Kentucky KYU number and quarterly returns, the one everyone forgets on I-75
Vehicles at 59,999 lb and up pay 0.0285 USD per Kentucky mile, on a return that is separate from IFTA. $79 to open the account, $49 per quarterly return. Kentucky charges nothing for the number.
59,999 lb and up
The threshold is combined licensed weight, so a tractor-trailer plated at 80,000 lb is in even when it runs empty. Straight trucks and combinations under the line pay nothing.
0.0285 USD per mile, no registration fee
One rate for everyone above the threshold. Kentucky does not charge for the KYU number or for adding vehicles. The only money that goes to the state is the tax on the miles.
Quarterly, on IFTA dates
April 30, July 31, October 31 and January 31. Kentucky audits KYU and IFTA side by side, so the Kentucky miles on both returns need to match to the mile.
Account setup and returns
KYU price list
| Service | Our fee | Billing |
|---|---|---|
| Kentucky KYU number | $79 | one-time |
| KYU quarterly return | $49 | per quarter |
| Trip or fuel permit, any state | $49 | one-time |
The weight distance tax of 0.0285 USD per Kentucky mile is paid to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet with each return and is not included in any Profirm fee.
How it works
- Apply for the number
We file the KYU application with your USDOT number, vehicle list and licensed weights. Kentucky issues the KYU number, usually within a few business days, at no charge.
- Add and remove vehicles
The account lists the units that run in Kentucky. We add a truck the day you buy it and remove it the day you sell it, so the scale reads the account as current.
- Quarterly return
Each quarter you send Kentucky miles by vehicle. We compute the tax at 0.0285 USD per mile, you approve, and we file with the Transportation Cabinet before the due date.
Three routes through Kentucky
| Route | Kentucky miles, one way | Tax per round trip | Tax per quarter, weekly |
|---|---|---|---|
| I-75, Ohio line to Tennessee line | 190 | $10.83 | $140.79 |
| I-65, Louisville to Tennessee line | 140 | $7.98 | $103.74 |
| I-24, Illinois line to Tennessee line | 95 | $5.42 | $70.40 |
Mileages are rounded corridor distances for illustration. Your return uses the odometer and ELD miles for each vehicle.
The tax is small per trip and large when it is missed. A carrier that has run I-75 weekly for two years without an account owes two years of tax, penalty and interest at reinstatement, plus a bond. Opening the account before the first trip costs $79 and nothing from the state.
Open the account before the next load
Online requests open soon. Call or email us and we answer the same business day.
When a temporary KYU permit is enough
Kentucky issues a temporary KYU permit for a single vehicle, valid for 10 days, for a flat fee. It covers one entry and one exit and needs to be arranged before the truck reaches the state line. It is the right answer for a truck that sees Kentucky once or twice a year on an unusual load.
For anything more regular, the permanent number is the cheaper route. It costs nothing from the state, never expires while returns are filed, and the tax comes out the same 0.0285 USD per mile either way. The permanent account also spares your dispatcher from calling us at 6 am because a driver has been rerouted through Kentucky.
Canadian carriers on the Windsor to Florida or Montreal to Nashville lanes are almost always better served by the permanent account. We set it up with the rest of the US registrations so the truck is ready before the first crossing.
What we need to open the account
- USDOT number and legal name
- Plate, VIN, year and make for each vehicle over the threshold
- Combined licensed weight per unit
- Your IFTA account number so the two files match
- An estimate of Kentucky miles per quarter
Frequently asked questions
Who needs a KYU number?
Any carrier operating a vehicle with a combined licensed weight of 59,999 lb or more on Kentucky highways. Combined licensed weight means the weight the tractor and trailer are registered for, not what they happen to be carrying on a given day. A five-axle tractor-trailer plated at 80,000 lb needs a KYU number on its first Kentucky mile, whether the state is a destination or a pass-through on I-75, I-65, I-64 or I-24. Vehicles under 59,999 lb pay nothing and need no account.
How much is the Kentucky weight distance tax?
0.0285 USD per mile travelled in Kentucky, one flat rate for every vehicle at or above the threshold. A truck that runs 1,000 Kentucky miles in a quarter owes $28.50. There is no fee to obtain the KYU number itself and no annual renewal fee; the cost is the tax on the miles.
Is KYU the same as the Kentucky IFTA surcharge?
No, and this catches a lot of carriers. Kentucky is one of three jurisdictions with an IFTA surcharge, a second fuel tax line on your IFTA return that fuel purchases do not offset. KYU is a separate tax on distance, filed on a separate return to a separate account with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. A carrier at 80,000 lb pays both. See the IFTA page for the surcharge.
When are KYU returns due?
Quarterly, on the last day of the month after the quarter ends: April 30, July 31, October 31 and January 31. The same dates as IFTA, which is why we prepare both from the same mileage file. A return is due every quarter the account is open, including a zero return for a quarter with no Kentucky miles.
What happens if I do not file?
Kentucky assesses penalty and interest on the late tax and revokes the KYU licence for unfiled returns. A revoked licence shows up when the truck is checked at the scale, and reinstatement requires the back returns, the amounts due and a bond. A carrier caught operating without a KYU number at or above the weight threshold can be cited on the spot and required to buy a temporary permit before moving.
Can I buy a temporary KYU permit instead?
Yes. Kentucky issues a temporary KYU permit for a single vehicle, valid for 10 days, for a flat fee. It suits a truck that enters Kentucky once or twice a year. If a truck crosses the state more often than that, a permanent KYU number costs nothing to obtain and only the mileage tax applies. We issue temporary permits the same business day; see trip permits.
What records support a KYU return?
Kentucky miles by vehicle, by trip, with dates, origin, destination, route and odometer readings. ELD position data or trip sheets kept for IFTA already contain this. Kentucky audits KYU and IFTA together, so the Kentucky miles on both returns have to match. Keep records four years.
Do Canadian carriers need KYU?
Yes, if the truck is at or above 59,999 lb combined licensed weight. Ontario carriers running I-75 from Detroit or Windsor toward Atlanta and Florida cross the full length of Kentucky, about 190 miles, on every trip. Quebec carriers heading to Nashville or Memphis on I-65 and I-24 do the same. The IRP cab card and IFTA decals from your province do not cover it. We open KYU accounts for Canadian fleets as part of our cross-border setup.
Running I-75 without a KYU number?
Send us the vehicle list today. The account is usually open within a few business days, and the quarterly return goes on our calendar next to your IFTA.