentucky. We can help you get these 10-day permits fast.

Do you need temporary IRP and IFTA permits? You can purchase trip and fuel permits from our sister site. These permits replace your IRP and IFTA decals, making it so that you don’t need to the purchase full apportionment. And we have them for almost every state!

You do NOT need to display your KYU number, KIT number, or temporary permits on your truck UNLESS the vehicle is leased and the lessor is the KYU account holder. In that case alone, you would have to display the KYU number. Otherwise, you don’t need to display anything; you just need to pay the taxes later!

Yes! In order to file both KYU and KIT, you will need to track your mileage within the state. Make sure to make a note of where you cross the state line, both entering and leaving the state; any off-road miles you travel; and your odometer readings. It’s helpful to note the ZIP code of where you are when you enter the state. Our dispatchers can help you plan the right route for your trip so that you don’t wind up paying too much in taxes!

You can get your KYU numbers online quickly! Submitting your paperwork by mail can easily mean a wait of 10–14 business days before you can get your license. On the other hand, you can get your KYU number within one business day