Taxable gross weight is an important piece of information that you need for filing your 2290 form besides Employee Identification Number (EIN) and Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).
But unlike the latter, calculating your vehicle’s taxable gross weight can turn out to be a little tricky. In this article, we will break down everything you need to know about calculating your vehicle’s taxable gross weight so you can file form 2290 with ease.
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How to Calculate Your Vehicle’s Taxable Gross Weight?
The taxable gross weight of your vehicle is the total of:
- The actual unloaded weight (empty weight) of your vehicle fully equipped for service.
- The actual unloaded weight of any semi-trailer or trailer customarily attached to your vehicle.
- The weight of the greatest load carried on your vehicle and any trailers or semi-trailers attached to your vehicle.
A trailer or semi-trailer is regarded as customarily used in connection with your vehicle if your vehicle is equipped to tow a trailer or semi-trailer.
What does the term ‘fully-equipped for service’ mean?
Your vehicle is fully-equipped if it comprises of:
- The vehicle’s body (If your vehicle is designed for transporting cargo, this would include the cargo mixer as well.)
- All accessories and equipment transported in or attached to the vehicle for maintenance or operation
- A complete supply of oil, water, and fuel
What it does not include:
- The driver.
- Any equipment attached to the vehicle to handle, protect, or preserve cargo.
- Special equipment such as a crane, air compressor, or oilfield equipment.
Is Your Vehicle Taxable?
You need to pay 2290 online only if your truck’s taxable gross weight is 55,000 pounds or more(75,000 pounds or more for agricultural vehicles). Since vehicles such as vans, trailers, pick-up trucks, and panel trucks have a taxable gross weight lower than 55,000 pounds, they are exempted from HVUT tax payment.
The HVUT tax amount will vary based on the taxable gross weight of your vehicle. For example, you need to pay an HVUT of $100 if your truck has a taxable gross weight of 55,000 pounds. But if your truck has a taxable gross weight anywhere between 55,001 and 56,000 pounds, the tax amount will increase to $122.
So, you will need to pay $22 for every additional 1,000 pounds of your truck’s taxable gross weight until the taxable gross weight of a vehicle reaches $75,000, in which case the taxable gross weight will be $550.
However, if your vehicle is a logging vehicle with a taxable gross weight of 55,000 pounds, you will have to pay a lower HVUT tax amount of $75 with an increase of $16.5 for every 1,000 pounds in the weight category.
Increase in the Taxable Gross Weight of Your Vehicle
You must submit an amended form 2290 and report additional tax if the taxable gross weight of your vehicle increases during the tax period.For instance, your truck’s taxable gross weight would increase when there is an increase in the maximum load customarily carried on it.
In such cases, you must report the additional tax for the remainder of the tax period and file your form 2290 by the last day of the month following the month you observed an increase in the taxable gross weight.
Final thoughts
We hope that the above information has helped you understand everything you need to calculate your vehicle’s taxable gross weight. If you e-file your form 2290 with an IRS approved e-filing service provider, you can use their tax calculator tool to calculate your HVUT due.
