Heavy Duty Trucking Logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

IRP Base State Question Now In Court

What's your base state? The International Registration Plan says it's the state where you maintain your principal place of business -- not the address of your licening bureau. Truckers Bookkeeping Service doesn’t agree, and has taken the issue to court.

by Staff
March 16, 2000
2 min to read


What's your base state? The International Registration Plan says it's the state where you maintain your principal place of business -- not the address of your licening bureau. Truckers Bookkeeping Service doesn’t agree, and has taken the issue to court.

Last November a dispute resolution committee of IRP Inc., the governing authority for multi-state truck registration, ruled against using a third-party licensing agent’s address as a carrier's base state. The decision was potentially devastating to agents, many of which are based in low fee states and market their services by offering to let carriers use their address as an IRP base.
Oklahoma City-based TBS says IRP’s decision is wrong. The registration plan, it insists,
recognizes the right of agents to provide their trucking clients with an "established place of business" for purposes of paying vehicle registration fees in that jurisdiction. It immediately filed a lawsuit alleging that the IRP committee had no authority, under the plan or its own charter, to make what amounted to a change.
"TBS believes the committee's action is inconsistent with plan provisions and precedent, and with applicable regulations of the Oklahoma Tax Commission," the company said. "At the very least, formal amendment of the plan by ballot of the state and province member jurisdictions would be required to change the plan."
TBS recently issued a press release stating that IRP admitted, in court documents, that it has no power to enforce the November ruling. Consequently the company has withdrawn its application for a preliminary injunction but will "vigorously pursue" a permanent injunction.
"We’re happy that the IRP has finally admitted that it can’t tell us what to do," said a TBS spokesman. "But so long as the IRP thinks it can force a change in Oklahoma law, we’re still under the gun. So long as the decision remains on the books our business and hundreds of Oklahoma-registered truckers are threatened."
No one at IRP was available for comment.

More Drivers

Photo illustration combining laboratory sample tubes, marijuana, pills, white powder, and a syringe above a highway with tractor-trailers.
Safety & Compliance•by Deborah Lockridge•November 2, 2026

FDA Eases Path for Oral-Fluid Testing

Federal actions could advance oral-fluid drug testing for truck drivers, but lab certification delays and marijuana rescheduling questions remain.

Read More →
Truck driver in a blue-tinted cab beside a hand holding cash, with the headline “Competing for Drivers.”
Drivers•by Deborah Lockridge•October 29, 2026

Why Hiring Truck Drivers Is Getting Harder

Higher recruiting costs, a shrinking driver pool, and renewed pay competition are raising the stakes for fleets heading into 2027.

Read More →
Two red heavy-duty Class 8 trucks with Roehl branding
Drivers•by News/Media Release•October 27, 2026

Roehl Offers Truck Drivers $10,000 Retention Incentive

Payments begin after the first load and continue in mileage-based installments for eligible experienced drivers joining the fleet.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
PS Coach tablet interface showing a driver’s coaching inbox, safety event video and coaching advice for a harsh-braking event.
Fleet Management•by News/Media Release•October 21, 2026

Platform Science Adds Dispatch and Safety Tools

Four additions to PS Fleet help fleets monitor loads, manage driver coaching, share truck locations and adjust video system settings.

Read More →
Man with police badge on his arm by an open commercial truck door examining paperwork
Safety & Compliance•October 15, 2026

When Language Stops the Truck: The Return of ELP Out-of-Service Orders

English language proficiency rules for commercial drivers aren’t new, but renewed out-of-service enforcement has raised the stakes. Here’s what carriers need to know before a driver reaches a roadside inspection.

Read More →
Illustration of silver robot waving his hand and a Samsara AI prompt on screen to call drivers
Fleet Management•by Staff•October 13, 2026

Samsara Launches Custom AI Agent Builder

Agent Studio lets fleets create AI tools for hours-of-service monitoring, reporting and driver support, including agents that communicate by phone.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Illustration of trucks parked in lot with Trucker Path app on phone screen superimposed on top
Drivers•by News/Media Release•October 6, 2026

Trucker Path Expands Reserved Parking Network

Trucker Path has added close to 6,000 more truck parking spaces to its Trucker Path Reserved Parking Network with the addition of Safe Truck Parking.

Read More →
photo of older driver standing with arms crossed with truck in the background, with a photo illustrating equal opportunity law inset upper left.
Drivers•by Staff•September 28, 2026

EEOC Sues Texas Trucking Company Over Driver Age Limits

The agency says Trancasa USA rejected applicants over 65 and applied tougher driving-record standards to those over 60.

Read More →
Red Nussbaum Class 8 tractor pulling white and red trailer with aero fairings and skirts
Drivers•by Staff•September 23, 2026

Nussbaum, Roehl Announce Second Driver Pay Increase This Year

This year has seen a swath of major truck driver pay increases as freight capacity has tightened.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Photo of smiling truck driver Harold Perry with arms crossed in front of Southeastern Freight Lines truck
Drivers•September 17, 2026

From One Generation to the Next: How Mentorship Builds Safer Truck Drivers

After three decades in trucking, Harold Perry shares what he's learned about driver safety, mentorship, and helping the next generation build confidence behind the wheel.

Read More →