HVUT Truck Tax Calculator
Weight and first-use month to Form 2290 tax.
What it does
Heavy highway trucks pay yearly for the pavement they pound. The Heavy Vehicle Use Tax scales with weight from $100 to a $550 cap, prorated when trucks join mid-year. Weight plus first-use month sets the bill.
The tool above applies the Form 2290 table with per-thousand steps and the July-to-June proration. It prints full-year tax, months billed, and the amount due. Under 55,000 lb correctly reads zero.
IRS truck-tax guidance carries these same brackets and proration with Form 2290 filing, and owner-operator groups teach the weight-and-month math in plain terms. The rates have held for decades, so the arithmetic stays put while prices move.
File, pay in full, and keep the stamped Schedule 1 where registration checks happen. Suspended-mileage, sales, and lease terms each bend who owes what, so log dates and miles alongside the return.
How to use
- Enter taxable gross weight in lb.
- Pick the first-use month.
- Read full-year tax and months billed.
- Read the prorated amount due.
- File Form 2290 and pay in full.
- Carry stamped Schedule 1 in the cab.
Formula
- weight
- Taxable gross weight in whole lb.
- month
- First-use month number, 7 for July.
Under 55,000 lb owes $0. Each started 1,000-lb step over 55,000 adds $22 up to the $550 cap past 75,000. Months count first-use month through June; the rate table itself has not moved in decades.
Worked example
Example: 80,000 lb from July
80,000 lb truck first used in July.
- Truck weighs 80,000 lb, first used in July.
- Over 75,000 lb caps at $550.00 full year.
- July starts the tax year: 12 months billed.
- Prorated: 550 x 12/12 = $550.00.
- File Form 2290 and keep the stamped Schedule 1.
Reference table
| Weight | Tax | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Under 55,000 lb | $0.00 | No HVUT |
| 55,000 lb | $100.00 | Base |
| 60,000 lb | $210.00 | Plus 5 x $22 |
| 65,000 lb | $320.00 | Plus 10 x $22 |
| 70,000 lb | $430.00 | Plus 15 x $22 |
| Over 75,000 lb | $550.00 | Capped |
Limits
- Federal tax only. Registration and state fees separate.
- Standard table math; credits need the return.
- Suspended mileage needs its own claim.
- Not filing advice; confirm with a pro.
Common mistakes
- Using curb weight instead of taxable gross.
- Missing the first-use month proration.
- Forgetting Schedule 1 in the cab.
- Skipping suspended-mileage claims.
- Filing late on August additions.
Try it yourself
Quick checks. Answers sit tucked under each question.
Tax for 60,000 lb from July?
Over 55,000 by 5,000 lb: 100 + 5 x 22 = $210.00 for 12 months.
Tax for 80,000 lb first used in October?
Full is $550.00. October starts month 10: 9 months billed, 550 x 9/12 = $412.50.
Questions
What are the HVUT brackets?
$100 at 55,000 lb, plus $22 per 1,000 over, capped at $550 past 75,000. Under 55,000 owes nothing. These brackets have held since the 1980s.
When does the tax year run?
July 1 to June 30. First use in July bills 12 months; October bills 9; June bills 1. The tool counts first-use month through June inclusive.
How do I file and pay?
File Form 2290 with the IRS, pay in full with e-file or EFTPS, and carry the stamped Schedule 1 as registration proof. Due August 31 for July first-use.
What is suspended mileage?
Logging 5,000 or fewer miles (7,500 farm) suspends the tax with a return still filed. Cross the mileage and the full bill returns.
What if I sell the truck mid-year?
Sold, destroyed, or stolen trucks prorate with credit claims on the next return. Keep bills of sale and dates; the IRS nets them out.
Do leased trucks file too?
Leased and owner-operator equipment both file by taxable weight and first-use month. Lease terms decide who pays, not whether it is owed.