What is a cab card in trucking, and why every truck needs its own

A cab card is the registration card for a truck registered under the International Registration Plan, the agreement that lets one base state collect registration fees for every state a truck runs in. Every apportioned truck gets its own plate and its own cab card Virginia DMV, IRP programIRP apportioned registrationOne apportioned plate and cab card per vehicle, listing jurisdictions and weightsUnder the International Registration Plan, the base jurisdiction issues one plate and one cab card for each fleet vehicle; the cab card lists every jurisdiction the vehicle is apportioned for and the registered weight in each. Electronic cab card images must be accepted by member jurisdictions.Virginia DMV, IRP programChecked Oct 2026Close.

If your truck crosses state lines and qualifies under IRP, the cab card is one of the first documents an officer asks for at a roadside inspection.

What's on it

Apportioned cab card

EXAMPLE

Generic layout. Real cards vary by base jurisdiction and carry no fields beyond what the state prints.

1REGISTRANT

EXAMPLE CARRIER LLC

2USDOT NUMBER

0000000

3UNIT NUMBER

102

4VIN

1XKZD...

5PLATE

AP-00000

6BASE JURISDICTION

Base state

7REGISTRATION PERIOD

Start and expiry dates

8JURISDICTIONS AND WEIGHTS

Each state, registered weight

Why each power unit needs its own

The cab card ties one plate to one truck. Adding a truck to your fleet means adding it to your IRP account and getting its plate and cab card before it runs interstate. Removing a truck means deleting it from the account. You can't share a cab card between units, and you can't run a new truck on another truck's card.

Most interstate trucks also need IFTA decals, which come from the fuel tax agreement, not IRP Michigan Treasury, IFTA FAQ …IFTA qualified motor vehicle2 axles and over 26,000 lb, or 3+ axles, or a combination over 26,000 lbIFTA Articles of Agreement R245, as published by state IFTA offices: a vehicle used for transporting persons or property that has two axles and a gross or registered gross vehicle weight over 26,000 lb, or three or more axles regardless of weight, or is used in combination over 26,000 lb. Interstate carriers with qualified vehicles file IFTA through their base state and carry decals.Michigan Treasury, IFTA FAQ (R245)Checked Oct 2026Close. And the truck needs its own name and USDOT markings on both doors 49 CFR 390.21Vehicle markingLegal or single trade name + "USDOT" number, both sides, sharp contrast, legible from 50 ft in daylight49 CFR 390.21 requires self-propelled CMVs to show the carrier's legal name or one trade name (as filed with FMCSA) and its USDOT number preceded by "USDOT", on both sides, in sharply contrasting letters readable from 50 feet in daylight while the vehicle is stationary.49 CFR 390.21Checked Oct 2026Close.

Common cab card problems

The weight on the card is lower than the load. If you registered a truck at a lower weight for a state, running heavier there is a violation. Register for the weights your freight needs.

A state is missing. Running in a jurisdiction not on the card usually means buying a trip permit. Add states you'll run regularly at renewal.

The card is expired or for the wrong truck. Check it each time you renew, and after any truck swap.

EXAMPLE A carrier adds unit 102 on a Monday. The IRP supplement is filed that day, the cab card arrives electronically Wednesday, IFTA decals are already in the office, and the first interstate load picks up Thursday. Unit 101's cab card never leaves unit 101.

For the full list of what a new truck needs before its first load, read adding a truck to your fleet. For the start-up order, see how to start a trucking company.

Adding and removing units

Every change to the fleet changes the IRP account.

Adding a truck. File a supplement with your base state to add the vehicle, pay the fees for its jurisdictions and weights, and get its plate and cab card. Some states issue a temporary authority while the permanent credentials are processed. Don't run the truck interstate until you have one or the other.

Replacing a truck. Many states let you transfer a plate from a truck you've sold to its replacement, with a new cab card for the new VIN.

Removing a truck. Delete it from the account and return or surrender the plate as your state requires.

Renewal. IRP registration renews each year on your state's schedule. Renewal is the time to add states you've started running regularly and adjust registered weights.

Where the cab card fits with other documents

A truck running interstate usually carries several documents an officer may ask for: the cab card, the IFTA license copy, proof of insurance, the annual inspection report or decal, and the driver's license and medical card. Keep a folder or a phone album with copies for each unit, and update it when anything renews.

A habit worth keeping: when a new cab card arrives, check every field against the truck before it runs. VIN, plate, registrant name and the list of jurisdictions should all be right. Errors are much easier to fix in the office than at a scale house.

Which documents a truck needs depends partly on what it is; our guides to types of trucking and trucking equipment cover the differences, and trucks on dedicated trucking lanes may only need a few jurisdictions on their card. Keep the annual inspection date beside the cab card's renewal date; the annual inspection due-date tracker handles both on one calendar. For fleets adding units regularly, small fleet dispatch plans each new truck's first loads around its paperwork.

This is a plain-words explanation, not legal advice. Your base state's IRP office has the rules for your account.