IFTA Fuel Receipts: What to Save Before Quarterly Filing

Start with a complete purchase record

Fuel documentation should make it possible to trace a purchase to a date, seller and location, fuel type, gallons or liters, and the vehicle receiving it. Your base jurisdiction may require additional details for tax-paid credit, including purchaser identification and price information. Ask for its current checklist.

Before leaving the fuel stop, check whether the receipt is readable and complete. Request a corrected or replacement receipt promptly when important information is missing; do not add invented information later.

Do not rely on the bank statement alone

A statement showing a truck-stop payment can include food, parking, or other purchases. It may not establish gallons purchased or identify the truck. Keep the itemized fuel receipt or an acceptable detailed fuel-card transaction record alongside the payment evidence.

If you use fuel cards, download the detailed transaction export each month. Check that the export contains location and quantity information and that drivers are assigning purchases to the correct unit.

Use one folder per quarter

• Separate records by quarter, vehicle, and fuel type.
• Name receipt images with the purchase date and unit number.
• Flag duplicate transactions, refunds, and missing receipts.
• Keep bulk-tank records separate from retail purchases.
• Send mileage records with fuel records so the two can be reviewed together.

Review gaps before the filing rush

Compare fuel purchases with trip activity while the details are fresh. A truck showing miles but no purchases may need further review; a duplicate card export can also inflate totals. Ask your preparer about an unusual entry before deleting or changing source records.

Keep original records and acceptable electronic backups for the period required by your base jurisdiction. Audit notices and other circumstances can extend retention, so do not treat a routine cleanup date as permission to discard records under review.

Give drivers a repeatable routine

A useful weekly routine is simple: photograph the receipt, identify the unit, upload it to the correct folder, and report missing documents. Assign someone in the office to review the folder regularly so quarter-end preparation becomes a reconciliation task instead of a receipt hunt.